India’s first international star Shashi Kapoor turns 75 today

Jab Jab Phool Khile,A Matter of Innocence,Bombay Talkies,Deewar,Kabhie Kabhie,Junoon,Kalyug,Namak Halaal,New Delhi Times,In Custodyare some of the few names with which the legendary Bollywood actor-director-producer Shashi Kapoor has written his names in golden letters in the history of Indian cinema. Balbir Raj Prithviraj Kapoor alias Shashi Kapoor, who followed his elder brothers Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor to carry on the family tradition to rein the world of cinema, has turned 75 today.

He debuted as the younger edition of Raj Kapoor in the 1948 filmAagand then he never required looking back in his entire career. Defying his father’s strong opposition, he married his lady-love Jennifer Kendal in 1958 in a filmy style with the help of Shammi Kapoor's wife, actress Geeta Bali. The duo worked together in a few Merchant Ivory films. The couple joined hands extensively in reviving the Prithvi theatre group, before Jennifer died of cancer in 1984, survived by three children Karan, Kunal and Sanjana. Shashi Kapoor debuted as the leading hero in a Bollywood film with Yash Chopra’sDharamputrain 1961. Then he went on giving superhit films likeAa Gale Lag Jain 1973,Roti, Kapda aur MakaanandChor Machaye Shorin 1974,Deewarin 1975,Kabhie Kabhiein 1976,Trishulin 1978,Silsilain 1981,Namak Halaalin 1982 andNew Delhi Timesin 1986 which helped him win three National Awards. The pair of Amitabh Bachchan-Shashi Kapoor has created magic on big screens several times.

In 2008, Shashi Kapoor received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his enormous contribution to the industry and in 2011, he was honoured with the Padma Bhusan. Since last few years, he made public appearances very rarely due to his serious health problems. Last time he was seen in public during Big B’s 70^thbirthday party in October last year, and then at the funeral of producer-director Yash Chopra. We wish the veteran actor Shashi kapoor a very Happy Birthday with prayers in our minds for a healthy year ahead for the actor.