The enigmatic Raakhee Gulzar fondly remembers working with Shashi Kapoor in one of her earliest hits, Sharmilee, where she played a double role.
Recalling her initial nervousness, Raakheeji says, “I was petrified of working with him, just as much as I was petrified of working with Pran or K.N. Singh. No, seriously. I was in awe of Shashi Kapoor. Whatever I’ve learnt about self-discipline and punctuality came from him only.”
Early Lessons in Professionalism
She narrates an incident from the sets of Sharmilee: “During our first film Sharmilee, he would reach the location in Malad for a 7 am shift much before me, although I stayed much closer to Malad. The director Sameer Ganguly was very soft-spoken. So, Shashiji did all the dada-giri during shooting. One day he came to me and warned, ‘Raakhee, if you don’t reach at 7 am your bags will be packed, and you’d be sent back to Bengal.’ I got so scared that I came on time after that. I’d reach the location even before the sweepers.”
Raakheeji also admired Shashi Kapoor’s courteous nature. “I’ve never met a more cultured man. If we were at the airport, he would pick up the vanity case and other luggage of any lady he came across. If there was a crowd at a shoot, he would clear it so I could feel comfortable. These qualities I’ve never encountered in any of my other heroes.”
Shashi Kapoor Loved Raakheeji’s Cooking
Like many of her co-stars, Shashi Kapoor enjoyed Raakheeji’s cooking. She recalls with a smile, “Whenever the lunch dabba filled with green salad went back home untouched, his wife Jenniferji would call me to ask if her husband was shooting with me.”
“I can’t remember how many films I did with Shashiji. For that matter, I don’t even know how many films I’ve acted in,” she admits with humility.
Their Last Meet
Raakheeji also shares the memory of her last meeting with the legendary actor. “The last time I met Shashiji was at a Ganpati festival in Pune. I didn’t want to see him the way he had become in his final years.”
Also Read: Shashi Kapoor’s 10 Most Finest Performances That Will Leave You Spellbound!
