Shammi Kapoor would distribute fistfuls of cash to locals in Kashmir, recalls Rahul Rawail: ‘People around him would carry cash in a sack’

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Rahul said that the shikara owners and the shopkeepers, everyone would ask about Shammi whenever a film crew visited. He recalled stories of his generosity and said that Shammi would display his royal nature when he would visit Kashmir. “He would always stay at Oberoi Hotel’s Lake Palace Hotel in Srinagar. After the shoot, when he would check out of the hotel, staff would gather in the long corridor to bid adieu. Shammi ji would be accompanied by two people on his side, who would carry a bunch of cash in a sack. Shammi ji would put his hands in the sack and would distribute whatever money came in his hands to the staff of the hotel. This was his royal nature. It wasn’t just about this place, he would have the same royal attitude wherever he went to shoot,” he said.

Betaab was the debut film of Sunny and Amrita, and was produced by Dharmendra. Shammi Kapoor played the role of Amrita’s father in the film who is shown to be the obstacle in their love story. Shammi passed away in 2011 at age 80.