Shashi Kapoor was furious at ‘chhota sa actor’ Annu Kapoor for disrespecting him, summoned him to his suite and gave him Rs 7,000

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He said, “Some of us were playing cards in a tourist lodge in Bharatpur. The main cast was staying in fancier accommodation. Five or six of us were there in my room; Anupam Kher, Shekhar Suman, the late Satish Kaushik… They asked for some tea and pakoras, and when the refreshments arrived, the waiter asked for payment in cash. I jokingly said something to a production guy about having to pay for our travel ourselves too the next time, and he went and told Shashi Kapoor.”

As the producer, Shashi Kapoor summoned Annu for a discussion, but felt disrespected by his tone. “I told him, ‘When big-shots speak, people like us have to weigh our words carefully’. He was furious. He went and told Girish Karnad that I had disrespected him. ‘Aaj ek chhote se actor ne mere se zabandarazi ki‘,” he recalled. Annu said that he wasn’t running his mouth, but was only stating his points. Later, Shashi Kapoor summoned him to his room, and without asking questions, presented him with a travel ticket and Rs 7,000.

He said, “I couldn’t believe it. I became emotional, and touched his feet. I took the opportunity to offer my clarification. I told him that if he’d only said something to me about having spent his money, I would’ve worked hard to pay that debt off by working at a roadside cart. It was sorted after that. He was a beautiful man.”