Mumbai: Yesteryear actor Shashi Kapoor was conferred the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for his contribution to Indian cinema on Sunday. The award will be conferred by I&B Minister Arun Jaitley. Last year’s recipient was lyricist-director Gulzar.
The 77-year-old actor, who has been battling illness for several years arrived at the Prithvi theatre today in a wheelchair. He greeted his well-wishers with a namaste.
Present at the event were veteran actors, Rekha, Amitabh Bachchan, Waheeda Rehman among others. Kapoor was accompanied by his son Kunal and actor nephew Rishi Kapoor at the prestigious event.
Ranbir Kapoor and his father Rishi Kapoor welcomed the audience at the veteran star’s felicitation.
Over the course of his career, Shashi has acted in 160 films. He started off as a child artist with his brother’s film ‘Awara’. He went on to act in critically-acclaimed films like ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’, ‘Kalyug’, ‘Junoon’ and ‘Muhafiz’. He also turned director with 1991 film ‘Ajooba’ and also produced blockbuster films like ’36 Chowringhee Lane’ and ‘Utsav’.
Shashi Kapoor, the son of actor Prithviraj Kapoor, was responsible in reviving the Prithvi theatre group started by his father. He is the younger brother of actors Raj and Shammi Kapoor.
