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.[1][2]

Seema Kapoor
OccupationsWriter, Director, Producer
Years active1987–present
TelevisionAvantika
SpouseOm Puri (m. 1990; div. 1993)
Websitehttps://seemakapoor.in/

Early Life & Background

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.[3]

Career

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.[4]

Language coaching and mentoring

Kapoor has also worked as a language and diction coach for actors, including Janhvi Kapoor.[5]

Filmography

Films

Year Title Producer Director Writer Notes
1994 Abhay
1999 Kahani Kismat Ki Yes
2011 Haat - The Weekly Bazaar Yes Yes
2017 Mr Kabaadi Yes Yes

Television

Year Title Network Producer Director Writer Notes
1987–88 Qile Ka Rahasya DD National Yes Yes Yes
1991 Babu Ji Ka Circus DD National Yes Yes Yes
1998–99 Vijay Jyoti Zee TV Yes
1999 Knock Knock! Kaun Hai? Zee TV Yes
1999 Pal Chhin Star TV Yes [6]
1999 Ittefaq Zee TV Yes Yes Yes
1999 Yun Hi Chhu Liya Kisi Ne DD National Yes Yes Yes
2001 Zindgi Nama UTN (Zee Network) Yes Yes Yes
2001 Indian Classic Stories DD National Yes
2002 Faslay Geo TV Yes Yes Yes
2003–04 Hawayein Zee TV Yes
2009 Uttar Katha DD National Yes
2015 Mera Gaon Mera Desh DD National Yes Yes Yes
2019 Eklavya DD National Yes Yes Yes
2024 Avantika DD National Yes Yes Yes

Autobiography

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.[7][8][9]

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

Personal life

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.[10][11][12][13][14]

References

  1. ^ Times, Hindustan (8 March 2025). "Seema Kapoor: My writing began 34 years ago, during my divorce from Om Puri saheb, after I lost my child".
  2. ^ "It was painful to see my sister suffer: Annu Kapoor". The Times of India. 6 September 2013. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Seema Kapoor, the late Om Puri's first wife pays a tribute to the man she loved and lost | Filmfare.com". www.filmfare.com. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  4. ^ Chronicle, Deccan (2025-03-06). "Yun Guzri Hai Ab Talak: A Star-Studded Book Launch by Seema Kapoor at JW Marriott, Juhu". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  5. ^ TOI citation
  6. ^ "Nandita is guilty of adultery, not I: Om Puri's first wife". The Times of India. 2013-09-03. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  7. ^ "Seema Kapoor: पति ओम पुरी को याद करते ही छलक गए सीमा के आंसू, अन्नू कपूर ने माथे से लगाई बायोपिक". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  8. ^ Varma, Lipika (2025-03-07). "Boney Kapoor showers praise on film writer". www.deccanchronicle.com. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
  9. ^ ""This book is a piece of my soul": Annu Kapoor's sister Seema Kapoor on her autobiography 'Yun Guzri Hai Ab Talak'". The Times of India. 2025-03-06. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  10. ^ "Seema Kapoor on her love story with late Om Puri". The Times of India. 2017-01-12. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  11. ^ "Om Puri's ex-wife Seema Kapoor opens up about emotional turmoil during his affair with Nandita Puri". The Times of India. 2025-04-07. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  12. ^ "Om Puri's first wife says he cheated on her and left her while she was pregnant, sent her Rs 25,000 via secretary after she lost the baby: 'I was shattered'". The Indian Express. 2025-04-14. Retrieved 2026-01-15.
  13. ^ https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/om-puris-first-wife-reveals-he-cheated-on-her-when-she-was-pregnant-8129820
  14. ^ "Exclusive: Seema Kapoor Revisits Love, Loss, and Longing in Her Autobiography | Filmfare.com". www.filmfare.com. Retrieved 2026-01-15.