Born on February 28, 1933, Jennifer Kendal Kapoor was an English actress and one of the founders of the famous Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai. Jennifer Kendal's parents Geoffrey Kendal and Laura Liddell used to run a travelling theatre company, Shakespeareana. (All photos/mid-day archives and the Instagram account of Karan Kapoor)
In picture: Jennifer Kendal with husband Shashi Kapoor
After living with her relative in England for many years, while her parents toured across India, Jennifer finally joined Shakespeareana and came to India to live with her family.
In the meantime, Shashi Kapoor joined Shakespeareana. Speaking about how he met Jennifer the first time, Shashi Kapoor had once told mid-day, 'While with Prithvi Theatre, one day I saw a beautiful girl with a scarf and heavy eardrops sitting in the audience. That moment was the turning point in my life. Two years later, I married Jennifer.'
In 1958, Jennifer and Shashi Kapoor got married. The couple had three children - sons Kunal Kapoor and Karan Kapoor, and a daughter Sanjana Kapoor.
In picture: Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kapoor pose with their son Kunal Kapoor. Kunal is a former actor who has appeared in films like Vijeta (1982), Utsav (1984) and Trikal (1985).
In 1965, Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer Kendal first starred in the film Shakespeare Wallah, which also had Felicity Kendal (Jennifer's sister) as the lead actress and Jennifer's parents Geoffrey Kendal and Laura Liddell. However, Jennifer only had a minor role.
Jennifer Kendal was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer in 1982 and died of the disease in 1984. Her absence in Shashi's life had been critical. Her passing had left Kapoor heartbroken.
In picture: Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kapoor and Kunal Kapoor's candid click.
Jennifer Kendal Kapoor had a tremendous sense of discipline. It was Jennifer who instilled in Shashi Kapoor the idea that Sunday was a family day. They would often have amazing food for lunch on Sundays. However, the only breakfast Shashi was allowed by Jennifer was a cup of coffee and two unbuttered toasts to maintain his lean physique. This was his routine for many years.
In picture: Jennifer Kendal clicked with Shashi Kapoor, while the couple attended an award function.
Shot around 1979/80 by Karan Kapoor, this picture features the beatific couple - Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer Kendal - outside the fisherman's cottage in Goa they had christened 'Love House,' and to which the family would periodically return to bask in each other's company. This the only picture Karan Kapoor has of his parents together in Goa.
'Every evening they would walk the few metres from the 'Love House' to the beach to watch the sunset, Dad in his lungi and t-shirt and mom in her kaftan,' Karan Kapoor had mentioned this in one of his old social media posts. 'I have fond memories of the fishing boat behind them. All three of us, Kunal, Sanjana and I used to go in it to catch 'bangda machchi' (Mackerel) with our friends from the village,' he said evoking days of summer and love of heart-stopping poignancy.
That's Jennifer Kendal and Shashi Kapoor's daughter Sanjana Kapoor, who is a theatre personality and former actress. Talking about his family, Shashi Kapoor, in one of his interviews with mid-day, had shared, 'It's more important to take Jennifer and the children for a movie and coffee at the Shamiana rather than hobnob at the same old dreary party, with the same old dreary people, doing the same old dreary things.'
Jennifer Kendal was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for the 1981 film 36 Chowringhee Lane. She had also starred in films such as Bombay Talkie (1970), Junoon (1978), Heat and Dust (1983), and Ghare Baire (1984).
In picture: Jennifer Kapoor with her daughter Sanjana Kapoor clicked at Sundaram Theatre for Basera's premier show. Jennifer passed away a little before Aditya Bhattacharya and Sanjana Kapoor were set to get married.
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