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The love story of Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali is one of true love that one only hears about in popular folklores or sees on the silver screen. The real name of Shammi Kapoor is Shamsher Raj Kapoor and he was born to Prithviraj Kapoor, a luminary of theatre and Bollywood films, in the year 1931. Shammi Kapoor was the younger brother of Raj Kapoor, one of the finest actors and directors of Bollywood. Geeta Bali was born as Harikirtan Kaur in the year 1930 in the city of Amritsar in Punjab. Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali fell in love with each other during an outdoor shooting schedule for the film Rangeen Raaten at Ranikhet and got married on 24th August, 1955.

Shammi Kapoor has himself said that he was so much in love with Geeta Bali that he used to cry whenever he used to listen to her songs on radio. Every morning, he would get up and call her up and request her to marry him and on the night of 23 August, when they were together in a room at the Juhu Hotel, she finally accepted his proposal. However, she maintained that they will have to get married that very day otherwise their will be no wedding at all.



Shammi Kapoor readily agreed and called Johnny Walker, their common friend from the industry, who had himself eloped with his girlfriend the previous week and got married. He suggested that they go to a temple and tie the knot. So, Shammi Kapoor went to his friend, Hari Walia for help. It was he who took the couple to the Banganga Temples and suggested that they get married there and within 24 hours the two became husband and wife.

Major Awards and Nominations received by Shammi Kapoor

• Filmfare Nomination as Best Actor in the year 1962 for the film Professor
• Filmfare Best Actor Award in the year 1968 for the film Brahmachari
• Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in the year 1995
• Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement in the year 1999
• Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award in the year 2001
• Invaluable Contribution to Indian Cinema at the IIFA in the year 2002
• Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Indian cinema at the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) in the year 2008
• Shammi Kapoor also received the prestigious Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) that was presented to him as a token of appreciation for his outstanding contribution to the Indian entertainment industry.

Geeta Bali succumbed to small pox on January 21, 1965 and was survived by a devastated Shammi Kapoor and eight-year-old son Aditya and three-year-old daughter Kanchan.

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