Shammi Kapoor, the charismatic figure of Bollywood’s golden era, was married to Geeta Bali and together they had two children, Aditya and Kanchan. Tragedy struck their family when Geeta passed away a few years into their marriage, leaving Shammi to face life alone. However, Shammi found love again, marrying royalty in Neila Devi, who graciously embraced the responsibility of the family.
But a lesser-known fact is that Neila and Shammi never had children of their own, a choice that Neila herself made. In an interview with ETimes, Neila Devi revealed that her decision was entirely her own and not imposed by her family, although they did raise numerous questions when she conveyed her choice. She recalled an incident that shaped her decision, which occurred shortly after her marriage to Shammi.
During a visit to her sister’s children, whom she deeply cherished, Shammi observed them sitting on her lap. Though he didn’t say anything at that moment, he later expressed, “I will be the happiest the day I see Kanchan and Aditya in your lap like that.” This statement prompted Neila to make a firm choice: she wouldn’t have her own children, instead loving and nurturing Aditya and Kanchan as if they were her own.
“That day I decided that I will see to it that they become my real children, and they have not let me down. They both have been amazing,” Neila remarked, expressing her pride in the respect, love, and care her stepchildren have shown her. Reflecting on her decision, she stated, “Everything was worth it; I don’t regret it even once that I didn’t…”
When asked if Shammi Kapoor attempted to sway her decision, Neila responded, “He asked me many times. He said ‘why don’t you want to?’ I said ‘I am very happy with my children.’ He saw the bond I had with my kids. He saw that himself.”
Shammi’s son Aditya has also spoken fondly of Neila Devi in the past. In a previous conversation with The Times of India, he expressed admiration for her choice to not have her own children and praised her for caring for him, his sister, and their exuberant father. He exclaimed, “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!”