Megastar Amitabh Bachchan recollected memories of veteran actor-filmmaker Shashi Kapoor, who died aged 79 after a period of hospitalisation.
Big B wrote on his blog: "Shashi Kapoor, son of Prithviraj Kapoor, younger brother to Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, making a debut in a forthcoming film, is what the caption read ... And I said to myself, as very uncertain thoughts raced through my mind of wanting to become a film actor, that, with men like him around, I stood no chance at all."
Big B said that it was in 1969, when he was getting acquainted with the Hindi film industry, that he met Shashi Kapoor at a select social gathering.
"'Shashi Kapoor!' was what one heard as he extended a warm soft hand out to you in introduction; that devastating smile complimenting the twinkle in his eyes. He needn't have done so. Every one knew him. But this was his infectious humble self.
"When he spoke, there was a mischievous, gentle, almost inaudible, delicate, yodel, in his voice," Amitabh wrote.
The actor, 75, whose daughter Shweta is married to Nikhil Nanda, the son of Ritu Nanda and grandson of actor Raj Kapoor, added: "What followed is a documentation of very intimate association, personal exigencies, collective professional camaraderie...ending in family bindings."
Big B wrote that Shashi had been ailing.
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"Somewhere he had let himself go after the passing away of his dear wife Jennifer. I had visited him on occasion in hospital during some of the times he had been hospitalised earlier," he wrote.
Amitabh added that he never went to se him again after that.
"But I never went to see him again. I would never have. I never ever wanted to see this beautiful friend and 'samdhi' in the state I saw him in hospital. and I did not today, when they informed me that he had gone," he wrote.
Big B shared screen space with Shashi Kapoor in films such as "Suhaag", "Deewar", "Roti Kapada Aur Makaan", "Silsila", "Namak Haraam", "Kabhi Kabhie" and "Shaan".
Amitabh said that Shashi Kapoor fondly addressed him as "babbua".
"And with him have gone many incredible unread chapters of his and my life," he added.
--IANS
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