Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor, who died Monday evening in Mumbai, was cremated with state honours at the Santa Cruz crematorium in Juhu on Tuesday. His body was wrapped in the tricolour and given a three-gun salute by the Mumbai Police.
Kapoor’s body was first taken to Prithvi Theatre, a facility that he had established with his wife Jennifer Kendal in 1978. His wife died of cancer in 1984. He is survived by his three children – Karan Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor and Sanjna Kapoor.
Scores of celebrities and fans turned up for the state funeral despite heavy rainfall in Mumbai and warnings of a cyclone. Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan were seen at the funeral.
Kapoor died in Mumbai’s Kokilaben Ambani hospital on Monday evening after a prolonged illness. He was 79. Shashi Kapoor received the Padma Bhushan in 2011 for his contributions to the field of cinema. In 2014, he was given the 2014 Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
In an emotional tribute to Kapoor, actor Amitabh Bachchan reminisced about their days on the sets of Ajooba. In his blog, Bachchan on Monday wrote: “ ‘Shashi Kapoor!’ was what one heard as he extended a warm soft hand out to you in introduction; that devastating smile complimenting the twinkle in his eyes. He need not have done so. Every one knew him. But this was his infectious humble self.”
Shashi Kapoor is known for his roles in films such as Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), Deewar (1974), Kabhie Kabhie (1975), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1977), Silsila (1981) and Namak Halaal (1982).
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