Veteran actress, Mumtaz Askari Madhvani, better known as Mumtaz, is one of the legendary names in the Hindi film industry. Over the course of her career, she has acted in some of the popular films, including Brahmachari, which co-starred the legendary Shammi Kapoor. Before tying the knot with Mayur Madhvani, Mumtaz was in love with her co-star, Shammi Kapoor.
Mumtaz and Shammi Kapoor met on the sets of their 1968 film, Brahmachari, and instantly hit it off. To date, their iconic dance number, Aajkal Tere Mere Pyaar Ke Charche, is remembered by the masses. After a whirlwind romance, Shammi proposed marriage to the actress. However, she refused the proposal. In a recent interview with Rediff.com, Mumtaz explained why she did not tie the knot with the legendary actor.
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During the interaction, the veteran actress disclosed that she was just 17 years old when Shammi Kapoor proposed to her. While Mumtaz deeply loved him, she was not ready to give up on her flourishing career. Sharing that no one could give her the same amount of love as Shammi Kapoor, Mumtaz said:
"But he wanted me to give up my career when I was just 17. I don’t think anyone can give me the same amount of love that he showered on me. I never forgot him. Even today when his name is mentioned, tears well up in my eyes. It was not a love affair, it was much more. We loved each other deeply."
Further, Mumtaz explained the reason behind turning down Shammi's proposal and shared that back then the women in the Kapoor family weren't allowed to work after their marriage. She reasoned that she had to look after her family. Hence, she decided to give up on love. Revealing that she was the highest-paid actress back in the day, Mumtaz added:
"Unfortunately, womenfolk in the Kapoor family did not work during those days. He had to respect his family’s wishes, I had to respect my career. So you gave up love for your career? What else could I do? I had a family to support. I was being paid Rs 8 lakh even as a struggler. I was the highest-paid actress of my time. As a child, when my mother asked whom I wanted to marry when I grow up, I’d say I wanted to marry the son of the Shahenshah of Iran. I wanted only the best in life."
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Previously, Shammi Kapoor had also shared his thoughts on his whirlwind romance with Mumtaz. During an interaction with Lehren Retro, the legendary actor discussed how their sweet romance had turned into a nightmare. Sharing that he was a widower when he met Mumta, the actor said:
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"At that time, I was a widower and Mumtaz happened to be a very pretty little girl and for a little short while, we both had dreams and then it turned into a nightmare. I’m happy as I am today."
What do you think of Mumtaz's revelations regarding her romance with Shammi Kapoor?
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