When Shashi Kapoor, wife Jennifer Kendal had to sell their car and other things during a financial crisis

Shashi Kapoor's son Kunal Kapoor had said that his father had to sell his car as he didn't have any work or money. He said that it happened in the late 1960s.

Late actor Shashi Kapoor didn't have any work or money in the late '60s his son Kunal Kapoor had said a few years ago. In an interview in 2017, Kunal said that his father had to sell his sports car. Shashi's wife and Kunal's mother Jennifer Kendal also 'started selling things' because of their financial crisis. Kunal had said that after Sharmeelee (1971), their situation changed for the better.

Shashi Kapoor with his wife Jennifer Kendal.

Shashi Kapoor featured in Sharmeelee along with Raakhee, Narendra Nath, Nazir Hussain, Iftekhar, S N Banerjee, Anita Guha, Asit Sen. The film is produced by Subodh Mukherjee and directed by Samir Ganguly. Shashi starred in several films from 1965 to 1970 such as Jab Jab Phool Khile, Neend Hamari Khwab Tumhare, Dil Ne Pukara, Haseena Maan Jayegi, Kanyadaan, Pyar Ka Mausam, Ek Shrimaan Ek Shrimati, Suhana Safar, Rootha Na Karo, and Bombay Talkie among others.

In an interview with Rediff.com, Kunal Kapoor had said, "When my father was launched as a lead actor in Dharamputra, none of the actresses wanted to work with a newcomer. Nanda was the only actress who agreed to work with him even though she was a star at that time. My father directed only one film, Ajooba. The film was a big party on the sets. Everybody had a blast. I don't think he was interested in direction. He is an actor. Likewise, he is not a businessman to produce a film. He made great films because he gave his cast and crew whatever they wanted."

"In the late '60s, he did not have any work. We saw a lot of him then. That was also the time we discovered Goa. He sold his sports car. Mum also started selling things because we didn't have money. After Sharmeelee (1971), things changed again. There have been many ups and downs, but it never bothered us. My father was one of the earliest actors to do crossover films, with Merchant-Ivory (the successful producer-director team of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory). He did films like Householder and Shakespeare Wallah that are considered classics today," he had added.

Shashi made his debut as an actor in Yash Chopra's Dharmputra (1961). The film also features Mala Sinha, Rehman, Manmohan Krishna, Indrani Mukherjee, Tabassum, Deven Verma, Nirupa Roy, and Ashok Kumar.

Throughout his career, Shashi featured in many hit films such as Kanyadan (1968), Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974), Prem Kahani and Deewaar (1975), Chakkar Pe Chakkar and Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Satyam Shivam Sundaram, Trishna and Heeralal Pannalal (1978), Kaala Patthar and Suhaag (1979), Do Aur Do Paanch, Kali Ghata and Shaan (1980), Silsila (1981), Namak Halaal (1982), Pakhandi (1984), New Delhi Times (1985).

Shashi also won four National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards. He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 2011, and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2014.