Shammi Kapoor

Some Lesser Known Facts About Shammi Kapoor

• Did Shammi Kapoor smoke?: Yes 

• Did Shammi Kapoor drink alcohol?: Yes

• He belonged to Pathan Hindu family.

• In 1930, his father Prithviraj Kapoor came to Bombay to start a career in the film industry.

• In 1931, his brother Devi died due to pneumonia and another brother Nandi also died in the same year due to the swallowing of poison (rat pills) strewn in the garden.

• In 1948, he worked as a junior artist, on ₹50 monthly salary, in his father Prithviraj Kapoor’s theatrical company for more than 4 years.

• In 1955, he met his future wife Geeta Bali during the shooting of the movie ‘Rangeen Raaten.’

• His wife Geeta Bali died due to smallpox in 1965.

• In 1968, during the shooting of the film Brahmachari, he felt close intimacy for an Indian film actress Mumtaz and proposed her for marriage, but she refused him politely as he demanded her to give up her film career.

• He was the cousin of Jugal Kishore Mehra (singer), whereas Salma Agha (actress-singer) was his niece.

• The films like Junglee, Kashmir Ki Kali, Rajkumar, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, Professor, Vidhaata, Dil Tera Diwana, An Evening in Paris, Dil Deke Dekho and Tumsa Nahi Dekha, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Preet Na Jane Reet, College Girl, Prince, Budtameez, Sachaai, Latt Saheb, and Tumse Achha Kaun Hai proved super hit on the box office.

• From the 1950s to the early 1970s, he was the only glamorous dancing hero in the Hindi film industry and earned the name ‘Elvis Presley of India’ as he himself composed the dancing steps for the songs starring him.

• In the 1970s, he could not continue his film career as a romantic hero due to his overweight, and Andaz (1971) was his final such movie.

• He proved to be a successful supporting actor as Saira Banu‘s father in the movie Zameer (1974) and Amitabh Bachchan’s foster father in Parvarish.

• According to Shammi, it was comfortable and easy for him to work with the film actresses- Rajshree, Sharmila Tagore, and Asha Parekh.

• He directed two films Manoranjan (1974) and Bundle Baaz (1976), which did not get successful.

• He also acted in some television series like ‘Shikast’ (Sony TV) in 1996, ‘Dastaan-E-Hatim Tai’ (DD Metro) in 1996, ‘Chattan’ (Zee TV) in 1997, and ‘Main Anari Tu Anari’ (DD Metro) in 1998.

• He was the chairman of Internet Users Community of India (IUCI) and also set up the internet organization- ‘Ethical Hackers Association.’

• Shammi liked to share the stories of his career and family with his fans through self-made online videos.

• He was a staunch follower of Haidakhan Babaji from Uttarakhand.

• His best friend in the film industry was Amitabh Bachchan.

• Imtiaz Ali‘s directorial venture ‘Rockstar’ was his last movie in which he acted.

• On 14 August 2011, he died due to chronic renal failure in Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai.

• He worked in more than 50 films as the lead actor and appeared in over 20 films as a supporting actor.