When Mumtaz recalled Shashi Kapoor refused to share screen space with her

Mumtaz, a legendary actress in the Hindi film industry, ruled the cinema world in the 60s and 70s with her most exceptional performances.

Acknowledged for her beauty and exceptional acting talent, she has given numerous superhit films throughout her career.

Notably, 1970s was a golden era for Bollywood as it gave rise to some of the best actresses, including Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, and Parveen Babi.

Mumtaz was also part of this league, giving many successful films in the decade. The movie was Sachcha Jhutha, in which she shared screen space with industry’s only superstar Rajesh Khanna.

According to IMDb, Rajesh Khanna wasn’t the first choice for Sachcha Jhutha. Shashi Kapoor was initially offered the role. But, when Shashi found out that Mumtaz would be his co-star in the film, he declined the offer.

Reportedly, Shashi Kapoor felt that Mumtaz had built her reputation in the industry as a stuntwoman and was often seen as a B-grade actress.

Notwithstanding her remarkable talent, Shashi Kapoor was not willing to work with her amidst that period.

Even as Shashi Kapoor did not join the film, Sachcha Jhutha became a massive success, thanks to the pairing of Rajesh Khanna and Mumtaz.

The movie went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of 1970. Later, in 1974, Mumtaz and Rajesh Khanna again won the hearts of fans with their hit film Aap Ki Kasam.

Mumtaz remained active in the film industry from 1958 to 1990 and amidst this time, she gave numerous memorable performances.
Some of Mumtaz’s most notable films include:
Baagi
Rustum-e-Hind
Hamraaz
Do Dushman, Aag
Do Raaste
Sachcha Jhutha
Apna Desh, Loafer
Aap Ki Kasam, Roti

These films earned Mumtaz a well-deserved place among the greatest actresses of Hindi cinema.

News Edit KV Raman