Today, we will tell you about a handsome actor of the 70s who worked in many noteworthy films throughout his career. More than his acting, this actor was popular for his good looks which also hampered his chances of becoming a superstar. It is said that this actor could have given tough competition to Amitabh Bachchan if it wasn't for his good looks, which often overpowered his acting skills.
This actor was not only a well-established name in India but also abroad. Veteran actress Sharmila Tagore had once forgotten her lines during a scene after looking at him for the first time. Thanks to his good looks, this actor was always chased for playing romantic roles which did not give him a chance to showcase his talent which is why he could never become a superstar.
This actor, who started his career as a child artist with 'Aag' (1948) and 'Awaara' (1951), where he played the younger version of the characters played by his older brother Raj Kapoor, is none other than Shashi Kapoor.
Shashi Kapoor, the third and the youngest son of Prithviraj Kapoor, appeared in many films as a child artist before making his debut in 1961 as a lead hero in Yash Chopra's 'Dharmputra'. Shashi Kapoor's breakthrough year was 1965 when he starred in two highest-grossing films of that year - Yash Chopra's 'Waqt' and Suraj Prakash's 'Jab Jab Phool Khile'.
Shashi Kapoor ruled the world of cinema for four decades. There was a time in his career when he worked in a new director's film with a signing amount of just Rs 100.
In the year 1982, Ramesh Sharma expressed his desire to direct a film titled 'New Delhi Times'. He wanted to cast Shashi Kapoor for the film to which the actor agreed. However, when it came to the film's budget, Ramesh Sharma told Shashi Kapoor that his budget for the film was low and that some people were working on the film free of cost. This prompted Shashi Kapoor to sign the film for Rs 101.
'New Delhi Times' was released in 1986 and proved to be a landmark film for Shashi Kapoor who won his first National Award for Best Actor for it.
Shashi Kapoor is still considered one of the most talented stars that Bollywood has ever seen, however, he also had to suffer in his career thanks to his impeccable looks.
As per reports, Shabana Azmi once said that Shashi Kapoor suffered a loss because of his good looks. Famous director Shyam Benegal who worked with Shashi Kapoor in many films has also said that the actor was mostly offered romantic roles and sometimes his beauty overpowered his talent. This is why, despite being a great actor, Shashi Kapoor struggled to become a superstar.
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