Veteran actor Mumtaz had previously been vocal about taking about Shammi Kapoor and their relation as a whole. However she also mentioned why she chose not to marry him, despite the latter’s proposal as she has a vision on her mind. She believed that working as an actor is more important than being marrying him which could possibly affect her career.
While speaking to the Times of India in an interview she mentioned that “Shammi ji’s wife (Neela Devi) called me and I said ‘It’s lovely to hear your voice’. She said that he has asked her to invite me for the party,” she recounted.
Mumtaz further added, “When I entered, I saw him. He was sitting on a wheelchair and he had red wine in his hand. I didn’t know how bad his health was. So, when I entered I looked at him and asked, ‘why are you drinking?’. He called me near him and asked me to sit. He said, ‘you know I like drinking, I always have’ and I said, ‘yeah’. So, there I got to know that he had few months to live.”
Mumtaz had teary eyes while talking about the meeting she had with the actor. “I am sorry, I am feeling bad. So he (Shammi) said ‘don’t you think I should drink?’ I said ‘I am very sorry. I didn’t know that. If this is the situation, then you should enjoy your life, be happy.’ After that I sat for a while and left for home. But it was so sad. I am a very emotional person. Voh manzar aaj bhi mujhe yaad hai. Main kabhi bhi nahi bhulungi. (I still remember that scene. I will never forget it.)”
