Shammi Kapoor- Geeta Bali marriage was like a film scene
Shammi Kapoor- Geeta Bali marriage was like a film scene
The marriage of Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali was like a typical film scene.
Geeta Bali had acted in over 75 films. She was the only Kapoor woman at the time, who continued working in films after her wedding. It was popularly said that at the time Kapoor women didn’t work in cinema and for Shammi Kapoor it was difficult for Shammi to convince Geeta Bali to get married to him.
In an old video interview Shammi Kapoor shared with Rajshri Unplugged, on how they had a lot in common. He fell in love with her and she fell in love with him. When they returned to Bombay(Mumbai) he proposed to her. That was in April 1955 and she said ‘no, she doesn’t don’t think she could marry him.
She had many responsibilities to fulfil But she loved Shammi Kapoor.
Shammi admitted that he kept on asking her on every occasion, ‘let’s get married’, but she said ‘let’s wait and see’.
Recalling the D-day, Shammi Kapoor shared, “In August 1955 eventually, there came a moment, and he didn’t know how she arrived at that, when she said ‘yes ok, let’s get married.’ He asked her asked if he can inform her parents and his parents?’ She said, ‘no, let’s get married right now.
The couple went to meet comedian Johnny Walker, who happened to be a dear friend of the couple and had married just a week earlier. Johnny Walker suggested that they marry in a temple and that’s what happened.
The couple drove down to a temple complex nearby at Banganga. As they arrived late at night, the temple priest sent them away saying that ‘the gods are asleep, come in the morning at 4 am’. Shammi and Geeta drove back to Matunga where Shammi used to reside and waited for sunrise. The couple were back at the temple at 4 am, just like the priest had asked of them, and were married soon after.
Remembering his one-of-a-kind wedding, Shammi Kapoor shared once, “The gods were waiting for us. The temple doors were open and the pujari said ‘aayiye, hum aapki shaadi karva dete hain.’ Geeta did a wonderful thing, which he never forgot. She took out a lipstick from her purse, gave it to him and said ‘yeh aap meri maang mein lipstick bhar do.’ Wonderful gesture, and that’s what he did and that’s how they got married which was on August 24, 1955.
Geeta Bali, who had started her career as a child artist with The Cobbler and had her first success with Suhaag Raat. After working in Badi Bahen, Bali went onto establish herself as a leading lady of the 50s with films and did many hits like Bawre Nain, Albela , Baazi, Jaal, Anand Math, Vachan , Milap , Faraar , Jailor and
Mr. India.
Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali had two children including actor Aditya Raj Kapoor. Geeta succumbed to small-pox in 1965.
News Edit KV Raman
