New Delhi: Veteran Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor passed away. He was 79.

Shashi Kapoor was the third and youngest son of Prithviraj Kapoor. He made his Bollywood debut in 1961, as the lead actor, in the film Dharmputra.

Born as Balbir Raj Kapoor on March 18, 1938, worked in over 175 films as an actor. He also produced several hit films like Junoon, Kalyug, Vijeta, 36 Chowringhee Lane and Utsav.

Shashi Kapoor seen here in his days as a cherubic child actor.

The youngest son of Bolywood legend Prithviraj Kapoor and his wife Ramsarni “Rama” Mehra Kapoor, Shashi had grown up travelling across the country with his father as a part of acting trope of ‘Prithvi Theatres between 1940-59. He had started appearing on stage from the age of four, while starting to work in Bollywood films in early 1940s.

Between 1948-53, Kapoor appeared in 4 films as child artist. At the age of 18 in 1956, Kapoor had become both actor and assistant stage manager for “Prithvi Theatre.”

Shashi Kapoor in one of several Merchant-Ivory productions he starred in.

Shashi was one of the first Indian stars who worked in international films – British and American films particularly in collaboration with Merchant-Ivory productions.

Shashi had also directed directed the Soviet Union co-production Ajooba (1991) which turned out to be a disaster. The film was also released in a Russian version titled Vozvrashcheniye Bagdadskogo Vora. In 1963, two of Shashi’s English films were commercially successful.

Shashi Kapoors pairing on the silver screen with megastar Amitabh Bachchan was hugely popular and is considered to be one of best till date. The two superstars worked together in some of the biggest hits of Bollywood Deewaar, Suhaag, Kabhie Kabhie, Trishul, Silsila and Namak Halaal.