Although he wanted to pursue a career in show business, Shekhar Kapur studied business in order to please his parents. Emigrating to Great Britain, he spent several years working as an accountant and management consultant before he capitulated and answered the siren call of 'Bollywood'. Returning to Bombay, the darkly handsome. bearded Kapur embarked on a career as a print model and performer. While he found some success on the small screen, he came across as stiff, almost wooden in his film appearances. Abandoning acting, Kapur moved to the director's chair with the coming-of-age tale "Masoom/Innocent" (1983). Ironically, the man who was so ill-at-ease before the camera has proven to be an elegant and capable filmmaker, often eliciting strong and deeply felt performances from his casts.