Shammi was Bollywood’s original ‘rock-star’
Even as millions of Indians and NRIs were celebrating the Indian Independence day (on 15th Aug) veteran Bollywood lead actor Shammi Kapoor’s mortal remains were being consigned to flames on the funeral pyre at the sacred Baanganga crematorium in Mumbai.
A large number of movie luminaries including Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan,Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha and celebrity directors like Subhash Ghai, Prakash Jha, and Ketan Desai (Shammi’s son-in-law) with his close buddy business baron Anil Ambani were seen offering their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved Kapoor khandaan especially his actor-son Aditya ‘Mickey’ Kapoor, who seemed emotionally shattered.
Tears welled in Aditya’s eyes as he reacted, “While the Indian showbiz industry has lost an inspiring acting icon, and his fans have lost their favourite matinee-idol, I have lost my beloved father who was often like a mentor-friend for me. But I am confident Papa will remain immortal thru his movie-songs and screen-performances,” mumbled Aditya in a choked voice.
Recalls veteran actress Sharmila Tagore who played the romantic lead opposite the ‘late’ Shammi in milestone movies ‘An Evening in Paris’ and ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’: “Always full of life and vibrant energy he was a natural unique performer. With an innate music sense and fabulous body-rhythm his ‘spontaneous’ dance movements were always a delight to watch. It was Shammi-ji who taught me how to correctly ‘lip-sync to on-screen playback songs. Although in the recent years, he was ailing ( from chronic renal failure) never did he allow himself to be depressed. Instead ,he was living life ‘king-size’ with cheerful optimism, which is rather exemplary.” The charismatic actor who became synonymous with the ‘Yahoo’ yell with his chartbuster song ‘Chaahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe’ had jokingly quipped to this correspondent, “never did I imagine that several decades later, ‘Yahoo’ would be such a global cyber entity. If I had the slightest ‘hunch’ I would have copyrighted it.”
Not many are aware that Shamsher Raj Kapoor (that’s his actual original name) despite his advancing age, was computer-savvy and adept at computers. The flamboyant tech-savvy Kapoor was the founder-chairman of the Internet Users Community of India and even spearheaded crusades to combat hacking and piracy.
Veteran actress-cum-classical danseuse Asha Parekh, whom he serenaded in movies like the all-time musical blockbuster ‘Teesri Manzil’ besides ‘Dil Tera Deewana’ and ‘Pagla Kahin Ka’ recalls his “awesome agile body language at vibrant songs which he would invariably choreograph himself. Even when Shammi-ji had to stand ‘still’ while dancing, he would prove to be a ‘scene-stealer’ with subtle antics and comic expressions and his trade-mark head tilts and body-sway While ‘mock’ playing musical instruments (like drums, guitar and trumpet) as part of the musical interlude picturisation in ‘Teesri Manzil’, for instance, he would ensure that he added absolute authenticity – as if he was ‘actually’ playing those notes or beats. In fact he was a critic-connoisseur of film music,” she discloses.
Referring to several rock’roll songs which she danced with him on-screen especially ‘Oh Haseena Zulfonwali’ and ‘Aaja Aaja’ from ‘Teesri Manzil’ madame Parekh agrees that he was the Indian version of Elvis Presley. “For me, Shammi-ji was the original Indian rock-star. By nature he was always caring and protective. We will all miss him so much,” she signs off.
Thespian character-actor Pran recalls that Shammi was one of those few and first actors who “never used a dummy-duplicate during his stunt action scenes. He was an adventurous rebel-actor who would love to defy convention. A lovable human being, I will always cherish fond memories of my association with him,” nods Pran as he makes a saluting gesture.
{BOX}
TOP TEN : Shammi Kapoor chartbusters
1) Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar ( ‘Teesri Manzil’)
2)Baar Baar Dekho ( ‘China Town’)
3) Govinda Aala Re ( ‘Bluff Master’)
4) Chaahe Koi Mujhe ( ‘Junglee’ )
5) Dil Tera Deewana ( Title Song)
6) Yaalla Yaalla Dil Le Gaya ( ‘Ujala’)
7) Taareef Karun Kya Uski ( ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ )
8) Ae Gulbadan ( ‘Professor’)
9) Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar ( ‘Brahmachari’)
10) Laal Chhadi Maidan Khadi ( ‘Jaanwar’)
Even as millions of Indians and NRIs were celebrating the Indian Independence day (on 15th Aug) veteran Bollywood lead actor Shammi Kapoor’s mortal remains were being consigned to flames on the funeral pyre at the sacred Baanganga crematorium in Mumbai. A large number of movie luminaries...
Even as millions of Indians and NRIs were celebrating the Indian Independence day (on 15th Aug) veteran Bollywood lead actor Shammi Kapoor’s mortal remains were being consigned to flames on the funeral pyre at the sacred Baanganga crematorium in Mumbai.
A large number of movie luminaries including Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan,Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha and celebrity directors like Subhash Ghai, Prakash Jha, and Ketan Desai (Shammi’s son-in-law) with his close buddy business baron Anil Ambani were seen offering their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved Kapoor khandaan especially his actor-son Aditya ‘Mickey’ Kapoor, who seemed emotionally shattered.
Tears welled in Aditya’s eyes as he reacted, “While the Indian showbiz industry has lost an inspiring acting icon, and his fans have lost their favourite matinee-idol, I have lost my beloved father who was often like a mentor-friend for me. But I am confident Papa will remain immortal thru his movie-songs and screen-performances,” mumbled Aditya in a choked voice.
Recalls veteran actress Sharmila Tagore who played the romantic lead opposite the ‘late’ Shammi in milestone movies ‘An Evening in Paris’ and ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’: “Always full of life and vibrant energy he was a natural unique performer. With an innate music sense and fabulous body-rhythm his ‘spontaneous’ dance movements were always a delight to watch. It was Shammi-ji who taught me how to correctly ‘lip-sync to on-screen playback songs. Although in the recent years, he was ailing ( from chronic renal failure) never did he allow himself to be depressed. Instead ,he was living life ‘king-size’ with cheerful optimism, which is rather exemplary.” The charismatic actor who became synonymous with the ‘Yahoo’ yell with his chartbuster song ‘Chaahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe’ had jokingly quipped to this correspondent, “never did I imagine that several decades later, ‘Yahoo’ would be such a global cyber entity. If I had the slightest ‘hunch’ I would have copyrighted it.”
Not many are aware that Shamsher Raj Kapoor (that’s his actual original name) despite his advancing age, was computer-savvy and adept at computers. The flamboyant tech-savvy Kapoor was the founder-chairman of the Internet Users Community of India and even spearheaded crusades to combat hacking and piracy.
Veteran actress-cum-classical danseuse Asha Parekh, whom he serenaded in movies like the all-time musical blockbuster ‘Teesri Manzil’ besides ‘Dil Tera Deewana’ and ‘Pagla Kahin Ka’ recalls his “awesome agile body language at vibrant songs which he would invariably choreograph himself. Even when Shammi-ji had to stand ‘still’ while dancing, he would prove to be a ‘scene-stealer’ with subtle antics and comic expressions and his trade-mark head tilts and body-sway While ‘mock’ playing musical instruments (like drums, guitar and trumpet) as part of the musical interlude picturisation in ‘Teesri Manzil’, for instance, he would ensure that he added absolute authenticity – as if he was ‘actually’ playing those notes or beats. In fact he was a critic-connoisseur of film music,” she discloses.
Referring to several rock’roll songs which she danced with him on-screen especially ‘Oh Haseena Zulfonwali’ and ‘Aaja Aaja’ from ‘Teesri Manzil’ madame Parekh agrees that he was the Indian version of Elvis Presley. “For me, Shammi-ji was the original Indian rock-star. By nature he was always caring and protective. We will all miss him so much,” she signs off.
Thespian character-actor Pran recalls that Shammi was one of those few and first actors who “never used a dummy-duplicate during his stunt action scenes. He was an adventurous rebel-actor who would love to defy convention. A lovable human being, I will always cherish fond memories of my association with him,” nods Pran as he makes a saluting gesture.
{BOX}
TOP TEN : Shammi Kapoor chartbusters
1) Aaja Aaja Main Hoon Pyar ( ‘Teesri Manzil’)
2)Baar Baar Dekho ( ‘China Town’)
3) Govinda Aala Re ( ‘Bluff Master’)
4) Chaahe Koi Mujhe ( ‘Junglee’ )
5) Dil Tera Deewana ( Title Song)
6) Yaalla Yaalla Dil Le Gaya ( ‘Ujala’)
7) Taareef Karun Kya Uski ( ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ )
8) Ae Gulbadan ( ‘Professor’)
9) Aaj Kal Tere Mere Pyar ( ‘Brahmachari’)
10) Laal Chhadi Maidan Khadi ( ‘Jaanwar’)
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