Irrfan Khan Tells Why Shashi Kapoor Will Always Have A Special Place In His Heart

Your movement towards the West was actually started by Shashi Kapoor. Your thoughts on his passing away?

Shashiji always had a special place in my heart .When I was young I always admired his feather like presence on screen.Light breezy charming entertaining and over the years he fascinated me with his choices ..choice to do great films as a producer .

Shashi Kapoor was also attached to theatre?

Yes,his attachment to Prithvi Theatre was I think, the most amazing dedication to actors and acting. For me its like his Taj Mahal for his wife Jennifer.

Did you ever meet Shashi Kapoor?

Long ago I remember meeting him at the Morocco film festival, he called , “Hey you come here and ruffling my hair said, ‘Do you remember we have acted in a pilot together? ‘ I just couldn’t remember and was so embarrassed. A number of pilots were made at that time which never got released as series beyond the pilot, I was so impressed with Shashiji’s memory.

Later he couldn’t remember people and incidents?

Yes, I realized that. And many years down the lane I meet him again accompanied by his son Kunal .We were in the same flight both of us going for the President’s awards . I sat near his feet ,held his hands .He shook my hands while looking at Kunal with blank eyes trying to ask who was I? that’s life.He was special and always be special in our hearts.