While Shakti Kapoor, like most doting fathers, is keen to see daughter Shraddha Kapoor find her life partner, he says that the actress is not planning to get married this year. There have been rumours about Shraddha tying the knot with photographer Rohan Shrestha, but Kapoor denies it. He says, “Rohan is a family friend, I have known his father for many, many years. Rohan visits us often, but he has not asked for Shraddha’s hand in marriage. And besides, today, children decide these things on their own. If Shraddha or my son, Siddhanth, tell me that they have chosen their life partner, I will readily agree. But at this point, they are focused on their careers. Marriage is an important decision, and the way people are breaking up, it bothers me sometimes. One has to be sure before making a decision like that.”

Talking about his children’s careers, he says, “I have never stopped Shraddha or Siddhanth from following their dreams. Many people ask me if I had reservations about Shraddha becoming an actress, but that is not true. I want her to shine and do well. She is such a hardworking and talented girl. I call her my ‘golden girl’. She has made it on her own in Bollywood. Siddhanth has received appreciation for Chehre with Amitabh Bachchan and Emraan Hashmi. So, I am happy for both my kids, who are doing well in their careers. I am proud of them.”

Reflecting on his children's career choices and the scripts that they are offered, he says, “When I started off in films, there were different roles etched out for a comedian, a vamp, a villain and the leads. Today, a hero could be the villain, the heroine can be doing a special dance number and the villain sometimes turns out to be the good guy in the end (smiles!). So, the lines are blurring. I am happy that both my kids are choosing different, content-oriented films.”

Rakesh Roshan and Shakti Kapoor (MID-DAY; May 28, 2019)

Rakesh Roshan Remembers Veeru Devgan

We worked together in movies like Khoon Bhari Maang, King Uncle, and Karan Arjun, which were blockbusters. When he was a fighter, Veeru would be my [stunt double]. Then, he became a fight director, and we worked together. We were the best of friends. He was a fine technician.

[Despite not being] well-read, he would surprise me with his suggestions for action sequences. They were overpowering, and he would execute them with a confidence that would baffle me.

Veeru was a thorough gentleman; lovable and among those I'd count as my good friends in Bollywood. Whenever we met, we did so with warmth. It was shocking to hear of his demise. I could not attend his funeral because I wasn't in a state to do so, hence, I left a message for Ajay, and spoke to Kumar Mangat to give my condolences.

Shakti Kapoor Remembers Veeru Devgan

When it comes to fight masters, Veeru paaji was the only superstar in India. People would stand in long queues to get his photograph, and arrive on sets to watch him [in action]. Behind the screen, he was as big a star as Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar. He was among the best technicians, and well-versed with the camera. He knew many action tricks, and all the directors in the South would ask him to shoot their scenes.

He taught me many tricks, including how to break and cover a fall. He was the highest paid [fight director], and among the most stylised. He would be given a business class ticket, and would stay in big suites in Chennai and Hyderabad. He had a style of his own. His technical knowledge was great, the kind that other action masters didn't have. He would carry his own whiskey, and pay for his dry-cleaning bills.

He had the best cars, and was a family man. He loved Ajay a lot. When Ajay was not in the film industry yet, he would ask me why he was so shy. He would tell me to talk to him, because I was bindaas. He was a great cook, one who made the best sookha mutton.

As told to Upala KBR

Upala KBR (DNA; January 31, 2017)

Lately, there have been reports that Shakti Kapoor has taken over from daughter Shraddha Kapoor’s manager and publicist, and will be looking after her work from now on. The actress’s parents were shocked when asked to comment on the rumours.

Why fix what ain’t broke?
Shakti says, “We are not changing anybody in her team. I have no clue where this news is coming from. Her manager and the agency she is signed up with are doing a good job. In fact, I introduced Shraddha to her current manager. We are very happy with their work. She is one of their oldest clients and joined them before Aashiqui 2 and she is working with almost 12-13 brands now. More than Alia Bhatt. She is doing phenomenal work, why would we want to replace them? Shraddha is shooting for Haseena so she has no idea about this news doing the rounds. ”

‘Shraddha has a rich dad’
Shakti adds that he’s not interested in handling his daughter’s career. “Shraddha is an amazing kid and has the world at her feet. She has been handling her movies for a while now on her own, along with help from Shivangi, and the mother-daughter team is very good. I have my own life to lead, my work and films and I cannot manage her career. Though I am always there for my children, and they come to me for advice. Her career is very happening and she has been approached for some amazing films, but she takes her own time to sign them. There is no hurry, and she’s not a risk-taker. Unlike me, Shraddha has got a rich father (laughs), so she can take it easy.”

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 20, 2015)

"Crime Master Gogo naam hai mera, aankhen nikal ke gotiyan khelta hoon main," that's how Shakti Kapoor introduces himself in Rajkumar Santoshi's 1994 comic caper, Andaz Apna Apna. Twenty-one years later, the veteran actor reveals that the iconic dialogue was penned by Tinnu Anand, who was initially to play the character but had to opt out owing to a date clash.

"That's when the makers approached me and I pointed out that dates were a problem with me as well since I was doing three-four shifts a day. They stated that Tinnu was going off on a month-and-a-half-long outdoor project, they had erected a set at Film City and needed to shoot Gogo's scenes before they dismantled it. They were willing to adjust to my schedule," reminisces Shakti.

However, he told Santoshi that he could only start filming late in the evening after he wrapped up his other commitments. And after taking Tinnu's permission to step into his shoes, Shakti as 'Mogambo ka bhatija', Gogo, sprang into action with the threat, "Aaya hoon, kuch to loot kar jaunga ... Khandani chor hoon main, khandani."

He remembers that they shot through the night, wrapping up with breakfast at a five-star hotel. Many of his lines were improvised on the sets. For instance, in one shot, the cloak he is wearing gets entangled in Amar Manohar's foot. And Aamir Khan, who plays Amar, deadpans, "Gogoji, aapka ghagra..." The quip had everyone in splits... And stayed on.

Shakti's favourite scene from the film is the hilarious 'hul' fight in the climax between Salman Khan and him, which again happened spontaneously during rehearsals. Salman would throw a punch from a distance, Shakti would react by falling to the ground, then respond with a 'hul' of his own, which would fell Salman's Prem. When Santoshi saw the pantomime going on between the two actors, he burst out laughing, and incorporated it into the script.

Prod him on Salman, and Shakti recalls a cute, friendly, really good-looking actor who had yet to become the 'dabangg' hero of today. He guffaws when he remembers the scene where Prem, who's down with an upset stomach, keeps marching to and fro from the loo, to accompanying sound effects.

Aamir, he remembers, as an always smiling, Mr Perfectionist. "Till today, I have never seen Aamir get angry on the sets," he marvels.

Director Santoshi was an easygoing, soft-spoken man, who only got intense and loud when he was 'performing' for his actors. "Santoshiji is one of the finest actors I have come across. He would act out every scene for me, and watching him nervously, I would wonder if I'd be able to match up when I aped him in front of the camera," admits Shakti, still laughing over the memory of the scene where, wielding a gun, he orders Amar and Prem to follow him, marching ahead of them, gun pointing to no one in particular, the two trailing in his footsteps. Silly, but that's what made Andaz Apna Apna, which opened to an average response back in the '90s, a cult movie today.

Two months ago, en route to Hong Kong for a family vacation, Shakti ran into Aamir at the lounge of the international airport. The 50-year-old actor told him that he was looking for a Crime Master Gogo T-shirt. Shakti's son Siddhath strolled to one of the shops at the airport and got him four.

"The next thing I know, he's wearing one of them at an event," exults Shakti, who distributed another half-a-dozen Tees among friends, with wife Shivangi getting one too. "The Crime Master Gogo mementoes also include mugs, bedsheets, towels and aprons, which came into the market three years ago and quickly became popular. The film turned bad man Shakti into a comic superhero. It's a short role with a long shelf life," he insists.

The actor admits he watches the film every time it plays on TV. And is thrilled that despite being a two decade old movie, it connects with the GenX. "My children love it. My daughter Shraddha wants to do a film which has me returning as Crime Master Gogo and her playing Crime Master Gogi. Now, that should be fun," he chuckles. About two years ago, he was approached for a live animation action feature revolving around the character. It was supposed to have an animated Crime Master Gogo flying on a broomstick which turns into a machine gun when he lands and has Shakti Kapoor firing it. But the film didn't pan out.

Shakti has been waiting for the sequel for the last 20 years, waiting to work with Santoshi again. "I hope to fly with one of my most popular character before I die," he asserts, adding, "Jab koi bachcha nahin sota, to uski maa kehti hai ki ... soja soja soja nahin toh Gogo aa jayega..."

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 4, 2015)