On Shashi Kapoor's eight death anniversary, it is worth looking back at one of the most iconic films in his career, director Yash Chopra's Deewar, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan and Nirupa Roy. Interestingly, a not-so-well-known detail about Deewar, according to Dilip Thakur, a film historian, is that Shashi was not present on set during its first shot in the 1970s. Back then, Shashi was not having a great time as a lead hero in Hindi cinema, and his film Chor Machaye Shor was set for release around the time Deewar started production. While the actor was cast for the role of a cop named Ravi Verma, who stood for duty and honesty, he himself was busy seeking divine intervention for his career as the film was launched. Reportedly, he was anxious to have another major hit in his career at the time.
According to Dilip, Shashi's Roti Kapada Aur Makaan co-star Manoj Kumar, a Shirdi Sai Baba devotee, advised him to visit Shirdi to seek blessings for his upcoming films, including Chor Machaye Shor and Deewaar. Shashi Kapoor paid heed to his colleague's advice. As a result, he missed the official launch ceremony of Deewar. Interestingly, his prayers seemed to work as Chor Machaye Shor went on to become a major box-office hit, and Deewaar became a monumental classic.
