THE TIMES OF INDIA (April 28, 2026)

Film and theatre actor Bharat Kapoor, best remembered as the manipulative antagonist in the surprise superhit ‘Noorie' (1979) and as the amoral lover in the poignant tragedy ‘Bazaar' (1982), died in Mumbai on Monday. He was 80.

"I got a call from Bharat ji's son, Rahul, saying he passed away around 3 pm due to cardiac arrest at his home. He was unwell for three days," close friend and actor Avatar Gill told news agency PTI.

‘Love Story', ‘Nakhuda', ‘Ghulami', ‘Aakhri Raasta' and ‘Khuda Gawah' are some of the other films Kapoor worked in.

A first-rate theatre actor, Kapoor's rough, distinctive voice and clear diction were perfect for supporting roles. He was impressive in the cameo of a Pakistani officer in Chetan Anand's ‘Hindustan Ki Kasam' in one of his early films.

The low-budget ‘Noorie', a tender love story with memorable compositions by Khayyam, had the fresh faces of Farooq Shaikh and Poonam Dhillon in lead roles. As the principal antagonist Basheer Khan, Kapoor imbued the part with a sly menace. Viewers remembered that role for a long time. The film's astounding box office success ensured a steady flow of roles for him. But most of them were different versions of the stereotypical bad guy.

Sagar Sarhadi's ‘Bazaar' (1982) also gave him an opportunity to display his acting chops. Kapoor held his own in the film crowded with stars of alternative cinema.

Kapoor found roles with more heft and length once satellite TV arrived in the early 1990s. ‘Tara', ‘Campus', ‘Paramapara', ‘Saans' and ‘Amanat' were some of the TV shows where he kept appearing for weeks, even months. Unfortunately, Bollywood failed to fully utilise his talent. His death was mourned on social media.
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HINDUSTAN TIMES (April 29, 2026)

Bharat Kapoor passed away on Monday at the age of 80 in Mumbai, after suffering a cardiac arrest, and tributes soon poured in for the veteran actor.

His close friend, actor Avatar Gill told PTI, “I’ve known him for more than 50 years. We did many plays and acted in films together... For me it is like losing an elder brother, a mentor, and a friend.”

Actor Poonam Dhillon, who worked with Bharat in the 1979 film Noorie paid tribute to him on Stories with a photo of the film, calling him a “a total gentleman, perfect co-actor, family man”.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also took to Instagram to pay tribute to the late actor, writing, “Have great memories working with him in the initial days of my career.”

Bharat Kapoor was a prominent character actor in Hindi cinema during the 1970s-1990s. He was widely recognised for his portrayal of villainous roles, as well as impactful supporting characters. Some of his notable films include Ram Balram (1980), Love Story (1981), Bazaar (1982) and Ghulami (1985), among others.