When Shammi Kapoor Married Geeta Bali Without Telling His Family, She Had One Condition (Picture Credit: Wikimedia)
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Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali’s romance is a captivating chapter in Bollywood’s love stories. The two iconic figures of the Hindi film industry shared a deep bond that went beyond the silver screen. Shammi, known for his charismatic personality and flamboyant on-screen presence, found a real-life love in Geeta.
Their romance blossomed during the late 1950s, and they decided to take their relationship to the next level. However, what makes their love story particularly intriguing is that they chose to keep their marriage a secret from his family. Geeta, already a renowned actress herself, had one condition before tying the knot.
During a conversation with Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha in a 2003 interview, Shammi Kapoor revealed that he frequently suggested marriage to her, but she would dismiss it. This continued for nearly three years until one day when Geeta agreed under the condition that the wedding had to take place on the same day or not at all, reported The Indian Express.
Being one year older than Shammi Kapoor and having previously worked with his father, Prithviraj Kapoor, and his brother, Raj Kapoor, Geeta had some reservations as they contemplated getting married. “There were a few question marks. Geeta was a year older to me. She had co-starred with my father, Prithviraj Kapoor in a film called Anand Math. She had also worked opposite my brother Raj Kapoor in Kidar Sharma’s film Bawre Nain. I was not sure how my family would react to it. But the apprehensions were momentary. I was adamant within myself that it had to be Geeta. She was the woman I was going to spend the rest of my life with,” he recalled.
In a Lehren Retro interview, Shammi Kapoor revealed that at the time of his wedding, his family members were not in the same city. However, he promptly called his father after the marriage ceremony. He said, “When I got married, my family was not here. Neither my mother nor my father. Raj ji was here but I told him about getting married after I was married. There was no objection.” He recalled that when he called his father after his marriage, Prithviraj Kapoor called him to Bhopal so he could pass his blessings to the newlyweds.
Shammi Kapoor reminisced about his marriage, surrounded by successful figures like his father, brother Raj Kapoor, and wife. Despite the accomplished company, his wife, Geeta Bali, stood out as the most supportive person he knew. Geeta Bali passed away in 1965, a decade into her marriage with Shammi Kapoor. Subsequently, he married Neela Devi. Shammi Kapoor breathed his last in 2011 at the age of 79.
