Grammy Veteran Raj Kapoor Returns as Executive Producer and Showrunner of 97th Oscars

Raj Kapoor is returning as executive producer and showrunner of the 97th Oscars, the Academy announced earlier this week. The Indian American will be joined by Katy Mullan as executive producer, and Hamish Hamilton as director. 

It is Kapoor and Mullan’s second time to executive produce and Hamilton’s fifth time directing the Oscars.The trio each won an Emmy award for their work on last year’s Oscars.

“We are delighted to announce the return of our incredibly dynamic and creative Oscars team, Raj, Katy, Hamish, Misty, Alana and Dave. And we are thrilled to announce the addition of the brilliant Michael Bearden,” saidAcademy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Janet Yang. “Their love for cinema, their collective creative vision and their unparalleled expertise in live television make them the perfect team to create an exceptional show for our global audience on the film industry’s biggest night.”

The Oscars will air live on ABC and broadcast outlets worldwide on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, with the official live red carpet show airing at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

In a joint statement, Kapoor and Mullan said they are thrilled to lead the brilliant Oscars production team again and work alongside the Academy and Disney/ABC to help create an unforgettable night of television for movie lovers worldwide,” said Kapoor and Mullan. “We hope to continue to inspire and connect new generations to share our love for the art of filmmaking and celebrate all the incredible artists who are Oscar-nominated this year.”

Kapoor is the founder of Raj Kapoor Productions, a Los Angeles-based ‘full service creative agency and production company,’ which has created shows for big names like Carrie Underwood, Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Coldplay, Shania Twain, and The Chainsmokers. 

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The son of two schoolteachers from New Delhi, Kapoor grew up in Alberta, Canada, and completed his BA in education, English and drama from the University of Alberta. He started his career as a dancer and choreographer and moved to show production when he got a break on TV hits like “American Idol” and “Dancing with the Stars.”

He has received six Primetime Emmy nominations — four of them for outstanding variety specials (live) for The Grammys in 2019, 2021, and 2022 and Oscars in 2023. His other two Emmy nods are for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded). He won in 2022 for “Adele: One Night Only” and is a current nominee for “Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music & Laughter.

In addition to his Emmy-nominated work, Kapoor’s credits include the ACM Awards, the Latin Grammys, The Emmy Awards, “Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration” and “The Disney Family Singalong.”