“Shashiji was very urbane sophisticated and westernized” – Hema Malini on Shashi Kapoor

By Subhash K. Jha -

December 5, 2017 - 10:48 AM IST

“I was travelling when Shashi Kapoor passed away. Suddenly I land and I am bombarded by a million messages and calls asking me about my thoughts on his passing away. Arrey baba, that was so long ago. Give me time to collect my thoughts. Shashiji and I didn’t do that many films together. I did Abhinetri with him when I had just started my career. We had a wonderful time shooting for that film. I remember the song ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa… Gaa Re Mere Sang Mere Saathiya’ where my character had to teach Shashiji to sing and dance….It was hilarious. Because he was far more experienced than me. The interesting thing was I did my debut film (Sapnon Ka Saudagar) with Shashiji’s brother Raj Kapoor Saab and now there I was, working with Shashiji. Later I also did a film, Andaz, with Shammi Kapoorji. So I’ve worked with all three brothers who were very different from one another.

“Shashiji was very urbane sophisticated and westernized” – Hema Malini on Shashi Kapoor

Shashiji was very urbane sophisticated and westernized. During Abhinetri he put me at ease with his pranks and jokes. He was always full of fun and yet never discourteous. I never felt I was working with an established actor. We went on to do Naach Uthe Sansar and Jahan Pyar Miley with Shashiji. Though they were good films none of these clicked. And producers were reluctant to cast us together, until Trishul where Yash Chopraji cast us together again. We met with the same warmth even after so many years. Shashiji was a class apart. He knew how to treat a lady. When I worked with him I was sure of being comfortable on the sets. I wish I had done more films with him. I think heroines like Raakhee and Rekha did many more films with him.”