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Shekhar Kapur

Shekhar Kapur

Director, actor and producer · Born December 6, 1945 (80) · Lahore, Punjab, British India

Golden Globe nominee · BAFTA Award nominee · 1 other major award body

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Shekhar Kapur (born 6 December 1945) is an Indian film director and producer. He is a critically acclaimed director, rose to popularity with the movie, Bandit Queen. His historical biopics of Queen Elizabeth I (Elizabeth and its sequel Elizabeth: The Golden Age) garnered several Academy Award nominations, including two Best Actress nods for Cate Blanchett. Description above from the Wikipedia article Shekhar Kapur, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia​

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 6, 1945 (80)
From
Lahore, Punjab, British India
Works as
Director, actor and producer
Titles
12 on MovieCove · 35 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 25% in 30 days

What are Shekhar Kapur's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
25%
Morality
21%
Self
20%
Power
19%
Survival
6%
Society
5%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRevenge2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 3 · Serious 1 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 4 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 3 · Charged 2 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 4 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 0

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 4 · Even-paced 6 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
8
Melancholic
6
Romantic
5
Warm
2
Contemplative
3
Other
6

How their films linger

Bittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteDevastating2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet6
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Shekhar Kapur's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 12 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Shekhar Kapur's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

35 credits, 12 with a MovieCove page; 5 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust(2024)

    as Council Member (voice)

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • What's Love Got to Do with It?(2022)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Vishwaroopam II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Colonel Jagannath

  • Will(2017)

    Show 10 episodes · Director · Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all shows

  • Venice 70: Future Reloaded (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Director

  • Pradhanmantri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 26 episodes · as Narrater

  • Ishkq in Paris (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Ranveer

  • Vishwaroopam(2013)

    as Colonel Jagannath

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Remembrance (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • Passage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Director

  • New York, I Love You(2008)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Elizabeth: The Golden Age(2007)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • The Four Feathers(2002)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Guru(2002)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Elizabeth(1998)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Dil Se..(1998)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Dushmani: A Violent Love Story(1995)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Bandit Queen(1994)

    Director · as Truck Driver

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Nazar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Antique Dealer / Money Lender

  • Drishti (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Nikhil

  • Gawaahi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Ranjeet Choudhary

  • Falak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Police Inspector Jimmy

  • Mr. India (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Director

  • Masoom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Director

  • Jeena Yahan (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Shekhar

  • Toote Khilone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Actor

  • Ishk Ishk Ishk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Actor

  • Omnibus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Ebony McQueen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Foreign Bodies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Foreign Bodies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Masoom: The Next Generation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

  • Next To God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Creative Director

  • Song of Songs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Executive Producer

  • Untitled Sheikh Zayed Biopic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director

Career shape

A full career of 34 titles, 27 of them dated from 1967 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Elizabeth (1998)

$82M worldwide

Highest rated

Vishwaroopam (2013)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

New York, I Love You (2008)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting14 of 34: 13 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting17 of 34: 15 only directing, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score62ndProducing4 of 34: 3 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 34: 1 only other crew, 0 with another role

By decade

1960s1 · acting1970s3 · acting1980s4 · 2 acting · 2 crew1990s5 · 3 acting · 3 crew2000s6 · crew2010s6 · 4 acting · 2 crew2020s2 · 1 acting · 1 crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

Awards

3 major nominations and no wins, 1994–1999.

  1. 1999
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Director - Motion Picture
    • BAFTA Award, nominated
  2. 1994
    • Cannes award, nominated · Directors' Fortnight

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Shekhar Kapur's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 62nd percentile, the median of all 11; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 62nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

68thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 12 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 12 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved2
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · director

Dushmani: A Violent Love Story (1995)

84th percentile spread · 33% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Vishwaroopam (2013)

Midcredits 94th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 72/100 and the pacing 43/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Shekhar Kapur's work okay for kids?

Across up to 8 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and sex & nudity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles55–81 · median 73 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity8 titles31–73 · median 42 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity7 titles17–59 · median 38 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles29–47 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 68 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Shekhar Kapur work with?

People who share at least 2 of Shekhar Kapur's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Cate Blanchett shares the most, 3.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles