Shammi Kapoor’s wife Neila Devi reveals how he ‘ditched’ her on her birthday, says he had to ‘make up for it all his life’

Mumbai, Sep 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Legendary actor Shammi Kapoor’s wife Neila Devi recalled an unforgettable birthday of hers from the year 1968.

She revealed that the legendary actor could not attend her birthday party despite being the person she most wanted to see on her special day and later had to “make up” for missing the occasion for the rest of his life.

Neila Devi, who was seen in a conversation with her nephew and actor Jatin Sial, the grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor, opened up about the memorable incident while discussing birthdays and her association with her legendary actor husband.

When Jatin asked her about a birthday she particularly remembered, Neila Devi recalled the one where Shammi Kapoor ditched her on her birthday, before they got married.

“You will be surprised, there was this birthday where he didn't come only. That's the best part. Actually, you know, I can't blame him too much. It was my birthday. My brother had a party for me. They asked me, ‘Whom do you want to invite? Is there anyone special?’ And I said, ‘Yes, Shammi Kapoor,’” said Neila.

“It was in 1968. I wasn't married to him but I was a fan of his from my childhood. I hadn't even met him personally. I had never talked to him or anything. So my brother phoned him. He said, ‘I would have loved to come, but I have just come from Calcutta. I had gone for the premiere of ‘Brahmachari’ and I have come back unwell, so I can't come.’ So my brother said, ‘Okay.’

“But he said, ‘I will make up for it, because she is my fan, so whatever I can do for her, I will do.’ And after that, he had to make up for it all his life,” quipped Neila.

The revelation further became all the more interesting when Neila revealed that by January 1969, just in four months after her birthday, she was married to Shammi Kapoor

For the uninitiated, Neila Devi and Shammi Kapoor tied the knot on January 27, 1969, at Shammi's residence in Mumbai in the presence of their families and close friends.

Before Neila, Shammi was married to actress Geeta Bali. The two fell in love while working together and married in 1955. They had two children, Aditya Raj Kapoor and Kanchan. Their marriage, however, was tragically cut short when Geeta died in January 1965 at the age of 34 after contracting smallpox.

Reportedly, Geeta's untimely death had left Shammi devastated. At the time, he was shooting for ‘Teesri Manzil’, and the tragedy had a profound impact on him. According to reports back then, Shammi withdrew from the shoot and went into depression after Geeta's death.

When he eventually returned to work, the first song he filmed was ‘Tumne Mujhe Dekha’, and the pain on his face was visible and became a part of the sequence's emotional impact.

Neila entered Shammi's life many years after Geeta's death. The two had actually known each other since Neila was a child.

Shammi Kapoor, known for his energetic screen presence, and fun dancing style and films such as ‘Tumsa Nahin Dekha’, ‘Dil Deke Dekho’, ‘Junglee’, ‘Professor’, ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’, ‘Teesri Manzil’, ‘An Evening in Paris’, ‘Brahmachari’ and ‘Prince’, remained one of Hindi cinema's defining stars of the 1950s and 1960s.

Shammi Kapoor passed away on August 14, 2011, at the age of 79. He had been suffering from chronic kidney failure and was hospitalised in Mumbai in the days preceding his death.

–IANS

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Source: IANS