Who is Raj Kapoor, the desi behind Oscars 2026
Raj Kapoor, an Indian-Canadian from New Delhi, served as showrunner of the 98th Academy Awards in March 2026, in Los Angeles.
Growing up inspired by big award shows and with a distant Bollywood legacy (he is a distant relative of the Kapoor family), he's now making his own mark behind the scenes.
Career beginnings and early milestones
Kapoor started out as a dancer and assistant choreographer in Hollywood before landing his first producer gig at the 2016 Radio Disney Music Awards.
Since then, he's helped shape major events like the Grammys, Emmys, Latin Grammys, and more.
His ties to Bollywood legacy
He's picked up Emmys for Adele: One Night Only (2022) and producing the 96th Oscars (2024), and has earned nine Emmy Award nominations in total.
He also directed that viral Naatu Naatu performance at the Oscars.
Fun fact: after Rishi Kapoor spotted his name during a past Oscars broadcast, the two met in Los Angeles, and Raj describes the family tie as a distant relation to the Kapoor film dynasty.