The
First
Impression
Standing
elegantly
without
a
care
in
the
world,
I
saw
him
standing
by
a
Mercedes
Sports
car,
a
convertible,
a
smart
trimmed
beard
and
moustache,
adorning
involuntarily,
the
face
of
this
incredibly
handsome
man.
It
was
a
picture
that
filled
almost
an
entire
page
of
a
magazine.
Shashi
Kapoor...
son
of
Prithviraj
Kapoor,
younger
brother
to
Raj
Kapoor
and
Shammi
Kapoor,
making
a
debut
in
a
forthcoming
film,
is
what
the
caption
read..
'With
Men
Like
Him
Around,
I
Stood
No
Chance'
And
I
said
to
myself,
as
very
uncertain
thoughts
raced
through
my
mind
of
wanting
to
become
a
film
actor,
that,
with
men
like
him
around,
I
stood
no
chance
at
all...
Big
B's
First
Encounter
With
Shashi
Kapoor
1969,
and
those
early
years
of
efforts
to
join
the
Industry
were
also
the
times
when
there
was
a
close
proximity,
to
the
area
of
an
atmosphere,
that
swivelled
around
this
most
attractive
man.
On
and
off,
common
friends
in
the
Industry,
which
I
was
just
getting
acquainted
with,
would
introduce
me
to
him
at
select
social
gatherings
..
" Shashi
Kapoor
!"
was
what
one
heard
as
he
extended
a
warm
soft
hand
out
to
you
in
introduction
;
that
devastating
smile
complimenting
the
twinkle
in
his
eyes.
He
needn't
have
done
so.
Every
one
knew
him.
But
this
was
his
infectious
humble
self.
When
he
spoke,
there
was
a
mischievous,
gentle,
almost
inaudible,
delicate,
yodel,
in
his
voice
-
most
endearing
and
comforting
to
the
one
he
was
introduced
to.
The
self
introduction
habit,
was
a
gem.
The
one
being
introduced
to,
was,
quite
obviously,
prompted
to
say
his
or
her
name
as
well,
when
they
heard
his.
It
was
a
remarkable
tool
to
come
to
know
the
other
persons
name
..
and
..
if
and
when
there
was
to
be
another
meeting
after
many
forgettable
years,
the
same
technology
was
most
helpful
in
remembering
the
other
persons
name,
in
case
you
had
forgotten
it
..
!!
Memories
I
must
admit
..
it
was
a
technology
that
remained
with
me
as
a
learning,
assisting
me
in
using
it
during
those
uncomfortable
times,
when
out
of
the
blue
someone
would
come
out
to
you
and
address
himself
as
a
long
lost
buddy
,
with
a
:
"remember
me
!
we
last
met
6
years
ago
at
the
crossing
of
Kemps
Corner,
as
you
drove
past
and
waved
to
me"
!!!
My
mind
is
warning
me
.. ‘of
course
you
don't,
how
could
you
possibly'
.. ‘stick
that
hand
out
ala
Shashi
Kapoor
and
act
friendly..'
I
obey
..
‘yes
of
course
I
do'
..
I
say
..
looking
recognisably
lost
..
(
sticking
hand
out
)
..
Amitabh
Bachchan
..!!
And
he
would
assure
me
with
his
..
and
Kemp's
Corner
and
waving
by,
passing
travelling
vehicle,
suddenly
all
come
flashing
by
..
I
am
saved
..
and
he
goes
away
with
some
rather
impressionable
opinions
about
me...
Big
B
Even
Got
His
Barber
To
Copy
Shashi
Kapoor's
Hairdo
The
next
..
was
his
semi
curly
hair
on
head,
falling
carelessly
over
his
forehead
and
ears,
not
quite
covering
it
..
and
my
upper
story
mumbled
again
: ‘hey
!
maybe
you
should
think
of
covering
your
ears
as
well
..'
...
and
off
I
went
to
Hakim
the
hair
dresser
at
Taj
Hotel
with
my
plan
..
and
executed,
it
remained
till
date
..
What
followed
..
is
a
documentation
of
very
intimate
association,
personal
exigencies
..
collective
professional
camaraderie
..
ending
in
family
bindings...
Why
He
Couldn't
Get
Himself
To
Visit
Shashiji
In
Hospital
He
had
been
ailing
..
somewhere
he
had
let
himself
go
after
the
passing
away
of
his
dear
wife
Jennifer
..
I
had
visited
him
on
occasion
in
Hospital
during
some
of
the
times
he
had
been
hospitalised
earlier
..
but
I
never
went
to
see
him
again
..
I
would
never
have
..
I
never
ever
wanted
to
see
this
beautiful
friend
and ‘samdhi' in
the
state
I
saw
him
in
hospital
..
....
and
I
did
not
today,
when
they
informed
me
that
he
had
gone
...
The
Final
Words
The
words
of
the ‘sher'
at
the
opening
came
to
me
minutes
after
Rumi
Jafri,
eminent
writer
in
our
film
industry,
sent
them
to
me
on
learning
of
his
death
..
"how
long
could
I
have
preserved
this
exquisite
and
expensive
book
of
life
;
the
pages
of
the
book
were
damaged
.."
He
fondly
addressed
me
as ‘babbua'
..
and
with
him
have
gone
many
incredible
unread
chapters
of
his
and
my
life
..
.