Shammi Kapoor - Profile of Veteran actor who was acclaimed as 'Elvis Presley of India', picture, profile, info and favourites

Name

Shammi Kapoor

Music for Sleep And Relaxation

The Concert - Dr.M.Balamurali Krishna

Vedic Mantras to improve education and memory

Birth name

Shamsher Raj Kapoor

Date of Birth

21 October 1931

Zodiac Sign

Libra

Native Place

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Nationality

Indian

Mother Tongue

Hindi

Religion

Hindu

Died on

14 August 2011

Cause of Death

Chronic renal failure

Residence

2, Blue Heaven, Malabar Hill,Mt. Pleasant Rd., Mumbai-6

Family

Father – Prithviraj Kapoor (Actor)
Mother – Ramsarni (Rama) Devi nee Mehra
Brothers - Raj Kapoor (Actor), Shashi kapoor (Actor)
Sister - Urmila Sial
Wife – Neela
Ex-wife – Geeta Bali (Actress, died in 1965)
Son – Aditya Raj (Actor)
Daughter-in-law – Preeti Kapoor (Painter)
Daughter – Kanchan Desai
Son-in-law – Ketan Desai
Grand-daughters – Pooja, Rajeshwari
Grand-nephew – Ranbir Kapoor (Actor)

Education

School:
* St. Joseph's Convent, Wadala, Mumbai.
* Don Bosco School, Matunga, Mumbai.
* New Era School, Hughes Road, Mumbai.

College: Ruia College, Mumbai.

Languages known

Hindi, English

Profession

Actor, Director

Debut

Actor : Jeevan Jyoti (1953)
Producer : Manoranjan (1974)

First hit

Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957)

Key to his success

Avid interest in music

Known for

His flamboyant style and energetic dance moves.

Favorite

Director: Shakti Samanta

Hobbies

Internet surfing

Award

* Filmfare :
• Best Actor Award (Brahmachari, 1968).
• Best Supporting Actor Award (Vidhata, 1982).

* Lifetime Achievement Awards:
• Filmfare (1995).
• Bollywood Movie Awards (2005).
• For his contribution to Indian cinema at PIFF (Pune International Film Festival, 2008)

* Kalakar Award for "Contribution in Indian Cinema" (1998).
* Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement (1999).
* Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award (2001).
* Invaluable Contribution to Indian Cinema at the IIFA (2002).
* International Film Festival, 2008).
* Phalke Legend Actor Award, Dadasaheb Phalke Academy (2009).
* Living Legend Award, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
* Rashtriya Gaurav Award.

About him

Javed Akhtar (Poet):
"The Hindi film industry will never see such an era again."

Vyjantimala Bali (Actress):
"I cannot believe that the King of Rhythms has ceased to be. I always took pride in being a classical dancer of repute until I met Shammiji. I was quite astonished at the way he choreographed himself in the song ‘Badanpe sitaarein lapete huye’ in Prince. The song was picturised in three takes. He is the only actor in India, who choreographed all his song sequences himself."

Amitabh Bachchan (Actor):
"Shammi ji ... An entire life full of optimism and happy spirit, caring loving to all ... Now suddenly silent."

Sadhana (Actress):
"The dignity he gave to each of his co-stars is unbelievable and unknown in today’s generation."

Sharmila Tagore (Actress):
"He was my first Hindi film hero. There's just no one like Shammi Kapoor - his music, his sense of comedy, his acting, everything was so fantastic! Whatever he did back then, the youngsters are doing it now."

Facts

* He spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata.
* Initially he was employed in his father's 'Prithvi Theatres' as a Junior artist (1948 - 1952) and his salary was Rs.50 per month.
* He used to choreograph for his songs.
* His wife (Geeta bali) was a big star than him during his early years in the film industry.
* He was the leading star of Hindi cinema during the late 1950s until the early 1970s.
* Fans called him the "Elvis Presley of India" for his frenetic and nifty dancing.
* He personally selected the songs he would dance and mime to, so that they needed to fit his exuberant on-screen style.
* Audience flocked to the theatres to see his style of antics and mannerisms.
* His wife Neela Devi was the Queen of Bhavnagar.
* He was the Chairman of the Internet Users Club of India.
* He played a major role in setting up internet organizations like the Ethical Hackers Association.
* He was amongst the first Indians to have a website for his 'Kapoor family' and maintained it.
* Also he had an account in Facebook and Twitter.
* He described himself on his Twitter account profile as a "Renaissance man, retired actor, computer buff".
* When Yahoo opened its office in Mumbai, he was invited by its co-founder Jerry Yang for the launch and playing his "Yahoo!" song from the film 'Junglee'.

Website