Special on 60th Death Anniversary (June 17, 2025): When Motilal Declared His Love from a Helicopter Over Shobhna Samarth’s Bungalow

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

Time changes many things. In 1967, when director Shakti Samanta’s film An Evening in Paris was released, traditional audiences created a major stir over two scenes. One was Sharmila Tagore’s bikini scene, and the other was Shammi Kapoor proposing his love while hanging from a helicopter. At that time, people questioned—"Who even proposes like this?" But what if someone actually did such a stunt in real life? Actor Motilal Rajvansh, popularly known as Motilal and one of the leading stars of his time, had done exactly that in real life.

Be it Paigham with Dilip Kumar and Raj Kumar, Jagte Raho by Raj Kapoor, or his unforgettable role as Chunni Babu in Devdas with Dilip Kumar, Motilal always left an indelible mark with his unique acting skills. For nearly three decades, he ruled Hindi cinema. Today, on June 17, 2025, we observe the 60th death anniversary of this legendary actor.

On this occasion, we are reminded of An Evening in Paris, where Shammi Kapoor sings “Aasman Se Aaya Farishta Pyar Ka...” while hanging from a helicopter, expressing his love for Sharmila Tagore, who is seen water skating below in the blue sea. Interestingly, Shammi Kapoor was already married at the time this film was made. Twelve years earlier, in 1955, he had married actress Geeta Bali in a dramatic love marriage. Famously, he had rushed her to the Walukeshwar Temple in Mumbai early one morning, and when no sindoor (vermilion) was available, he filled her hair parting with lipstick. Sadly, Geeta Bali passed away in 1965.

While An Evening in Paris drew sharp criticism from conservative audiences for such a love proposal scene, in reality, actor Motilal had already pulled off a similar—and even more daring—gesture in his personal life. Unlike Shammi Kapoor’s on-screen act, Motilal, driven by genuine emotions, took this adventure for real.

Motilal rented an actual helicopter from a company in Mumbai and flew it himself all the way to Khandala, because actress Shobhna Samarth —mother of Tanuja and Nutan and grandmother of Kajol—was staying there after moving away from Mumbai. Motilal, missing her deeply, flew his helicopter over  Shobhna’s bungalow in Khandala, circling it several times. He waved to her from above and even dropped a stone-wrapped note reading “I Love You” onto her bungalow premises.

Let us remind readers that Motilal was not just a natural actor but also a trained and licensed pilot. He originally came to Mumbai from Delhi in 1933, not to become an actor, but to join the Navy. However, he fell ill and fate led him into the world of cinema. As an actor, he was exceptional—his performances unparalleled. But on the flip side, Motilal struggled with alcohol addiction and gambling, particularly horse racing and betting. These vices led to his downfall, and he spent his final years in financial hardship.

Meanwhile, after separating from her husband,  Shobhna Samarth grew close to Motilal. At the time, the media speculated that she saw a reflection of her father, the late Prabhakar Shilotri—owner of the Shilotri Bank—in Motilal.

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