PM condoles the demise of Shammi Kapoor

New Delhi/Mumbai, Aug 14 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has condoled the demise of veteran Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor, who passed away at the Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai on Sunday morning due to chronic renal failure.

"I am sad to learn of Shri Shammi Kapoor's demise. He was an accomplished actor who entertained millions and millions of fans in India and abroad. I share his family's grief," said Dr. Singh in his condolence message.

The last rites of Shammi Kapoor will be performed at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Born on born October 21, 1931, in a Punjabi Khatri family, he was a prominent lead actor in Hindi cinema during the late 1950s and 1960s.

He was given the name Shamsher Raj Kapoor at his birth in Mumbai to film and theatre actor Prithviraj Kapoor, Shammi was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor), both of whom were, like their father, successful Bollywood actors.

Extremely versatile as an actor, Shammi was the leading star of Hindi cinema during the late 1950s as well as the 1960s.

He debuted in Bollywood in 1953 with the film Jeevan Jyoti, and went on to deliver hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening in Paris, Bramhachari, and Andaz and Vidhaata.

He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982. (ANI)