More than four decades have passed since Supriya Pathak Kapur made her film debut with Shyam Benegal’s “Kalyug,” captivating audiences with her expressive kohl-streaked eyes and demure smile. Throughout her journey, she has effortlessly portrayed a variety of characters, showcasing her versatility in acting.
I enjoy acting. Give me anything that is chewable, and I will chew on it. I enjoy performing different roles. I never want to get stuck with one character.
Supriya Pathak
Be it “Idhar-Udhar’s street smart Poonam, Kalyug’s Subhadra & “Bazaar’s ill feted Shabnam, for which she won two consecutive Filmfare’s Best Supporting Actress Awards, Manu in Oscar winner “Gandhi”, Khichdi’s Hansa or Dhankor Ben of “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, Supriya Pathak done it all and that too with great conviction and superior artistry which we rarely seen on silver screen.
Early Life
Supriya was born on 7 January 1961 in Mumbai. Her mother the great Dina Pathak, was one of the pioneers in theatre and films. Her father Baldev Pathak, was a dressmakers to the stars like Dilip Kumar and Rajesh Khanna. She is the younger sister of Ratna Pathak Shah, who is also an actor of great repute. Ratna is married to legendary actor Naseeruddin Shah. Supriya is married to Pankaj Kapur; together they have two kids, Sanah and Ruhan Kapoor. She also has a stepson, Shahid Kapoor.
Acting Journey
Supriya started her career with the play “Maina Gurjari” under direction of her mother Deena Pathak. While doing Dinesh Thakur’s Play “Biwiyon ka Madarsa” at Prithvi Theatre, Shashi Kapoor‘s wife Jennifer Kendall spotted her and recommended her to Shyam Benegal for their home production Kalyug (1981), an adaptation of the epic Mahabharata, where she played Subhadra.
She goes on to do films like Vijeta (1982), Sagar Sarhadi’s Bazaar (1982), Shekhar Kapur‘s Masoom (1983) and Ketan Mehta’s Mirch Masala (1985). She also starred in the 1988 French film, The Bengali Night.
Later Career
After an 11-year break from acting, she made a comeback with the 2005 film “Sarkar.” She reprised her role in its 2008 sequel, “Sarkar Raj.” In “Wake Up Sid (2009), she portrayed a devoted mother bridging the generation gap with her son.
In 2013 she terrorized the world and specially young lovers in “Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.” For her sinister perrformance as Dhankor Baa, she won numerous acclodes. Filmfare magazine hailed her role a “career watershed.”
Supriya Pathak on IMDB
