What do you think?
Rate this book
Shammi Kapoor - The Game Changer
Shammi Kapoor was an absolute original, who redefined the profile of the Hindi filmhero in the late ’50s and cast him in a unique,
highly individualistic mould. He was a farcry from the self-righteous ‘hero’ of the time. He broke the existing rules, made his own.
After a spell of initial shock the audiences went berserk over his machismo, the roguish demeanour and the flamboyance with which
he sang and danced. And he became the first hero to break into the formidable cordon of the Big Three of the time: Raj Kapoor, Dilip
Kumar and Dev Anand, who had dominated the scene unchallenged for more than a decade. Shammi’s uncanny sense of music
revolutionised the song-and-dance routine which led to the evolution of a new genre of ‘musical romance’. Unfortunately, the critics
of the time failed to comprehend his highly individualistic style and swagger. And the way he violated the image of the conventional
hero of the time made them pass him over as a ‘freak’. Nevertheless, history hasn’t denied him his niche. As film scholar Dr. Punita Bhatt succinctly avers, “Shammi Kapoor represented the blending of unique elements rooted in time, place, and his own talent. More important and less appreciated, is the fact that Shammi Kapoor’s contribution, like Dilip Kumar’s, has seeped into the mainstream of popular cinema in India, becoming a part of the larger tradition every actor is heir to. Jeetendra in the first phase of his career, Rajesh Khanna in early films like The Train and Aradhana and Rishi Kapoor on many occasions, are only a few of those in whom Shammi Kapoor’s influence was pronounced. In dozens of others it is less visible but there, nevertheless.”
highly individualistic mould. He was a farcry from the self-righteous ‘hero’ of the time. He broke the existing rules, made his own.
After a spell of initial shock the audiences went berserk over his machismo, the roguish demeanour and the flamboyance with which
he sang and danced. And he became the first hero to break into the formidable cordon of the Big Three of the time: Raj Kapoor, Dilip
Kumar and Dev Anand, who had dominated the scene unchallenged for more than a decade. Shammi’s uncanny sense of music
revolutionised the song-and-dance routine which led to the evolution of a new genre of ‘musical romance’. Unfortunately, the critics
of the time failed to comprehend his highly individualistic style and swagger. And the way he violated the image of the conventional
hero of the time made them pass him over as a ‘freak’. Nevertheless, history hasn’t denied him his niche. As film scholar Dr. Punita Bhatt succinctly avers, “Shammi Kapoor represented the blending of unique elements rooted in time, place, and his own talent. More important and less appreciated, is the fact that Shammi Kapoor’s contribution, like Dilip Kumar’s, has seeped into the mainstream of popular cinema in India, becoming a part of the larger tradition every actor is heir to. Jeetendra in the first phase of his career, Rajesh Khanna in early films like The Train and Aradhana and Rishi Kapoor on many occasions, are only a few of those in whom Shammi Kapoor’s influence was pronounced. In dozens of others it is less visible but there, nevertheless.”
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2015
11 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Read
March 21, 2021A amazingly detailed, trivia-laden biography of Hindi cinema's most flamboyant star. It merges his personal and professional lives to create a page-turning story. As a bonus, we also get the snapshot of Geeta Bali's life and her far-reaching influence on Shammi Kapoor's career. Written from the output of several detailed interviews with Shammi Kapoor himself and his immediate family/friends, the book captures the vagaries of Bollywood of the 1950s and 1960s quite well.
The narrative repeats a few incidents in different parts, though that's a minor quibble about an eminently readable book.
The narrative repeats a few incidents in different parts, though that's a minor quibble about an eminently readable book.
October 7, 2019
An interesting read
The book covers the entire journey of Shammiji's life in detail. It is an interesting read for various reasons including nice anecdotes, depth and justice to the multilayered personality that Shammiji had.
The book covers the entire journey of Shammiji's life in detail. It is an interesting read for various reasons including nice anecdotes, depth and justice to the multilayered personality that Shammiji had.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews