He is the son of actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, and grandson of actor-director Raj Kapoor. Kapoor did moviemaking and method acting at the School of Visual Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute respectively. He then worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali as an assistant director on the 2005 movie "Black". He made his acting debut in Bhansali's tragic romance "Saawariya" (2007). The movie was a critical and commercial failure. Kapoor became famous in 2009 with his performances in the coming-of-age movie "Wake Up Sid", the romantic comedy "Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani", and the drama "". His most watched movie during this time was the political drama "Raajneeti" (2010).