Khushboo: I always felt safe and protected around Shashi Kapoor

The actor-producer-politician reminisces about Shashi Kapoor, who passed away yesterday
Khushboo: I always felt safe and protected around Shashi Kapoor

Shashi Kapoor, one of Bollywood's biggest romantic stars of the 70s and 80s and an early proponent of parallel cinema, breathed his last today at Kokilaben Hospital Mumbai after prolonged illness. Actor-producer-politician Khushboo reminsices about her time as a child actor with 'Shashi uncle'.

"I have done quite a lot of films with Shashi uncle, and in a number of them, I played his daughter. So there was some kind of an emotional attachment with Shashi uncle. I think it is a very personal loss and there are times when you are at a complete loss for words and this is one of them."

As a child actor
I remember working with him in Bandhan Kuchchey Dhaagon Ka, where he and Rakheeji played my parents. He used to take such good care of me... asked me whether I had eaten on time and if I'd slept well, etc. He even used to ask people to let me go take rest if I didn't have any work. Sometimes when we were free, he would come and play with us. I used to feel so comfortable and safe around him.

About his smile
I think the best aspect of Shashi uncle was his smile. We will always remember him for his smile, for his energy, for his positivity. No one will ever remember him frowning or shouting at someone. He hated the negativity. Even when I met him some three or four years ago, I asked him to give me his famous toothy smile. You could do anything for that smile.

About stardom
Shashi uncle never had to put an act like a star. He didn't hold a grudge. He didn't have the ego of a star. He hated to be treated as one. There are people who would be offended if they don't treated as a star, and here was a man who was a huge star in his own right, and from a family with a rich legacy, and he absolutely hated to be treated as a star.

About his films
Of course Deewar is my favourite, but there were also others like Chor Machaye Shor, Fakira, Kabhi Kabhie. You can't imagine anyone else in those films. And one special thing about him was that he never ever wanted to overshadow anyone. He knew what he was doing. He knew what his character was. He always looked to complement his co-stars. All you need to do is look at Deewar and all his subsequent collaborations with Amit uncle (Amitabh Bachchan).

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