By News18
Veteran actress Mumtaz and Shammi Kapoor fell in love with each other after they met on the sets of Brahmachari. Despite Mumtaz鈥檚 mother鈥檚 objections, Shammi Kapoor鈥檚 pursuit continued, and he even expressed his desire to marry Mumtaz, who was 18 years younger than him. Although they never got married, Mumtaz fondly remembers the veteran actor in interviews even today. However, she has revealed that Shammi Kapoor鈥檚 wife, Neila Devi, has been hurt by her comments.
Mumtaz recently told the Times of India, 鈥淓verybody keeps asking me the same old things. And my sister got a few calls. People complained to my sister. They say, 鈥楳umtaz shouldn鈥檛 answer those questions.鈥 But how many times should I say no comments? People want to ask me everything. My sister told me, 鈥榊ou are hurting industry people.鈥 I don鈥檛 want to hurt anyone; they are my family.鈥
The veteran actress added, 鈥淧eople whom I have spoken about, now their kids have grown up, and they don鈥檛 like it when I speak the truth. I don鈥檛 regret it. But it does get monotonous. Everybody just wants to ask me about Rajesh Khanna and Shammi Kapoor. It is so monotonous. His (Shammi鈥檚) wife feels bad, 鈥榃hy is she talking about my husband?鈥 So, I don鈥檛 want to hurt anyone.鈥
Veteran actor Shammi Kapoor lost his first wife, Geeta Bali, in 1965. After some years, he met the 17-year-old Mumtaz on the sets of Brahmachari, and they fell in love. However, they could not get married as Shammi Kapoor wanted Mumtaz to quit being an actress.
鈥淗e wanted me to give up my career when I was just 17. I don鈥檛 think anyone can give me the same amount of love that he showered on me. I never forgot him. Even today, when his name is mentioned, tears well up in my eyes. It was not a love affair; it was much more. We loved each other deeply. Unfortunately, womenfolk in the Kapoor family did not work during those days. He had to respect his family鈥檚 wishes, and I had to respect my career,鈥 Reddif quoted her as saying.
Shammi Kapoor later got married to Neila Devi in 1969. The veteran actor passed away in 2011.