Amitabh Bachchan once felt Shashi Kapoor a threat to his career (Interview)

Mumbai: Recalling his 'intimate association' with Bollywood's 'Gentlemen actor' Shashi Kapoor, who fondly addressed him as 'babbua', superstar Amitabh Bachchan on Tuesday said 'with him, have gone many incredible unread chapters of his and my life."In a heartfelt tribute to Shashi Kapoor, 'To Shashji from your 'babbua', the Big B, reminiscing about his co-star in many films, from 'Kabhi Kabhie' to 'Deewar,' 'Shaan' to 'Trishul,' 'Kaala Pathar' to 'Namak Halal,' Suhaag' to 'Do Aur Do Paanch,' recalled his 'devastating smile complimenting the twinkle in his eyes' and 'a mischievous, gentle, almost inaudible, delicate, yodel, in his voice' that was 'most endearing and comforting to the one he was introduced to'.

In a blog, the Big B, reminiscing about his association with Shashi Kapoor, said, '1969, and those early years of efforts to join the Industry were also the times when there was a close proximity, to the area of an atmosphere, that swivelled around this most attractive man.'On and off, common friends in the Industry, which I was just getting acquainted with, would introduce me to him at select social gatherings.'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.'When he spoke, there was a mischievous, gentle, almost inaudible, delicate, yodel, in his voice -- most endearing and comforting to the one he was introduced to.'

Recalling the day when he first saw a Shashi Kapoor's picture on a magazine, the Big B said, 'Standing elegantly without a care in the world, I saw him standing by a Mercedes Sports car, a convertible, a smart trimmed beard and moustache, adorning involuntarily, the face of this incredibly handsome man.It was a picture that filled almost an entire page of a magazine.

'Shashi Kapoor…son of Prithviraj Kapoor, younger brother to Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, making a debut in a forthcoming film, is what the caption read .And I said to myself, as very uncertain thoughts raced through my mind of wanting to become a film actor, that, with men like him around, I stood no chance at all.
'Recalling that Shashiji, as he fondly referred to him, had been ailing for quite some time, Mr Bachchan said he never ever wanted to see 'this beautiful friend and 'samdhi' in the state I saw him in hospital.
'
'He had been ailing .somewhere he had let himself go after the passing away of his dear wife Jennifer.I had visited him on occasion in Hospital during some of the times he had been hospitalised earlier but I never went to see him again.I would never have.I never ever wanted to see this beautiful friend and 'samdhi' in the state I saw him in hospital.'….and I did not today, when they informed me that he had gone…,' the Big B said.

'The words of the 'sher' at the opening came to me minutes after Rumi Jafri, eminent writer in our film industry, sent them to me on learning of his death .'how long could I have preserved this exquisite and expensive book of life ; the pages of the book were damaged,' Mr Bachchan said.Shashi Kapoor passed away yesterday after a long illness.(UNI)