Naseeruddin Shah constantly maintains Shammi Kapoor was one of India's finest actors. He may not have achieved the superstardom status of a Dilip Kumar or his own sibling, the late Raj Kapoor. Yet, where Shammi stood out was in carving out a unique style in the 1950s and 60s which remains unparalleled even today. His passing on Sunday marks the end of an era in Hindi cinema.

My first Shammi Kapoor film was Prince in the late 60s. I still remember sitting with my father in this movie hall in Durgapur and totally mesmerised by the number, “Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Hue…” Shammi was clearly enjoying himself in this dance sequence and, years later, when I watched Teesri Manzil, Kashmir Ki Kali, China Town and Brahmachari, it was easy to figure out why people were hypnotised by his charm.

Despite his natural good looks and talent, Shammi's early years in the industry were a struggle. This was the time the trio of Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand ruled the box-office in the ‘50s. It was Junglee in 1961 that heralded the arrival of the rebel and Shammi's yell of “Yahoo” had the nation in a spell. Five decades have passed since and it is still tough to think of any other actor who could bring the same energy levels and intensity to that role.

Shammi's flair for comedy was also unparalleled and it was gutsy for a leading man to happily act like a buffoon if the script demanded it. Films like Professor or An Evening in Paris had the audience in splits thanks to his natural spontaneity and incredible timing.

Shammi was capable of some super sentimental performances too like the role of the widower in Andaz. The movie's posters gave greater prominence to Rajesh Khanna whose fan following then was nothing short of hysterical. Yet, an honest appraisal of Andaz today would acknowledge Shammi as the key pivot of the film even though he was clearly past his prime.

It is quite common within Bollywood to talk of the Dilip Kumar or Dev Anand style of acting which influenced a whole lot of other stars in later years. Shammi Kapoor, however, is in a niche of his own. There will never be anyone like him again.

Shammi's passing also puts in perspective the contribution of the Kapoors to the film industry. Raj Kapoor was a phenomenon and today's generation would find it difficult to replicate a love story like Bobby released nearly four decades ago.

Shashi Kapoor was the epitome of charm and, in his later years, got away from the routine to work on memorable movies like 36, Chowringhee Lane (behind the camera), Junoon, Kalyug, Vijeta and New Delhi Times. Rishi's talent was always a reference point for spontaneous acting and today Ranbir and Kareena take off from where their worthy predecessors left.

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