Seema Kapoor

Seema Kapoor is an Indian filmmaker and writer known for her contributions to cinema and television. She is the sister of director and playwright Ranjit Kapoor, actor and television personality Annu Kapoor, and filmmaker Nikhil Kapoor.

Source: Wikipedia

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Seema Kapoor

Early Life & Background

Seema Kapoor

Kapoor was born into a family associated with theatre and the arts. Her father, Madanlal Kapoor, was associated with Parsi theatre in India. Her mother, Kamal Shabnam Kapoor, was an Urdu poet and classical singer.

Career

Seema Kapoor

Seema Kapoor began her career in puppet theatre at the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts, Delhi. In collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), she participated in international puppet festivals representing India.

She entered television in 1988 with the serial Qile Ka Rahasya and subsequently worked on television productions and documentaries for government ministries. She wrote the screenplay and dialogues for the film Abhay (1994), which received the National Film Award for Best Children's Film in 1995.

In 2010, Kapoor wrote and directed Haat – The Weekly Bazaar, produced by the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC). The film received the Critics' Award for Best Director at the Third Eye Asian Film Festival and the Best Story–Screenplay award at the Jagran Film Festival. It was screened at film festivals including the International Film Festival of India, Mumbai Film Festival, Cairo International Film Festival, Tongues on Fire (London), and The Hidden Gems (Canada).

In 2017, she wrote and directed the feature film Mr. Kabadi, produced by Anup Jalota. a satirical comedy featuring her late ex-husband, actor Om Puri. The film was among Puri's final works.

In 2024, she directed Avantika, a historical TV serial that aired on Doordarshan.

Language coaching and mentoring

Kapoor has also worked as a language and diction coach for actors, including Janhvi Kapoor.

Filmography

Films

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Producer</th><th>Director</th><th>Writer</th><th>Notes</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1994</td><td>Abhay</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td></td><td>Dialogues and screenplay</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Kahani Kismat Ki</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Haat - The Weekly Bazaar</td><td></td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Mr Kabaadi</td><td></td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Television

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Network</th><th>Producer</th><th>Director</th><th>Writer</th><th>Notes</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1987–88</td><td>Qile Ka Rahasya</td><td>DD National</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>Babu Ji Ka Circus</td><td>DD National</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1998–99</td><td>Vijay Jyoti</td><td>Zee TV</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Knock Knock! Kaun Hai?</td><td>Zee TV</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Pal Chhin</td><td>Star TV</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Ittefaq</td><td>Zee TV</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Yun Hi Chhu Liya Kisi Ne</td><td>DD National</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>Zindgi Nama</td><td>UTN (Zee Network)</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>Indian Classic Stories</td><td>DD National</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>Faslay</td><td>Geo TV</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2003–04</td><td>Hawayein</td><td>Zee TV</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Uttar Katha</td><td>DD National</td><td>—</td><td>Yes</td><td>—</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Mera Gaon Mera Desh</td><td>DD National</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Eklavya</td><td>DD National</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>Avantika</td><td>DD National</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td>Yes</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

Autobiography

Seema Kapoor

In March 2025, Kapoor released her autobiography Yun Guzri Hai Ab Talak at a launch event attended by film personalities including Boney Kapoor, Annu Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Paresh Rawal, Raghubir Yadav, Divya Dutta, Bharti Lavekar and Jaspinder Narula.

The book was featured by Sahitya Aaj Tak among notable autobiographical works of 2025.

Personal life

Seema Kapoor

Kapoor was married to Om Puri from 1990 to 1993. The couple later separated. In interviews, Kapoor has stated that the separation occurred during her pregnancy and that she subsequently lost the child.

In the later years of his life, Puri re-established contact with Kapoor, and they remained on cordial terms until his death in 2017.