Renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur touched hearts across social media with an emotional tribute to his late mother, Sheel Kanta Kapur, on what would have been her birth anniversary. The acclaimed director of films like 'Mr India' and 'Masoom' shared a precious black and white photograph from the family archives that sparked both nostalgia and introspection.
A Glimpse Into The Past
The vintage photograph shared by Shekhar Kapur offered a rare glimpse into his childhood and family connections. The image featured a young Shekhar posing with his mother Sheel Kanta Kapur, his father Dr. Kulbhushan Kapoor, his legendary uncle Dev Anand, and Dev Anand's wife Mona. The family gathering captured in the frame showed everyone beaming with joy except for young Shekhar, who appeared to be sulking.
In his heartfelt Instagram post, Shekhar wrote about wanting to share a happy picture of his mother because that's how he always remembered her. "It's my Mom's birthday today and wanted to post a picture of her looking really happy," the filmmaker expressed, emphasizing that he wanted to remember her joyful spirit rather than just sharing a formal portrait.
The Mystery of The Sulking Child
What made the post particularly intriguing was Shekhar's observation about his own expression in the photograph. Despite being described by family members as an extremely energetic child who was "too high energy for anyone to handle," the young Shekhar appeared solemn in the picture. This contradiction puzzled the filmmaker, leading him to question why he seemed to be sulking in every childhood photograph he could find.
"But why am I sulking? From what my cousins told me I was too high energy for anyone to handle, so why do I look as if I'm sulking in every pic that I can find?" Shekhar wondered in his social media post. The director eventually arrived at his own explanation, suggesting that his camera shyness, which persists to this day, might have been the reason for his solemn expression.
Remembering Sheel Kanta Kapur
Sheel Kanta Kapur, whose memory Shekhar honored with this post, was a woman of multiple talents. She worked as a journalist and actress during her lifetime and came from one of Bollywood's most prominent families as the sister of legendary actor Dev Anand. She was married to Dr. Kulbhushan Kapoor and passed away on November 25, 2014, in New York City after suffering from liver failure. Before her demise, she had undergone multiple liver transplants.
Shekhar's tribute concluded with a touching description of the photograph's subjects: "So here's my mom happy to be with her favourite brother Dev Anand, his wife Mona Aunty and my elder sister Neelu, and sulky shy me. Happy Birthday Mama." The post not only celebrated his mother's memory but also offered fans a rare look into the personal life and family background of one of India's most respected filmmakers.
