Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Shammi Kapoor - Bollywood Idol.

From Wikipedia.

Shammi Kapoor, who passed away on Aug 14, 2011 will always be remembered as one of the screen gods of Bollywood.

The Punjabi actor and director was an icon of Hindi language cinema from the 1950s to the 1970s.

Born in Mumbai on Oct 21, 1931, he debuted in Bollywood in 1953 with the film Jeevan Jyoti, and went on to deliver hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening In Paris, Bramhachari, Andaz and Vidhaata.

He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982.

Shammi was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj Kapoor (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor), both successful Bollywood actors.

Though born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata, where his father was involved with New Theatres Studios, acting in films.

Shammi was married twice.

His first wife was Geeta Bali (a Punjabi actress) whom he wed in 1955. They had two children. She died in 1965 of smallpox.

In 1969, he wed Neela Devi of Gujarat.

Shammi was also a businessman and the founder of the Internet Users Community Of India.