Leading Ladies Hema Malini & Raakhee Remember Shashi Kapoor

Hema Malini and Raakhee Gulzar recall Shashi Kapoor’s mild and stern ways.

Spanning a career in Indian and international cinema, Shashi Kapoor was held in high regard not just for his prowess as an actor and producer but also for his charming personality. Amid testosterone charged definitions of a ‘hero’, he redefined the lead character’s persona with his delicate features and soft mannerisms.

Two of his leading ladies that he open up about their memories with Shashi Kapoor. Hema Malini and Raakhee Gulzar both seem to concur about Shashi Kapoor’s gentle ways, his chivalry, his amiability.

Hema Malini recalls, “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 too 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 rega ma pa… gaa re mere sang mere Saathiya where my character had to teach Shashiji to sing and  dance….It was hilarious.”

Here’s a link to the song.

She went on to elaborate how he was more experienced than her but never imposed his clout upon her. “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. 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 Mile 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.”

Shashi Kapoor’s costar and actor, Hema Malini.

Rakhee Gulzar also revealed what captivated her about Shashi Kapoor and how she was in awe of him.

“I was petrified of working with him, just as much as I was petrified of working with Pran or K.N.Singh. No, seriously. Whatever I’ve learnt about self-discipline and punctuality came from him only. During our first film Sharmilee, he would reach the location in Malad for a 7 am shift much before me although I stayed much closer to Malad.”

Shashi Kapoor’s costar Rakhee Gulzar. 

Raakhee went on to explain how Shashi Kapoor didn’t mince his words when it came to punctuality on the set and was courteous in equal measure. She said, “The director Sameer Ganguly was very soft-spoken. So Shashiji did all the dada-giri during shooting. One day he came to me and warned me, ‘Raakhee, if you don’t reach at 7 am your bags would be packed and you’d be sent back to Bengal.’”

“I got so scared that I came on time after that. I’d reach the location even before the sweepers. I’ve never met a more cultured man. If we were on the airport he would pick up the vanity case and other luggage of any lady he came across.”

“If there was a crowd at a shooting he would clear it for me to feel comfortable. These qualities I’ve never encountered in any of my heroes. Of course he loved my cooking. Whenever the lunch dabba filled with green salad would go back home untouched his wife Jenniferji would call me to ask if her husband was shooting with me.”

Actress Raakhee Gulzar on working with Shashi Kapoor.

“I can’t remember how many films I did with Shashiji. For that matter I don’t know how many films I’ve acted in. The last time I  met Shashiji was at a Ganpati festival in Pune. I didn’t  want to see him the way he had become in his final years,” she reminisces.

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