Pankaj Kapoor is a known face in Indian theatre, television and films. He has appeared in several television serials and films. One of his most memorable films till date has been Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991) as Dr. Dipankar Roy. This film got him a National Award. In 2003 Vishal Bhardwaj`s Maqbool brought him the same recognition.

However Pankaj Kapoor started his career with television. Serials like Karamchand, a detective series made him a household name. In the recent years comic satire like Office Office and the laugh riot Zabaan Sambhaal Ke brought him a lot of recognition. He was awarded at several television award ceremonies. A graduate from National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi and here he bagged the Best Actor Award. For the next four years Pankaj Kapoor was busy theatre where he established himself as one of the finest actors. It was during these days that he was offered Gandhi by Richard Attenborough. He dubbed for Ben Kingsley in the Hindi version and played the role of Gandhi`s second secretary Pyarelal.

Pankaj Kapur has also ventured into the field of direction on television. The serials which were aired on Indian television are Mohandas B.A.L.L.B, Wah Bhai Wah, Sahabji Biwiji Ghulamji and Drishtanth, Kanak Di Balli, Albert`s Bridge and Panchvan Savaar.

Pankaj Kapoor`s debut film is Arohan (1982), a film by Shyam Benegal. Thereafter Pankaj Kapoor went onto establish himself as one of the most versatile Indian actors. This was also the time when art cinema was thriving. Actor like Pankaj Kapoor was the perfect predecessor to Om Puris and Naseeruddin Shahs. The versatile actor appeared in several parallel films like Shyam Benegal`s Mandi (1983), Kundan Shah`s comedy flick Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro in 1983, Saeed Akhtar Mirza`s Mohan Joshi Hazir Ho!(1984), Mrinal Sen`s Khandhar (1984), and Vidhu Vinod Chopra`s suspense thriller Khamosh (1985).

During this period art films were at their zenith in India. Pankaj Kapoor at this point of time became one of the most important stars on the silver screen. However Pankaj Kapoor did a bagful of commercial films too. These included Chameli Ki Shaadi with Anil Kapoor and Amrita Singh and much later in Mani Ratnam`s Roja. The art films of Pankaj Kapoor fetched him several National Awards. In between he kept an active association with television by returning to it every now and then.

In the late 1980s Pankaj Kapoor arrived with one of his career best films with Basu Chatterjee, Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986). The next year he treaded on different grounds with Jalwa, also starring Naseeruddin Shah. This was a comic film. Pankaj Kapoor got his first National Film Award for Rakh (1989). This film also starred Aamir Khan.

Pankaj Kapoor was also a part of certain Punjabi movies as well. One of them is Mari da Deeva. But Pankaj Kapoor delivered his career best performance in the lead role of a struggling scientist in Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991). His outstanding histrionic skills brought him another National Film Award in 1991. It was a Special Jury Award. After this Pankaj Kapoor once again returned to his world of television. He was back with a bang with Vishal Bhardwaj`s Maqbool in 2003. He proved himself once again the actor par excellence with this screen adaptation of Shakespeare`s Macbeth. He received the 2004 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor. Pankaj Kapoor was awesome as the underworld don Abba ji. He shared the screen space with Tabu and Irrfan Khan. He was also seen in films like Dus (2005) in the role of an anti hero. Pankaj Kapoor once again teamed with Vishal Bhardwaj for Blue Umbrella (2005). He once again bagged popular awards for his role as the greedy tea stall owner in this film.

A filmography of Pankaj Kapoor would include the following films:

Arohan (1982)	Chameli Ki Shaadi (1986)	Ram Jaane (1995)	Dus (2005)
Gandhi (1982)	Ek Ruka Hua Faisla (1986)	Rui Ka Bojh (1997)	Dharm (2007)
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)	Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991)	Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003)	The Blue Umbrella (2007)
Mohan Joshi Haazir Ho (1984)	Roja (1992)	Maqbool (2003)	Halla Bol (2007)

Pankaj Kapoor received several awards. These are:
1989 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in Rakh
1991 National Film Award - Special Jury Award in Ek Doctor Ki Maut
2004 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in Maqbool
2005 Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance in Maqbool
2007 Best Actor National Award by Journalist Association