Jennifer Kapoor was born as Jennifer Kendal on February 28, 1933. She was a British actress who married into the Kapoor family. Jennifer Kendal was born in Southport, England, but since her adolescence, she spent her life in India. She was born to Geoffrey Kendal and Laura Lidell. She had a younger sister, Felicity Kendal. Jennifer was the owner of a travelling theatre company, called the "Shakespeareana". This company travelled around India as described in the book and film, Shakespeare Wallah. The cast included Jennifer herself, her husband Shashi Kapoor, her father, and her sister Felicity.
Shashi Kapoor and Jennifer met each other for the first time in 1956 in Kolkata. Shashi Kapoor was part of Prithvi Theatre troupe, while she played the role of Miranda in the play `The Tempest`, by "Shakespeareana" travelling troupe. Eventually, Shashi started working intensively and touring with the Shakespeareana Company. In July 1958, Kendal married the then popular Indian film star, Shashi Kapoor. Kendal and her husband brought the Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai into life and her daughter Sanjana presently manages the venture. The couple starred in a number of films together, especially those produced by Merchant Ivory Productions.
Jennifer and Shashi Kapoor had three children, two sons, Kunal Kapoor and Karan Kapoor and a daughter Sanjana Kapoor, of whom Kunal Kapoor is an actor and Karan is a model and photographer.
In 1983, she was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the film 36 Chowringhee Lane and won the Evening Standard British Film Awards for the same film. She was a wife and mother par excellence as well as an excellent actress in the Film Industry.
Jennifer Kapoor died of cancer on September 7, 1984.
Filmography of Jennifer Kapoor
* Ghare-Baire in 1984 as Miss Gilby
* The Far Pavilions in 1984 as Mrs. Viccary
* Heat and Dust in 1983 as Mrs. Saunders
* 36 Chowringhee Lane in 1981 as Miss Violet Stoneham
* Junoon as Ruth`s Mother
* Bombay Talkie in 1970 as Lucia Lane
* Shakespeare Wallah in 1965 as Mrs. Bowen