Amitabh Bachchan to pay ode to Shashi Kapoor at 62nd National Award

The Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor Jodi is Bollywood’s most popular pair which has given a string of hit movies like DEEWAR, TRISHUL, KABHI KABHI, SUHAAG, NAMAK HALAAL, SHAAN, ROTI KAPDA AUR MAKAAN ETC. The list is quite long. 

Besides sharing a great chemistry on screen the two also share an equally great bound on personnel front. Shashi Kapoor’s father Prithiv Raj Kapoor and Bachchan’s father Harivansh Rai Bachchan were great friends as both were admirers of each other's works - one for his stage the other for his poetry.

Hence when Shashi Kapoor’s son requested Amitabh Bachchan to pay a small compliment to his dad on the occasion of his father receiving this year's prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian Cinema, Amitabh Bachchan could not let him down.

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In his blog Amitabh informed his fans that he has recorded a small message for a video clip that will displayed on a wide screen during the 62 National Awards function in New Delhi. 

Bachchan quoted, “We are all honoured by the decision of Government of India to bestow actor Shashi Kapoor with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the National highest Award for the Industry. Shashi ji and I have shared so much it is difficult to imagine how we did it. Some thoughts and words tumble out. But nothing can give adequate expression of what we would ideally like to state. There is so much to say and remember.” 

Readers would be surprised to know that when Amitabh Bachchan was struggling to make it big in Bollywood, it was Shashi Kapoor, who had helped him. 

According to a source close to Amitabh Bachchan once Shashi Kapoor helped Amitabh securing a role in a film that he was doing for James Ivory-Ismail Merchant's Filmvalas. However when he found Amitabh Bachchan standing in a crowd and playing an extra in the film he was very angry. He took Amitabh Bachchan to a side and said, “You are not meant to play such minimal roles, do not do the role.”

Saying this Shashi Kapoor left the studio but Bachchan did the role as he needed money desperately, however when Shashi Kapoor saw the rushes he asked the director to delete the portions of Amitabh Bachchan.!

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