Shashi Kapoor: Lesser known facts

Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor breathed his last on Monday December 4, 2017. The actor who brought alive so many characters on screen passed away at the age of 79. Here's looking at some lesser known facts from his life.

Actor-filmmaker, Shashi Kapoor was presented with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley. The veteran actor was unable to attend the award ceremony in Delhi because of his ill-health, therefore, he was handed over the award at a function at Prithvi Theatre in suburban Mumbai. Shashi Kapoor acted in many films and has contributed immensely to Hindi cinema.

Shashi Kapoor was a very popular actor of his time and has acted in several hit films like 'Kabhie Kabhie' and 'Jab Jab Phool Khile', which were shot in Kashmir. According to a report, the actor never brought work home. The report further quoted his son Kunal Kapoor as saying that his father would try to schedule his outdoor shooting schedules to coincide with the kids' school holidays. And since most of the actor's films were shot in Kashmir, the family often holidayed there. The report further quoted Kunal as saying that, "If he packed up early, we'd go out for lunches, long walks, shikara rides and even picnics."

Shashi Kapoor apparently shared a very good rapport with his son, Kunal Kapoor. His son revealed that they would often have long talks on movies and theatre. Speaking to a daily, Kunal Kapoor said, "After I became an actor and a producer, we often discussed cinema and theatre, but more of other people's work than our own. He admired his older brother Raj Kapoor and respected Satyajit Ray. I recall meeting Sohrab Modi whose Sikander he was impressed by, a couple of times. We played father and son in Vijeta which he produced. I was really nervous but he made it easy for me, never saying, 'Don't do this.' On the contrary he'd say that if you don't fall down, how'd you learn to pick yourself up."

Shashi Kapoor was associated with several blockbuster films and some critically acclaimed ones as well. When it was announced that the veteran actor will be conferred with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, his son, Kunal Kapoor revealed that his father had never been a fan of awards. Speaking to a daily, Kunal said, "Dad never gave much importance to awards. For him the only two serious recognitions were the President's Golden Medal and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award which he's just received. When he heard the news, he smiled and laughed a little."

Shashi Kapoor was a heartthrob back in the '70s and like many others, Shabana Azmi too was a huge fan of the actor. Speaking to a daily, the actress revealed that she would save her pocket money and buy posters of Shashi Kapoor from Grant Road and get them autographed by him. The actress later on romanced Shashi Kapoor in Fakira, sharing her experience Shabana said, "I was a crazy fan and to suddenly land a role opposite my childhood idol in Fakira was unbelievable! On the first day, we were shooting the song 'Dil mein tujhe...' During rehearsals when the dance director, Satyanarayan, demonstrated the moves, I was aghast! I couldn't get so intimate with Shashi Kapoor, I told my hairdresser, and burst into tears in my make-up room. Minutes later, my hero was banging on the door wanting to know what the problem was. When I tearfully explained, he mocked, 'Mummy, mummy mujhe actor banna hai!' Calling me a silly girl, he told me to come out when the shot was ready. When I arrived on the set, I found that he had changed all the moves so I'd be more comfortable."

Shabana Azmi had more kind words to share about her co-star Shashi Kapoor. In an interview, the actress revealed how Shashi Kapoor never came in the media glare. Shabana Azmi stated that when she and several others from the industry were demanding alternate housing for several slum-dwellers in Colaba, it was Shashi Kapoor who put their word forward to the Chief Minister. The actress revealed, "Shashi Kapoor turned up wanting to know our demands. He left soon after and went straight to the Chief Minister, Shankarrao Chavan, telling him that the film industry had always supported the government in a crisis and he couldn't let the demands of one of its members go unheard. I was on stage, about to thank Shashi Kapoor for negotiating the deal for us, when I saw him step away from the media glare, slip away into an alley and disappear. He didn't want any accolades and never spoke about it, ever. That's the kind of person he is."

According to a report, Shashi began his tryst with acting at the tender age of four. He was reportedly a part of several plays that were directed and produced by his father Prithviraj Kapoor. Apparently, he worked as a child artist in four films. Interestingly, he acted as a child artist with Pran in 'Sanskar' and later on as he grew up, the two shared the screen in nine films. And later marked his big screen debut as a hero in 1961 with the film 'Dharmputra'.  

Shabana Azmi, in her interview with a leading daily also revealed that Shashi Kapoor put his money only in theatre and cinema, over other commercial businesses. Sharing an anecdote Shabana said, "When we went for the Moscow Film Festival, with just eight dollars in foreign exchange, we were all trapped for cash. But despite the presence of bigwigs like FC Mehra and Raj Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor footed every bill." The report further quoted Shabana Azmi as saying that Shashi Kapoor had done a lot to build an institution like Prithvi Theatre.

Shashi Kapoor was not just an exceptional actor but had also tried his hand at direction. In 1991, he had directed a film called Ajooba that starred Amitabh Bachchan in the lead role. Sharing a story from the sets, Amitabh Bachchan said in an interview, "He moved around the set with a stick in his hand, with the intention of using it on anyone who misbehaved. But he never used it! He was one director who cared immensely for his artistes and technicians, on an equal plane."