A Simple Story
On an unusually rainy Tuesday, she passed away.
Simpy – that’s the sobriquet she used on her Facebook account. She called her sister Dimple, Di.
Coincidentally I was chatting with her on Facebook on Sunday. She was swift with her chat responses, pretty upbeat that she was on the mend at the Ambani Hospital. “I am cured..almost, touchwood,” she wrote, and we agreed to meet over fish curry which ‘di’ would rustle up next weekend, Saturday or Sunday, take your pick, she said.
Simple Kapadia was one of those feisty women who would not brook nonsense from Bollywood industrywallas. Sure there was a degree of nepotism in the fact that she made her debut in Shakti Samanta’s Anurodh, opposite brother-in-law Rajesh Khanna. When the film bombed, the producer-director is said to have apportioned much of the blame to the debutante, insisting that the movie failed because the audience could not tolerate the idea of Khanna romancing his real-life sister-in-law.
Perhaps Simple was not cut out to be a heroine, but there was a certain fire in her, as evidenced in her sacrificial vamp act in Dev Anand’s Loot Maar. A kind of younger, updated Shashikala.
It was too late perhaps. Khanna went on skid row. And the sister-in-law – obstinate but perhaps not focused enough on her career – was relegated to insubstantial supporting roles.
Then she married impetuously…the marriage went on the rocks. Her son became the pampered one of the Kapadia family, then all bonded at a seafacing home at Juhu. Another Kapadia sister, Neem, had already passed away, it is said because of substance abuse. Simple and Dimple came closer; not much is known of their closeness or the lack of it to their brother.
Inevitably, Simple became Dimple’s vital support system – and vice versa — through personal and professional ups and downs. Simple also became big sister’s costume designer, snagging the National Award deservedly for the ethnicwear of Rudaali. I remember filling in her nomination form for the Costume Design Award to be sent to New Delhi for the National Awards. One of the questions asked about her other achievements. She laughed, “Please leave that a blank.”
For over half a decade, Simple battled with the dreaded C-terminal illness. She had become relgious, prayed on rosary beads, but even on her bed – attended to by day-and-night nurses — she retained her zest for life. She would ask, “Have you heard that rumour? Is it true? Must be. if you ask me all rumours turn out to be true..finally.”
Simple Kapadia represented the spirit of the 1970s – which quickly hit squally weather. She could never quite adapt to show business, and would self-mockingly chortle, “I should have just married the most loaded guy in town. Who needs stress at the studios, and all that hit and flop tension?”
Simpy went at the age of 51 after a cardiac arrest. And I don’t know what to write on her Facebook page..or here..except this, “Simple, as a woman and an actress, you did not succumb..” God bless.
Tags: simple kapadia
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
R.I.P. Simple Kapadia
though i’m not a fan of u Khalid sahab… but this piece just touches heart… God bless Simpy ji… :|
R.I.P. Simple!
Sincere Condolences to her family.
She has gone beyond any kind of competition, comparison, rivalry, failure and success etc.
Evaluation of her contribution to the cine world can wait and emerge at right time.
may her soul R.I.P
Bless her soul… and her beloveds..
It is very sad t hear this. My condolences. May you rest in peace.
She wasn’t the most famous of actresses, but she was very beautiful. I remember seeing her a lot of times on the small screen and admiring her looks and wondering who this pretty lady was. I didn’t know she was Dimple’s sister. God bless her soul.
May her soul rest in peace.
R.I.P Simple!!!!
Simple Kapadia sister of Dimple Kapadia started her Bollywood career with Anurodh in 1976 opposite Super Star Rajesh Khanna (brother-n-law). However, she failed to establish herself as a prominent actor. She worked in at least 20 films.
May her soul rest in peace…
KM, a wonderful tribute to an amazing soul.
May her soul rest in peace.
she began her filmi career with Anurodh, where she was paired opposite her brother-in-law Rajesh Khanna.
Some of the movies which she did were Hum Rahe Na Hum, Tumhare Bina, Jeevan Dhaara, Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai, Dulha Bikta Hai, Naseeb, Shakka, Lootmaar, Man Pasand, Ahsaas, Rehguzar, Chakravuyha and Pyar Ke Do Pal.
Though I havent seen all of her movies, but few films which I remember were Pyar Ke do pal (She played a vamp), a fascinating performance in Jeevan Dhara and a brilliant one in Rehguzar.
Post pyar ke do pal, she has started her career as a costume designer and she won a national award for Rudali. Other films in which she has worked a costume designer includes chachi 420, 23 march 1931: Shaheed, Lekin, Ghatak, Jab Pyaar kisi se hota hai etc etc.
Sad ! More so since you were recently in touch with her !
Indeed it is sad to learn about her passing away..I remember her focus and attention to detail while she designed costumes for Sunny Deol in Gaddar–Ek Prem Katha..She came across a no non-sense woman..
She had been really battling with her disease for couple of years..Her tortured soul really deserves peace!
R.I.P. Simple Kapadia
Khalidsaab, i really don’t like you. And before this post, i really didn’t know Simple. I am putting down this comment for making just one request, can you just keep your reviews as simple and lucid as this post was?
May the departed soul rest in peace.
Simple
May Your Soul Rest In Peace.
Thank You Khalid for this touching write-up.
Simple, may your soul R.I.P.
Khalid Saab,
“Yaadon Ki Bhoucharon se Jab Pal ke Bhignee lagte Hain/Kitne Soundhi lagti hain tab Mazee ki Ruswaee bhi”
touched this cold hard heart. thanks.
Very touching….
I thought the other sister’s name was Reem Kapadia and not Neem…