NUMBER. 1 2015 SHASHI KAPOOR NATIONAL DOCUMENTATION CENTRE ON MASS COMMUNICATION NEW MEDIA WING (FORMERLY RESEARCH REFERENCE AND TRAINING DIVISION) (MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING) Room No.437-442, Phase IV, Soochana Bhavan, CGO Complex, New Delhi Compiled, Edited & Issued by National Documentation Centre on Mass Communication New Media Wing (Formerly Research, Reference & Training Division) Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Chief Editor L. R. Vishwanath Editor H. M. Sharma Assistant Editor Alka Mathur SHASHI KAPOOR Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor who is known for his considerable and versatile acting skills, a producer of off-beat films and a patron of theatre has been conferred the Dada Saheb Phakle Award for the year 2014. He is the 46th recipient of the award. He has been selected for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema. He gets a Swarna Kamal, a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh and a shawl. Shashi Kapoor was born as Balbir Raj Kapoor in Calcutta on March18, 1938 to Prithviraj Kapoor and Ramsarni Devi. He is the younger brother of Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor. From the age of four, Shashi Kapoor acted in plays directed and produced by his father Prithviraj Kapoor while travelling with Prithvi Theaters. He started acting in films as a child artiste in the late 1940s appearing in commercial films including Sangram (1950) and Dana Pani (1953) under the name of Shashiraj as there was another actor by the same name who used to act in mythogical films as a child artiste. His best known performances as a child artiste were in Aag (1948) and Awaara (1951) where he played the younger version of the characters played by his brother Raj Kapoor and in Sangram (1950) where he played younger version of Ashok Kumar. He worked in four Hindi films as a child artist from 1948 to 1954. Kapoor got an opportunity to work as an assistant director in the film Post Box 999, the debut film of Sunil Dutt, and worked as an assistant director to Ravindra Dave in Guest House (1959) which was followed by movies such as Dulha Dulhan and Shriman Satyawadi. Shashi Kapoor made his debut as a leading man in Dharamputra in 1961 with actress Nanda. He went on the act in 8 films with the actress including Char Diwari, Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath, Mohabbat Isko Kehte Hain, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare, Raja Saab and Rootha Na Karo. Shashi Kapoor formed on screen pairs with Raakhee, Sharmila Kapoor, Zeenat Aman from the late sixties to the mid eighties. He also acted opposite actresses Hema Malini, Praveen Babi, Mumtaz, Moushumi Chatterjee Asha Parekh, Rekha, Babita and Reena Roy in many films. Some of his notable films with these actresses were:- Sharmilee, Jaanwar Aur Insaan, Kabhie Kabhie, Basera, Pighalta, Aasman, Trishna, Doosra Aadmi, Bandhan Kachchey Dhaagon Ka, Zameen Aasman, Waqt, Aamne Samne, Suhana Safar, Patanga, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Vachan, Paap 1 Aur Punya, Swati, New Delhi Times, My Love, Anari, Gehri Chot, Maa Beti, Ghar Bazar, Chori Mera Kaam, Deewangee, Roti Kapda Aur Makan, Heeralal Pannalal, Pakhandi, Bhavani Junction, Satyam Shivam Sundaran, Vakil Babu, Haseena Maan Jaayegi, Ek Shriman Ek Shrimati, Kanyadan, Pyar Ka Mausam, Chor Machye Shor, Bezubaan, Chakkar Pe Chakkar, Kali Ghata, Kalyug, Vijeta and Pyaar Ki Jeet. He also got the chance of working in many multi starrers including Deewar, Trishul, Suhaag, Naamak Halaal and Kabhie Kabhie working with Pran, Sanjeev Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan. They did a total of 12 films together and their pairing was very successful. Had it not been for Shashi’s nuanced performance in Deewar the film may not have been such a milestone in Hindi cinema. Underplaying the role, he was a perfect foil for his more melodramatic screen bad brother Bachchan. His histrionic skills are more evident in the films in which be explores the complexities of human nature particularly in the two films produced by him and directed by Shyam Benegal. In Junoon he inhabits obsession. Kalyug saw his masterful portrayal of a modern day Karna from the Mahabharata. Shashi interprets both the manipulative nature of his character as well as his pain and vulnerability. In all he had acted in 116 Hindi films including 61 films as the solo lead hero and 55 multi star cast films, 21 films as a supporting actor and special appearance in 7 films. Shashi Kapoor is probably Indian cinema’s first real crossover actor. He acted in six Merchant Ivory films beginning with Householder in 1963, Shakespeare-Wallah two years later followed by Bombay Talkie in 1970 and Heat and Dust in 1983, the film that definitely catapulted him to international fame and in which he was a romantic but shady nawab. Some of other English films he acted in include: Pretty Polly, Sidhartha, The Deceivers, Sammy and Rosie Get Laid, Side Strects, Jinnah, Gulliver’s Travels and Muhafiz. In 1978 he set up his production house Film Valas which produced critically acclaimed films such as Junoon (1978), Kalyug (1981), 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981), Vijeta (1982) and Utsav (1984). In 1991 he produced and directed a fantasy film titled Ajooba. Shashi Kapoor in his early career was also deeply involved in English theatre and was part of Shakespeareana, a touring theatre company managed by Geoffrey Kendal, the father of his future wife Jennifer Kendal. He along with his daughter Sanjana revived the Prithvi Theatres in memory of his late father which is still active in Mumbai. He has won many awards in his long career including the National Films Award thrice:- a) Best Actor for his performance in New Delhi Times 2 b) Producer of Best Feature Film Junoon c) Special Jury Award/Special Mention for his role in Muhafiz Filmfare Award for the best film for Kalyug and Junoon and for the best supporting actor in Deewar. Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. He had been honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2011. Of late he has been leading a retired life. Filmography Year Film Character Notes 1948 Aag Young Kewal Child artist 1951 Awaara Young Raj Child artist Dharamputra Dilip Rai First adult role 1961 Char Diwari Mehndi Lagi Mere Haath Deepak 1962 Prem Patra Arun Kumar Mathur The Householder Prem Sagar English film 1963 Jab Se Tumhen Dekha Hai Qawaali singer Cameo appearance along with Holiday in Bombay Nath Shammi Kapoor 1964 Benazir Anwar Waqt Vijay Kumar Mohabbat IskoKehte Hain 1965 Shakespeare Wallah Sanju English film Jab Jab Phool Khile Raja Won-BAFTA Award for Best Neend Hamari Khwab Anwar Actor Tumhare 1966 Biradari Rajan Pyar Kiye Jaa Ashok Verma Aamne Samne Deepak/Gopal 1967 Dil Ne Pukara Dr. Prakash Pretty Polly Amaz English film Haseena Maan Jayegi Rakesh/Kamal Dual role !968 Kanyadaan Amar Kumar Pyar Ka Mausam Sunder/Sunil/Pyarelal 1969 Ek Shrimaan Ek Shrimati Pritam Raja Saab Raju Abhinetri Shekhar Bombay Talkie Vikram English film 1970 Suhana Safar Sunil My Love Raj Kumar Sharmilee Ajit Kapoor 1971 Patanga Shyam 3 1972 Siddhartha Siddhartha English film Aa Gale Lag Jaa Prem 1973 Naina Mr. Romeo Ramesh Saxena Vachan 1974 Roti Kapda Aur Makaan Mohan Babu Chor Machaye Shor Vijay Sharma 1975 Deewaar Ravi Verma Won- Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor Salaakhen Raju/Chander Prem Kahani Dheeraj Kumar Chori Mera Kaam Bholanath Kabhie Kabhie Vijay Khanna Nominated- Filmfare Award for Jai Bajarang Bali Lakshman Best Supporting Actor 1976 Fakira Fakira Naach Uthe Sansar Karmu Farishta Ya Qatil Nitin Babu Immaan Dahram Mohan Kumar Saxena Shankar Dada 1977 Mukti Kailash Sharma Hira Aur Patthar Shankar Chor Sipahee CBI Inspector Shankar Doosra Aadmi Shashi Saigal Cameo Trishul Shekhar Gupta Heeralal Pannalal Heeralal Apna Khoon Ram Verma 1978 Satyam Shivam Sundaram Rajeev Junoon Javed Khan Won-National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi (as producer) Amar Shakti Chhota Kumar/Amar Singh Phaansi Raju Muqaddar Trishna Vinod Suhaag Kishen Kapoor 1979 Kaala Patthar Ravi Malhotra Do Aur Do Paanch Sunil/Laxshman Kali Ghata Prem 4 1980 Kalyug Karan Singh Won-Filmfare Award for Best Film (as producer) Shaan Ravi Kumar Swayamvar Laxman Krodhi Kumar Sahni Kranti Shakti Silsila Shekhar Malhotra 1981 Baseraa Balraj Kohli Maan Gaye Ustaad Prince Daulat Singh/Kishan/Jhanjhat Khan Vijeta Nihaal Nominated-Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor Namak Halaal Raja 1982 Sawaal Ravi Heat and Dust The Nawab English film Ghungroo 1983 Bandhan Kachche Dhagon Ka New Delhi Times Vikas Pande Won-National Film Award for Best Actor Won-BFJA Awards for Best Actor 1986 Swati Dr. Rajendra Prasad Ek Main Aur Ek Tu Ilzaam Ranjit Singh Sammy and Rosie Get Rafi Rahman English film Laid 1987 Pyaar Ki Jeet Dr. Rehman Ijaazat Sudha’s husband Special Appearance Sindoor Professor Vijay Choudhury 1988 The Deceivers Chandra Singh English film 1989 Clerk Mr. Kapoor 1991 Akayla Police Commissioner 1993 In Custody Nur Won-National Film Award- Special Jury Award/Special Mention 5 1996 Gulliver’s Travels TV miniseries Jinnah Narrator English film 1998 Side Street Vikram Raj English film Producer Junoon (1978) Kalyug (1980) 36 Chowringhee Lane (1981) Utsav (1981) Vijeta (1982) Ajooba (1991) Assistant Director Post Box 999 (1958) Guest House (1959) Shriman Satyawadi (1960) Dulha Dulhan (1964) Manoranjan (1974) Director Ajooba (1991) Vozvrashcheniye Bagdadskogo Vora (1988) (Russian Language) 6 .