During the shooting of the 1968 classic Brahmachari, a tender romance quietly unfolded between Bollywood’s flamboyant heartthrob Shammi Kapoor and the poised, luminous Mumtaz.
Their relationship transcended age and fame, even though Mumtaz was still establishing herself in the business and Shammi was already a well-liked celebrity. A growing intimacy behind the scenes, an unspoken affection that many on set couldn't ignore, was reflected in their on-screen chemistry.
Mumtaz and Shammi Kapoor
In an interview with Rediff years later, Mumtaz opened up about this relationship, stating that Shammi Kapoor had asked her to marry him when she was just 17. She rejected him, though, not because she didn't love him, but rather because he insisted that she stop performing.
At the time, the Kapoor family maintained a tradition that women in the family did not pursue careers in film. Mumtaz, driven by ambition and love for her craft, chose to walk away from the relationship rather than give up her dreams.
End of a love story
She recalled during the chat, "He wanted me to give up my career when I was just 17. I don’t think anyone can give me the same amount of love that he showered on me. I never forgot him. Even today when his name is mentioned, tears well up in my eyes. It was not a love affair, it was much more. We loved each other deeply."
She also added, “Unfortunately, womenfolk in the Kapoor family did not work during those days. He had to respect his family’s wishes, I had to respect my career. I had a family to support. I was being paid Rs 8 lakh even as a struggler. I was the highest-paid actress of my time."
In an old interview with Lehren Retro, Shammi Kapoor, a widower at the time, once looked back at his time with Mumtaz.
He stated, “At that time, I was a widower and Mumtaz was a very beautiful thing in that movie. For a short while, we both had dreams but then it turned into a nightmare. So, it’s fine. I am happy as I am today."
Shammi was devastated when his first wife Geeta tragically died of smallpox in 1965. The actor later fell in love once more and wed Neila Devi in 1969. Mumtaz, meanwhile, went on with her life and eventually wed Mayur Madhvani, a businessman from Uganda.
Their love story, though short-lived, remains one of Bollywood’s most poignant tales—an echo of two hearts that found each other briefly, then quietly let go.
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