Shahid Kapoor was born in Delhi, India and raised mostly in Junaghad, India.
Kapoor's father is Hindu and his mother is Muslim. But his parents separated when he was young and he was raised by his mother and grandmother in the Islamic faith. Today the actor is devout, never missing his prayers and dutifully observing the Holy Month of Ramadan.[1]
He said that when he was a boy and his mother and priest would try to teach him to read the Koran in Arabic, he was frustrated that he couldn't understand it. So he did the only thing that made sense to him to do:
Finally I spoke to my Allah directly through my Prayers at night, tendered my apology and from next day onwards I started reading and reciting the Koran in English language. It really helped me a lot. And now I am proud to admit that I know all the most important [Koranic Verses] by heart.
And there his spirituality was strengthened into the deep devotion it is today. He said,
I am extremely spiritual and have a lot of faith in God. It is only this 100 per cent trust and faith that I have in God that helps me understand the immense power of life.[2]
But coming for a family with multiple religions gave him a sense of the importance of religious tolerance. He said his parents taught him that we must look upon our fellow humans, regardless of religion, with compassion and not hatred.[3]
All quiet on the Bollywood front
Kapoor does not appear to be interested in politics in the least. I couldn't find any shred of evidence that he pays attention to the inner workings of government–or even that he's very involved in any kind of philanthropy. I couldn't find any comments on poverty, education, or the caste system in India. Nothing about economic interests in his country or abroad. Not a thing.
Considering his high profile, I think his silence is a pretty good indication that the actor is non-political. But if he changes his mind, or if you can prove me wrong, let us know in the comments.
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