Shammi Kapoor was a ladies man!

Stylish and suave, Shamsher Raj Kapoor was a ladies man. With his own brand of hillside romances, the man wooed his ladies in his unique way, albeit on screen. His leading ladies share their experiences of being romanced by one of the most charming men of Bollywood.


Being a non-conformist came easily to him: Sharmila Tagore
"He was my first co-star in Hindi cinema, in Kashmir Ki Kali and therefore special. But Shammi was special in his own right. And he remained special-vibrant, full of life and so young right till the end.


Shammi Kapoor was something else. He taught me a lot about lip-syncing for song sequences. I'd say he really enjoyed his illness. He was having the time of his life, till his very last day. His utterly-devoted wife Neela Devi would smile indulgently, even when Shammi would have a beer. I think it was Yash Chopra who played matchmaker between Shammi and his wife Neela Devi. Shammi's zest for life was infectious.


I remember we had gone recently to Pune to receive lifetime achievement awards together and Shammi was so much in his element. Though confined to a wheelchair, he insisted on driving himself to the venue. At the venue, he wouldn't let me occupy a seat in the back. He insisted on watching me give my speech. On another occasion recently, he called me up from the little town in Switzerland, where he had shot the Akele Akele song in An Evening In Paris.


He just remembered the time that we had shot together and called me to reminisce about those days. It's a gesture I won't forget. It brought back all the memories of shooting with Shammi, for my first Hindi film Kashmir Ki Kali and the cult hit An Evening In Paris. What songs these films had! He was so clued into the music.


His body had its own rhythm. And he followed his own rhythm till his last days. I remember him hanging out of a helicopter in a dressing-gown singing Deewane Ka Naam To Pucho and jumping into Dal Lake in Kashmir for another song. Only Shammi Kapoor could do such things. Being a non-conformist came easily to him.


He connected so well with the youth of today. Imran Khan told me he visited Shammi in hospital to get to know more about (filmmaker) Nasir Husain (Imran's grandfather) because Shammi and Nasir were very close from the time of Teesri Manzil. Shammi's zest for life reminded me of Dadamoni (Ashok Kumar). It's so sad to see such exuberant people go."


-Subhash K Jha


He was caring, protective and guardian like: Asha Parekh
"He was Shammi chacha and his wife was Neela chachi for me. It was her idea that I call them chacha and chachi. Now, when this shocking news comes, my heart reaches out to Neela chachi. Shammi hacha...what do I say? Memories flood back to my first film Dil Deke Dekho, where I was this gawky nervous tomboy. Shammi chacha taught me how to perform in the songs and how to lip-sync in the song sequences.


We later did Teesri Manzil together. Our two other films, Jawan Mohabbat and Pagla Kahin Ka, were average successes. When we were shooting for Teesri Manzil, we never thought it would become so popular with time.


We had so much of fun - me, Shammi chacha, producer Nasir Saab (Nasir Husain) and director Vijay Anand. Shammi chacha and I would look into the camera lens to check out all the pretty girls who passed by on location. In all these years, I've never seen him depressed, except when his first wife Geeta Bali passed away suddenly.


I remember the shooting of Teesri Manzil was called off and when we resumed we deliberately chose the sombre song Tumne Mujhe Dekha Hokar Meherbaan. I don't know about other heroines. With me he was caring, protective and guardian-like."


-Subhash K Jha


He just felt the songs, and moved to its beats: Saira Banu
He was a very well behaved and nice person. I feel sorry that we only did two or three films together. I learnt a lot from him as far as acting is concerned. I can never forget that in our first film together, Shammi requested music director Shankar Jaikishan to incorporate his song Terre Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko Kisiki Nazar Na Lage. But since Shankar had composed the song for the film Sasural, it could not be used in Junglee.


The very fact that Shammi took so much interest in the way I was presented in my debut film was very touching. He would sit with the lyricists and music directors to get the feel of the song, before he could lip-sync the song on the set.


He never considered himself a dancer. He just felt the song and moved to its beats. He was impeccable and nobody can emulate him. Dilip and I were in frequent touch with him, not only through phone but we used to visit him too. He was the best human being. It is a great loss to our family.


-Vickey Lalwani


His energy level was much higher than mine: Hema Malini
"It was through Shammiji's wife Neela Devi's sister Sheila Devi, that we kept in touch. I was very close to Sheila Devi. Shammiji and I would often chat about her. Unfortunately, Sheila Devi is no more. Shammiji had become a spiritual person in his later years.


I really liked that side of him. When I did my first film Andaz with him, I was young and he was a very senior person. So, there wasn't much rapport between us. I remember the first thing we shot together was the song Dil ussey do jo jaan de de. Years later, Shammiji and I came together in Meera. He will be sorely missed.


His energy level was much higher than mine. I actually had the privilege of working with all the three Kapoor brothers. My first film in 1968 Sapnon Ka Saudagar, was with Raj Saab. A year later I did Jahan Pyar Mile with Shashi Kapoor, then Andaz with Shammi."


-Subhash K Jha


He had a terrific sense of humour: Helen
As a co-star I shared a wonderful rapport with Shammiji. There was a spontaneous rhythm in him, which he was born with. And he had a terrific sense of humour. He had a lot of respect for his co-stars.


When we first met he was a star and I was a newcomer. Yet he was so cooperative. And since dance was my forte it was a joy working together.


We went on to do quite a few films together. A very nice film I did with him was Pagla Kahin Ka. Of course China Town is still popular. There was also a film called Preetam. And there was also Prince with Vyjyanthimala and me. Last time I met him was a few month ago. Me and my friends Waheeda Rehman, Nanda, Asha Parekh and Sadhana had gone out for lunch at a hotel.


Probably it was at Hyatt. As we walked in we saw him sitting in the lounge. It was wonderful to meet him and talk to him. He used to be on dialysis and this was one of the days when he was not in the hospital. On the days he did not have to go to the hospital he would go out, and often drive the car himself. He was so full of energy.


I remember he was so joyful to see us. One cannot believe that someone who was so ill could love life as much. May his beautiful soul rest in peace. I am sure he is very happy wherever he is, looking down at us and smiling away.