Legendary Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor passes away at 79

MUMBAI (AFP): Veteran Bollywood actor, Shashi Kapoor, who was one of the finest artists of his generation, passed away on Monday, according to Indian media reports.

Shashi Kapoor in his extensive career as an actor, producer and director, performed in around 200 movies. The actor’s dialogue in the 1975 film Deewaar — ‘Meray pass maa hai’ (I have my mother) — remained popular throughout ages.

The actor was suffering from age-related illnesses and breathed his last at the age of 79.

Shashi, whose real name was Balbir Raj Kapoor, was related to Prithviraj Kapoor and Raj Kapoor. The legendary actor was awarded several accolades for his contribution to the entertainment industry, with the most notable being Padma Bhushan in 2011 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015.

Shashi was one of the most renowned actors, who displayed his acting acumen in hundreds of films, starting from the era of the 60s. He earlier had his appearances as a child star in the movies, starring alongside members of his much-famous Kapoor family.

The actor had a remarkable bonding with fellow veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, with whom he worked in around 12 films. Shashi Kapoor also proved his mettle abroad, with his most noteworthy role being alongside Pierce Brosnan in ‘The Deceivers’ (1988).