Entertainment / Thu, 06 Aug 2026 News18

He Made His Acting Debut In 1996, Became A Director 10 Years Later, Then Won A National Award

He Made His Acting Debut In 1996, Became A Director 10 Years Later, Then Won A National AwardLast Updated: August 06, 2026, 21:30 IST1 / 8 Abhishek Kapoor is a popular director but do you know that he entered the film industry as an actor? In 1996, he made his acting debut with Uff! It also marked Farhan Akhtar’s acting debut and earned widespread critical and commercial acclaim. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. ADVERTISEMENT7 / 8 Later, Kapoor also worked on romantic drama Fitoor, disaster romance Kedarnath and the socially relevant Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui.

Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 21:30 IST

1 / 8 Abhishek Kapoor is a popular director but do you know that he entered the film industry as an actor? On the occasion of his birthday, let's revisit the journey of the filmmaker who successfully transitioned from acting to directing and carved a distinct place in Hindi cinema with films such as Rock On!!, Kai Po Che!, Fitoor and Kedarnath.

2 / 8 Long before becoming a celebrated filmmaker, Kapoor started his career as an actor. In 1996, he made his acting debut with Uff! Yeh Mohabbat, which also starred Twinkle Khanna in the lead. Although his stint in front of the camera was brief, the experience marked the beginning of his decades-long association with the Hindi film industry.

3 / 8 Kapoor eventually realised that filmmaking was his true calling. He made his directorial debut with Aryan: Unbreakable in 2006, starring Sohail Khan. However, as far as the box office is converned, the film did not make a major impact commercially.

4 / 8 Kapoor’s major breakthrough came with Rock On!! in 2008. The film, centred on friendship, music and the reunion of a rock band, became a cultural phenomenon. It also marked Farhan Akhtar’s acting debut and earned widespread critical and commercial acclaim.

5 / 8 Rock On! went beyond box-office success to earn one of Indian cinema’s biggest honours. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

6 / 8 Kapoor followed Rock On!! with Kai Po Che! in 2013, adapted from Chetan Bhagat’s The 3 Mistakes of My Life. Starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Amit Sadh and Rajkummar Rao, the film had its world premiere at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival.

7 / 8 Later, Kapoor also worked on romantic drama Fitoor, disaster romance Kedarnath and the socially relevant Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui. His films often explore relationships, personal struggles and emotionally charged subjects through different cinematic worlds.