By Denzil Fernandes
Daijiworld Media Network
Dubai, Aug 14: Some memories never fade ! They are ever etched and remain with you permanently.
During those good old days of youth and excitement while in school and college, there were songs from bollywood that kept repeating one after another. One such song that captured everyone was ‘Yahoo’ from the film ‘Junglee’. Another from ‘An Evening in Paris’ and yet another from the film ‘Teesri Manzil’. Invariably, all these songs belonged to the one and only romantic star of those years who stole the centrestage in his own swanky manner. The song and action had such a lot of attraction with fine musical support that every film lover would scream and sing this song wherever he was. Impromptu action and pranks were part and parcel of such songs.
Yes, you guessed it right – the action star was none other than the late Shammi Kapoor of the famous Kapoor clan. The most affable Shammi Kapoor passed away on Saturday (Aug.14) morning in Mumbai after living a full life full of youth and exhuberance despite his advancing age. He was 79 when he breathed his last.
Although ill of late and under constant treatment, he made it a point to smile and enjoy life to the fullest. One saw him last in the wheelchair at Pran’s birthday party early last year where he was surrounded by all guests with fondness and love.
Shammi Kapoor came from an illustrious family and therefore, had to keep up to their heritage. Son of the most famous film personality ever to grace the Indian silver screen Prithviraj Kapoor, Shammi also had two other famous brothers Raj and Shashi who were equally proficient in the business of film acting. So much so, the entire Kapoor family were competing with each other when it came to acting supremacy. But Shammi took the honours if it was a scene of youthful romance coupled with energy and enthusiasm.
In the year 1961 Shammi became an adorable star with ‘Junglee’ and continued in that fashion. Every producer and heroine wanted him but it was Asha Parekh who got the most chances and tasted success with ‘Teesri Manzil’ in 1966. Other popular actresses who acted with him were Saira Banu and Sharmila Tagore apart from Hema Malini, Mumtaz, Rajshree and others.
Shammi was seen in many popular hits like ‘Junglee’, ‘An Evening in Paris’, ‘Dil Deke Dekho’, ‘Dil Tera Diwana’, ‘Tumsa Nahin Dekha’, ‘Raj Kumar’, ‘Professor’,
‘China Town’, ‘Kashmir ki Kali’, ‘Char Dil Char Rahen’, ‘Raat ke Raahi’, ‘Janwar’ and ‘Brahmachari’ which gave him the first Filmfare Best Actor award. Later on in his life, he yet again won a Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in ‘Vidhaata’ in 1982. Quite interestingly, he had performed as a hero with Saira Banu in ‘Junglee’ in 1961 and then as her father in ‘Zameer’ in 1974. Shammi also acted as Amitabh Bachchan’s foster father in ‘Parvarish’. From a romantic hero, Shammi later did some supporting roles until ill health prevented him from doing more such roles. His last appearance was in ‘Rockstar’ where his grand nephew Ranbir Kapoor was also there alongside.
Shammi Kapoor leaves behind his son Aditya and daughter Kanchan from his first wife Geeta Bali. After Geeta Bali passed away in 1965 due to small pox, he married his second wife Neela Devi Gohil from the Royal Family of Bhavnagar in Gujarat in 1969.
Shammi Kapoor entertained as a true romantic hero with his trademark dancing style and heroics no other hero could emulate. Jumping in the snow or sking as he only could, Shammi added plenty of zest in all that he did. Till his death, he was always cheerful and busy with various activities.
Bollywood will be poorer with the departure of one of the purest breeds of actors coming from the stables of the Kapoor clan. Like his eminent father Prithviraj, Shammi and all his other brothers carried on the tradition of fine film acting and created a niche in their own chosen field. For that matter, the Kapoor household has given much more to Indian cinema than anyone else.
A great human being apart from being a fine actor, the world of entertainment will surely miss Shammi Kapoor – a colossal personality.
May his soul rest in peace !