He then started his career working with a multinational oil company. He moved to the United Kingdom in 1970 and spent several years working as an accountant.
He then gained international recognition and acclaim in 1994 with the biographical film Bandit Queen, based on the infamous Indian bandit and politician Phoolan Devi.
In 2020, Kapur became the president of the Film and Television Institute of India. In 2023, Kapur served as the chairperson of the International competition.