Shammi Kapoor dies-a huge loss to Bollywood

Shammi Kapoor dies-a huge loss to Bollywood

Shammi Kapoor died at 5.15 am today. He was 79. The actor had been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital where he was undergoing treatment for Kidney failure and lung congestion.

He made his Bollywood debut with 'Jeevan Jyoti' in 1953 and ruled the silverscreen during the late 1950s and 1960s with his super-energetic performances. According to BBC, Shammi Kapoor was "one of the most popular actors of his generation, Kapoor starred in hits like Junglee, An Evening in Paris, Chinatown and Kashmir Ki Kali.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted that with Kapoor's death the "flamboyance and joie de vivre of the industry lost".

Shammi Kapoor acted in more than 100 films. Fans called him the "Elvis Presley of India" for his frenetic and nifty dancing.

He developed a style of his own and moviegoers flocked to the theatres just to see Shammi Kapoor's antics and mannerisms."

Shammi was married to actress Geeta Bali who he said was the love of his live. She died of small pox during the filming of Teesri Manzil.

They have two children - a son Aditya, and a daughter Kanchan. He later married Neela.

src-Yahoo