Shammi Kapoor’s son Aditya on why Mumtaz refused to marry his father: ‘He wanted someone to look after his children’ 

Former Bollywood superstar and actor Shammi Kapoor made headlines for both his professional as well as personal life back in the day. From his bond with Nutan, to marrying his second wife Neela Devi out of the blue, the senior Kapoor was full of surprises.
In a recent interaction with Times of India, Shammi and Geeta Bali’s son Aditya Raj Kapoor opened up about his equation with his late father, and Shammi and Geeta’s love story, as told to him none other than the evergreen Dev Anand.

When questioned about his father’s bond with the lovely Nutan, Aditya said that he was aware of their relationship, but dismissed it as something that happened before Shammi tied the knot with Bali in 1955. He said both of them were quite young at the time and a relationship might not have been the ‘right move’.
Answering the question of Shammi’s affair with Mumtaz after Bali’s death, Aditya said that since they both wanted different things at that point, it did not make sense for them to be a couple. He said his father was clear he wanted someone to look after his kids. He believed they needed a mother while Mumtaz was at the cusp of making it big in the industry. “I don’t think my father was wrong. I don’t think Mumtaz ji was wrong to concentrate on her career,” said Aditya.

But perhaps the romantic relationship of his father Aditya relates fondly is the one that took place between his mother and father. Aditya even revealed that it was the superstar Dev Anand who told him about their love story and its beginnings.

He said Dev Anand told him that Shammi will land up on the set of ‘Baazi’ (featuring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali) and durb him because he wanted to take Geeta away.
But after Bali passed away untimely, Kapoor decided to marry again, this time to Neela Devi. And he decided not to tell his family until he had tied the knot and come home with his new bride. Aditya said they were not told about the wedding to Neela Devi. He was 13 and met her after the nuptials were over.

Aditya Raj Kapoor also revealed another unique thing about his second mother, calling her ‘compassionate’. “She decided to not have any children of her own. How many women would do that? And, to look after a crazy guy like Shammi Kapoor and his two kids wasn’t easy, I bet!” Aditya Kapoor concluded while reaffirming his love for Devi.
Shammi Kapoor and Geeta Bali had tied the knot in 1955; their marriage ended with Bali’s untimely death in 1965. Kapoor then went on to marry Neela Devi in 1969.