Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor died at 79

MUMBAI: Legendary Bollywood heart-throb Shammi Kapoor, whose energetic acting and dancing style heavily influenced modern-day Indian film stars, died on Sunday aged 79.

“Shammi Kapoor ji passed away this morning at 5:15 am,” Bollywood veteran Amitabh Bachchan wrote on Twitter, using the Hindi honorific, saying Kapoor had brought “flamboyance and joie de vivre” to the screen.

Nikhil Gangavane, a family friend who headed the official Shammi Kapoor fan club, said the actor had been admitted to the private Breach Candy Hospital in south Mumbai within the last week.

“He was on a ventilator for three or four days. He was having some chest infection, which he had had for the last one or two years. He died of renal failure this morning,” Gangavane told AFP.

“He had been undergoing dialysis for the last six or seven years but developed complications.”

Kapoor’s dance performances in romantic hits such as “Tumsa Nahin Dekha” (You’re One of a Kind, 1957), “Dil Deke Dekho” (Give Your Heart and See, 1959) and “Junglee” (Wild, 1961) earned him comparisons with Elvis Presley.

Key to his success was his avid interest in music. Kapoor personally selected the songs he would dance and mime to, mindful that they needed to fit his exuberant on-screen style.

In doing so, he and singers like Mohammed Rafi provided some of the industry’s most popular and memorable tunes.

But he admitted much later that he was never a natural dancer, even if his original moves were a big draw for audiences and made him an unlikely romantic hero.

“The truth is I could never learn to dance. I even tried coaching classes but failed,” he told the BBC in a 2006 interview. “I always had a sense of music and rhythm. And that worked in my favour.”

In later years, as he withdrew from acting and directing, Kapoor became a champion of the Internet and was the founder-chairman of the Internet Users Community of India, maintaining a Facebook page and a Twitter account.

His own web site www.junglee.org.in profiled his famous family, the Kapoors, who have dominated Hindi-language cinema virtually since its inception.

He described himself on his Twitter account profile as a “Renaissance man, retired actor, computer buff”.

Tributes flooded in immediately from fellow actors and fans.

“It is a terrible shock. Shammi Kapoor was a wonderful human being. He is eternal,” actress Saira Banu, who starred alongside him in “Junglee”, told the CNN-IBN television news channel.

Film director Karan Johar described Kapoor on Twitter as “one of the finest and strongest men I knew” while Priyanka Chopra, one of today’s most glamorous Bollywood stars, said she was “at a loss” after hearing the news.

Kapoor’s cremation is expected on Monday. AGENCIES

Ekta Kapoor gets detained at the airport

Looks like the Mumbai airport is all set to create history in terms of ‘star-detains’! First, it was Minissha Lamba, which was then followed by Bipasha Basu and Anushka Sharma. And now it was the Czarina of telly land Ekta Kapoor who was questioned by the airport authorities.

Reports have it that, Ekta was carrying undeclared luxury goods to the tune of approximately Rs. one lakh. She got intercepted while she tried to pass through the green channel without declaring her assets. News has it that Ekta, after being detained, claimed innocence and said that she was not aware of the existing laws. She was finally permitted to leave after being fined approximately Rs. 50,000 by the Customs Department.

Pankaj Kapoor’s friend accuses him of plagiarism for Mausam

There’s a lot of respect in Bollywood for Mr. Pankaj Kapoor who has always been known for his exemplary performance and his portrayal of the lead role in the famous TV series ‘Karamchand’. Therefore when he announced his film Mausam there was much buzz about it and especially since he roped in his own son Shahid Kapoor in it.

Not much has been divulged about the film’s content except the fact that Shahid plays an Airforce pilot and Sonam Kapoor is the female lead, therefore chances of any controversy arising was not expected.

But expect the unexpected in Bollywood and certainly few feathers have been ruffled just before its release and the victim claiming foul play is none other than Pankaj Kapoor’s old friend and former colleague Nawman Malik, who had also acted alongside Pankaj in the award winning TV serial ‘Neem Ke Ped’.

According to the complaint that Malik has filed with the Association of Motion Pictures and TV Programme Producers, Kapoor apparently, started filming Mausam after Malik had already narrated the script to him. Some few years back Malik sat with Kapoor in his Versova office and narrated the story of Mausam to him over a four hour session. He even showed an interest in casting Shahid in it. But Kapoor said that he would have to speak to Shahid himself who was shooting in Mauritius. The meeting with Shahid never really took place and a few years later Pankaj announced his own project Mausam.

Though Mausam is said to be the working title Malik fears that it maybe the final title and even the story might be the same. Shahid and Pankaj on their end plan to meet the producers before taking any step.

Madhuri, Sonam to work together?

MUMBAI: Bollywood queen Madhuri Dixit has been offered the role of Sonam Kapoor”s mother in Anil Kapoor”s remake of Freaky Friday, an Indian daily reported.

Anil Kapoor who had recently expressed his desire to work with the dhak dhak girl, feels the actress is apt for the role, considering her versatility as an actress.

Madhuri has liked the script, but is yet to give her final nod, sources said.

The role was previously offered to Kirron Kher, but she couldn”t do the movie due to date trouble.

The movie plot revolves around mother-daughter relationship. Anil Kapoor confirmed to Mumbai Mirror, “It’s too early to comment on any of my new projects. But I would love to work with Madhuri in any capacity at any stage.”

Live Chat: Subhash Kapoor on December 2 at 1330 hrs IST

He started his career in Bollywood in 1972 with Parichay as a producer. Subhash Kapoor went on to act in the film Gumraah in the year 1993, but he came into his full form with Say Salaam India in the year 2007 which was a film that he wrote, directed and produced. He is back now with Phas Gaye Re Obama which is a film on recession and its effect on the underworld, a dark comedy. The film stars Rajat Kapoor & Neha Dhupia. Subhash Kapoor will be on Bollywood Hungama’s celebrity chat on December 2 at 13:30 hrs IST to talk about films, the movie and the trials of creating a film right from scratch. Don’t miss this opportunity.

Yash Raj Films to launch Boney Kapoor’s son Arjun Kapoor

In the recent past Yash Raj Films has launched actors such as Anushka Sharma (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi) and Ranveer Singh (Band Baaja Baaraat). Now the latest actor to be launched by YRF is none other than Arjun Kapoor (son of producer Boney Kapoor).

When contacted YRF’s spokesperson said, “Yes…Arjun Kapoor has been signed up for a film with YRF. However, as mentioned earlier, we will be making an announcement of all our forthcoming films in Jan 2011.”

Live Chat: Aditya Roy Kapoor on Nov 2 at 1600 hrs IST

He started his career as a VJ on Channel V and later progressed into films making his debut in the ’09 film London Dreams. This year, Aditya Roy Kapoor, has two films lined up for release- Action Replayy and Guzaarish.

Aditya’s easy style and his own stylized brand of humour have set him apart from the rest. With the release of Action Replayy just around the corner, we decided to get Aditya to interact with you exclusively.

So, Aditya Roy Kapoor will be live on Bollywood Hungama’s Celebrity Video Chat, November 2, at 1600 hrs IST. Don’t miss it!!!

Wishing Ranbir Kapoor a very happy Birthday

He is the blue blooded hunk, hailing from the legendary family of Kapoor’s. Ranbir Kapoor has the looks, the style, the attitude and the performance skills that make him a complete star material. His strike record at the box can surely vouch for that right from Bachna Ae Hasino, Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani to Rajneeti. This Kapoor is climbing high and how.

Moving from strength to strength this birthday will only bring a lot more prosperity and success to him, leading him to the path of stardom. With his next release Anjaana Anjaani alongside Priyanka Chopra lined up, we wish this lad oodles of happiness on his birthday. May he do great work and keep the Kapoor flag flying high.

Karisma Kapoor signed up as brand ambassador for Puretta Baby Wipes

The very name of Karisma Kapoor unfailingly spells terms like style, poise, élan and class! Well, after her self-imposed retirement from films after marriage, Lolo seems to be grabbing the limelight once again, but this time in the ad world.

The actress is busy signing endorsement deals for FMCG products. In the recent past, Karisma was seen endorsing ‘California Almonds’ and ‘Kellogg’s Chocos’. The actress will now be endorsing ‘Puretta Baby Wipes’, a premium product from the house of Aditya Birla Group.

Karisma Kapoor surely seems to be all set to rule the advertising world!

Sonam Kapoor down with Typhoid

While Mumbai whether is giving hard time to everyone, our very own Aisha has fallen sick as well. Sonam Kapoor has been under house arrest thanks to Typhoid. She took to it right after she came back from her Toronto shoot. She had high fever and after many tests the ailment was diagnosed as Typhoid. The actress has been advised complete bed rest for another two weeks.

So while she recuperates, Sonam is also catching up on her reading that took a backseat with her crazy shooting schedule and she is also watching a lot of movies and documentaries. Though she had to cancel her shoot for Anees Bazmee’s Thank You and also a few other magazines shoot.

But when the doctor orders rest, rest it is. So, Sonam is getting a lot of pampering from her dad Anil Kapoor, sister Rhea and few other close friends.

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