Who Was Ram Kapoor's Father, Anil 'Billy' Kapoor? Renowned Ad Guru, Didn't Speak To Son For 10 Years

Ram Kapoor is one of the most loved actors in the television industry, who has been winning our hearts for years. From his spot-on performances to his charming personality, even to this day, Ram is one of the most bankable stars in the telly world. The actor made his television debut in 1997 with the show, Nyaay.

In the year 2000, Ram appeared in the show, Ghar Ek Mandir, and the show made him a household name. Ram gained huge popularity with his role ‘Jai Walia’ in the show, Kasamh Se. He was also loved for portraying the character of ‘Ram Kapoor’ in the popular show, Bade Ache Lagte Jain. Talking about his personal life, Ram is married to actress, Gautami Gadgil, and the couple is proud parents to two kids, Sia and Aks.

While everyone knows Ram Kapoor’s professional and personal life, not everyone knows that Ram is the son of veteran ad guru, Anil Kapoor, who was popularly known as ‘Billy Kapoor’ in the advertising world. Let us read on to know how Billy Kapoor changed the face of advertising and the reason behind his strained relationship with his son, Ram.

Anil ‘Billy’ Kapoor was a graduate of IIM Ahmedabad

Born into a Punjabi family, Anil was the second of the four children in his family. After graduating in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, Anil went on to pursue an MBA at IIM Ahmedabad. He started his career in advertising and worked with a British multinational company, Boots, handling brands like Strepsils and Coldarin.

Anil ‘Billu’ Kapoor played a key role in the success of Ulka Advertising

After working with Boots as a Marketing Director, Anil joined Ulka Advertising in 1988, which was running in losses. He was a complete outsider, and people thought, why would a marketing guy join a company where there was no future? He took control of the agency and changed its fortune forever.

Anil was known for being blunt with his words and often discarded a marketing plan if he didn’t like it. He convinced his clients to go beyond making ads and try to connect with people’s emotions. He backed commercial creativity and made lifelong relationships with his clients.

Anil Kapoor’s solid partnership with Amul

Anil Kapoor was clear that advertising is not only about jingles or taglines but also about building brands. His partnership with Amul is the perfect example of this. Once, Dr Verghese Kurien wished to hire a new advertising agency for his brand called Amulya, which was then competing with the brand, Nestle Everyday. When Verghese Kurien paid a visit to Ulka and met Anil, he was so impressed that he struck a deal with him. Ulka has completed three decades of partnership with Amul.

Anil Kapoor went on to win the accounts of many brands under his leadership. His razor-sharp mind often played wonders. He would first think about the business model of a product before making strategies. Some of the big brands led by Anil were Sundrop, Santoor, Tata Motors, Mahindra Auto in Mumbai, LML, Whirlpool, Hero Honda, Naukri.com and a few others.

Anil Kapoor’s strained relationship with his son, Ram Kapoor

Being one of the leading businessmen in India, Anil Kapoor wanted his son, Ram Kapoor, to join his business and lead his legacy forward. However, his decision to pursue acting strained their relationship. Anil was unhappy with Ram’s decision, and it led to a 10-year-long rift between them. In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Ram admitted that growing up as a 'rich man's only son' meant he had enjoyed a lot of privileges.

In the same interaction, Ram revealed that he was passionate about being an actor, but his father never took him seriously. When Ram went to America to learn acting, his father stopped sending him money. The actor made money for food and rent by doing odd jobs. Even after coming back to India, he struggled. For 10 years, the father-son duo didn’t speak to each other. However, when his father’s employees started approaching him for photographs with the actor, Anil realised his son’s popularity.

Anil ‘Billy’ Kapoor’s death and Amul’s tribute to him

On April 12, 2021, Anil ‘Billy’ Kapoor passed away after a long battle with cancer. After his demise, Amul, in its trademark style,e gave a fitting tribute to the legend with a hoarding in Mumbai, featuring Amul Girl and Billy Kapoor on it with the line:

“Anil ‘Billy’ Kapoor, You will always be a part of our famuly.”

Did you know about Ram Kapoor’s father, Anil ‘Billy’ Kapoor and his popularity in the advertising world? Let us know.

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