Ekta Kapoor (also spelled as Ektaa Kapoor) is an Indian film producer, TV producer, director, writer, singer, and actress, and fashion designer, best known as the managing director of the company Balaji Telefilms, created by her dad, Jeetendra, who was a prolific Indian actor. At 1st, Ekta fell in love with being a TV show and soap opera producer, such as Mano Ya Na Mano (1995), Kanyadaan (1999), Koshish… Ek Aasha (2000-2002), Kesar (2002-2004), Kkusum (2001-2005), and Kavyanjali (2005-2006). Ekta was also a series producer for K. Street Pali Hill (2004-2006), Kahiin To Hoga (2003-2007), Kyunki… Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi… (2000-2008), Kasamh Se (2006-2008), Bandini (2009-2011), and Pavitra Rishta (2009-2014).
In the early 2010s, she was also a series producer for Kalash-Ek Vishwaas (2015-2017) and Yeh Hai Mohabbatein starting in 2013, as well as Kumkum Bhagya starting in 2014. Under the banner of Balaji Motion Pictures, she was also a film producer for more than 35 movies between 2001 and 2019. Ekta also started a video-on-demand platform and application named ALT Balaji, through which she has also created/directed/produced numerous web series between 2017 and 2019. Ekta also created her own fashion line under the name EK Label. She has also amassed a large social media fanbase with more than 3 million followers on Instagram and more than 600k followers on Facebook.
Born Name
Ekta Ravi Kapoor
Nick Name
Content Czarina, Czarina of Television, The Queen of India Television
Ekta Kapoor in an Instagram selfie as seen in July 2019 (Ekta Kapoor / Instagram)
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Residence
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality
Education
Ekta attended Bombay Scottish School (BSS), an elite private school at Mahim, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. She then enrolled in Mithibai College in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Occupation
TV Producer, Film Producer, Director, Writer, Actress, Singer, Fashion Designer
Ekta Kapoor is represented by Balaji Telefilms (Company) in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Genre
Alternative/Indie
Instruments
Vocals
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 4 in or 162.5 cm
Weight
57 kg or 125.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Ekta Kapoor has dated –
Karan Johar (2007) – Ekta was reportedly linked with director Karan Johar in 2007 after he had made a statement that he would marry Ekta Kapoor if they both remained single in the future.
Rizwan Bachav (2017) – She was spotted going out with Rizwan, an investment banker, and marathon runner, in mid-2017. While some media reported he was already her boyfriend, neither clarified what their connection was.
In early 2018, Ekta was already contemplating whether she would have enough time and effort for a kid. She stated: “All of my friends who were married now aren’t. With the number of divorces I’ve seen recently, I think I’m more patient. I definitely know one thing, that I want a child but not marriage. I don’t have time for myself, and if I get a couple of hours, I would like to go to a spa.” Her dad really wanted her to get married at some point, and he even prayed for that to happen. His wish came true, at least partially, when Ekta followed in her younger brother’s footsteps, who got a kid through surrogacy in 2016 because he felt he was getting older and was not married. After she fell in love with being an aunt to her nephew Laksshya, on January 27, 2019, through surrogacy, her son Ravie Kapoor was born. An actress and TV presenter, Mona Singh, her close friend, also took on the role of a babysitter for Ekta. When he made an appearance on August 26, 2019, many people stated that Ravie was the “spitting image of his mom.”
Ekta Kapoor at Zee Rishtey Awards in December 2010 (Filmitadka / www.filmitadka.in / CC BY-SA 3.0)
Race / Ethnicity
Asian (Indian)
She is of Indian descent.
Hair Color
Black
She has also dyed her hair ‘Dark Brown’ in the past.
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Dimpled chin
Brand Endorsements
Ekta Kapoor has endorsed brands such as –
EK Label
Lake Riviera Residences (2018)
Ekta Kapoor in a selfie in July 2019 (Ekta Kapoor / Instagram)
Best Known For
Being a prolific director and producer, having launched more than numerous Indian soap operas and movies under Balaji Telefilms, a production company her dad created
Creating a digital video-on-demand platform and app, ALTBalaji, through which she has launched numerous 40 web series
Starting Institute of Creative Excellence, a media training school, in 2012
Her social media fanbase with more than 3 million followers on Instagram, more than 600k followers on Facebook, and more than 300k followers on Twitter
As a Singer
Ekta Kapoor sang a song named Vande Mataram alongside Sonu Nigam, a playback singer, and composer, which was featured on the soundtrack for the action, thriller movie, Romeo Akbar Walter (2019).
First Film
Ekta Kapoor made her first feature film appearance as Capt. Anju Sinha Hood in the action, adventure, thriller film Tahalka in 1992.
First Web Show
Ekta Kapoor made her first TV show appearance as ‘Herself’ in an episode Ekta Kapoor of the talk-show series IMDb on the Scene – Interviews in June 2017.
First TV Show
She made her first TV show appearance as ‘Herself’ in an episode of the comedy, talk-show series Koffee with Karan in January 2005.
Ekta Kapoor as seen in July 2012 (Bollywood Hungama / www.bollywoodhungama.com / CC BY-3.0)
Ekta Kapoor Facts
She began her career as a producer at the age of 15. She was an intern with a feature filmmaker, Kailash Surendranath until her dad’s company financed her aspirations as a producer.
In 2001, Asia Week magazine named her as one of “Asia’s Most Powerful Communicators”.
Because her career was on the rise, and she had to attend a plethora of business functions, Ekta hired a friend who was a designer and stylist in December 2011. She said: “I want a slight change in my look. I plan to get my teeth done, along with redoing my hair and clothes.”
When asked why she doesn’t accept to advertise brands on-screen, she admitted that she’s very shy on camera, and is always weighing her options.
In 2012, Ekta landed a spot on the list of “25 Most Powerful Women in Indian Business”.
Between 2010 and 2014, Ekta lost confidence after several of the movies she released flopped at the box office. Some of those were including Love S*x Aur Dhokha (2010), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010), and Shor in the City (2011). This led her to be reluctant to produce the movie Half Girlfriend (2017), which ended up being profitable.
Ekta made a bold move in April 2015 when she added a ‘n*dity clause’ to the contracts of actors starring in one of her erotic movies. She wanted to have artistic freedom, and avoid actors backing out of n*de scenes and her having to make compromises.
Between 2010 and 2019, Ekta received more than 20 awards, some of which were “Woman Achiever of the Year” (2018), “Grand Achiever of the Year” (2018), “Icon of Excellence” (2018), and “HT Most Stylish Film Maker of the Year” (2019).
Ekta was named “Most Powerful Woman in Indian Business” by Business Today and “BW Most Influential Woman of India” by Businessworld, both in 2019.
An unnamed man stalked her in March 2019.
Her digital on-demand platform, ALT Balaji, reached a number of 20 million subscribers on August 9, 2019.
The actress Ridhima Pandit praised her for being a “magnificent woman” in late August 2019. Ridhima played one of the lead roles in the superhero drama series named Haiwaan that Ekta created.
In January 2022, it was revealed that Ekta had been tested positive for COVID-19.
In September 2022, an arrest warrant was issued (by a court in Bihar’s Begusarai district) against Ekta Kapoor and her mom Shobha Kapoor for insulting soldiers and hurting the sentiments of their family members in the ALTBalaji web series XXX which is an erotic comedy-drama show.
In May 2023, Ektaa’s name was included in The Hollywood Reporter’s list of ‘The 40 Most Influential Women in International Film’. As of May 2023, she is the only Indian to feature in the list.
In November 2023, Ektaa was honored with the “International Emmy Directorate Award” at the International Emmy Awards for her contribution to the world of arts and entertainment.
Visit her company’s official websites @ balajitelefilms.com, altbalaji.com.
Featured Image by Bollywood Hungama / www.bollywoodhungama.com / CC BY-3.0
