For Bollywood Lovers, when they hear the word “ Kapadia” what springs up to mind are Dimple, Twinkle & Rinke. But there was another one, who made her mark in the filmi industry for at least 30 years both as an actress & as costumer designer- her name was Simple Kapadia
Simple Kapadia has been my favorite actress since the first time I saw her in Anurodh. The year was 1977 and she was 19 years old. She was launched in great fanfare for that movie where she was to be cast alongside one of the superstars of that era, Rajesh Khanna who also happened to be her brother in law. Although it was a nice movie, Anurodh was a terrible flop at the box office and who was to blamed for it, of course the easiest route was to point at the young newcomer.
At such a tender age, barely an adult yet, Simple had to endure ruthless critics from the media. Terrible things were said about her- “that she could not act even if her life depended on it” or “ she was as ugly as her sister Dimple was stunning.” It got so bad that she could not even get out of her home and had to stay inside for months.That was traumatic & I don’t know of any new actress who had to go through such an ordeal. Nowadays when big, strong athletes face criticism, they say they are affected by it. Just imagine what must have gone through Simple’s head with such vile criticism. The Anurodh period of her life affected her immensely although she never admitted it. She must have been really hurt by it as she had great hopes for herself. “ At the End of the day, I would like to known as a good actress” which she was and to those criticizing her looks she would stand up and say “I am not the Only one with Ordinary looks .look at Shabana Azmi, she isn’t actually a beauty queen…and yet, she is so much in demand.”
A year later(1978) she made her comeback in Chakravuyha. As expected she was not the leading lady and of course, she was completely ignored despite an excellent acting performance. 1979 saw Simple in multi-starrer Ahsaas where she played a bold seductress. She did amazing and she knew it: “ remember my small but beautiful role in Ahsaas? People have long forgotten the lead pair in the movie but still they talk about my cameo role.”In that movie, Simple looked like the perfect dream girl and an excellent actress and no one even mentioned the harsh treatment she got from leading actor of the movie, very unknown now. Once again, critics ignored that but Simple was given another opportunity to make it big with Shaaka where she will be leading lady opposite Jeetendra.
Unfortunately, the movie turned out to be a terrible flop because of a very disjointed plot. But once again, all blame was put on Simple. This crushed her. “ I was ugly in it” she told me years later. I was shocked when I heard that. Had they convinced her that she was ugly? I could not believe my ears but at 22, it must have been really hard for her. Every young girl loves to be complimented, told she is beautiful but it was only cruelty when she was continually labelled as ugly. You cannot do that to someone.They were trying to break her. Even in her personal life, rumours were spread associating her with Ranjeet, Aditya Pancholi and others and that she was a “cheap girl”, a “wannabe” actress.
But Simple was strong. She tried again in Lootmaar where she illuminated the screen with her presence. Her dance item in that movie was mind blowing but again she was not the one getting the credit for it. It was her co-dancer, Kalpana Iyer. That was very unfair on her. I wonder how she must have felt about it. But Simple wasn’t discouraged. She wanted to make it and she continued acting. We even catch a glimpse of her in Naseeb in a theme song with lots of stars and there also the camera was never stopped on her once. She did a few movies for the next three years but it was mostly secondary roles but she liked it. “Its not the leading lady role that makes an actress great. It’s the small but meaty roles that are done passionately & with earnest spirit that leave a lasting impression on the minds of cinegoers.” She would prove that by outshining stars like Rekha( Jeevan Dhara), Padmini Kolhapure & Jaya prada( Pyar ke do Pal).
1984 saw the return in great pomp of her sister Dimple Kapadia in movies. Dimple had only done one movie “Bobby” which was a huge success and her return was acclaimed by all. She was right away surfing the wave of success. I know Simple loved her sister but while Dimple was having all the plaudits in the world, Simple was badly struggling to get good roles or even get any role. Dimple was in the limelight and Simple was brushed aside. In one article I read about Dimple, Simple was only mentioned a the person “combing Dimple’s gorgeous hair.” That’s what they tried to reduce her to. How about Simple’s beautiful jet black hair?
In 1985, another sister, Reem was launched in Haveli. Unlike Simple, Reem got better reviews for her acting and was welcomed by the critics.
Until 1987 and her last movie, Parakh, where she did great but here once again, more credit was given to Sarika instead of her, Simple Kapadia decided to quit acting. She probably could not bear it anymore. Those derogatory superlatives and comments like ‘ constant hanger-on”, “ a sore to public eyes” or even “wild ugly duckling” were probably too much for her to bear.
What probably made her realise that despite her obvious acting talent she would not make it as a star was when it was decided in late 1987 to make a female version of “Amar Ackbar Anthony” called “ Sita, Salma & Suzy”, three sisters. What must have been really humiliating for her is that Dimple & Reem were engaged while Simple was totally ignored & Salma Agha was taken instead. This was the ultimate insult- just put yourself in her shoes for a minute, how she must have felt to be discarded in that way- her two sisters getting roles in a movie where three sisters are involved and she is brutally forgotten. Discreetly she left the scene, and despite her obvious acting talent, never achieved her dreams. “ I am talented actress. I have much more confidence in myself than even Rekha & Zeenat or even Dimpi for that matter, ” she said in front of criticism but the onslaught of caustic critics & humiliations for ten years got the better of her.
In 1988, I came across an interview of Simple Kapadia in a film magazine( I don’t remember the name) which really touched me. The journalist was trying her best to bring her down.The interview was that of Simple but the title was all on Dimple as if Simpi didn’t count. Simple was all truth in it. She said “ that her boyfriends were proof that she was not bad-looking & that she was a fairly attractive girl in her own right with her own personality and that her boyfriends won’t give Dimple a second look” This was hastily highlighted in big characters by the shameless journalist ready to do anything to ridicule her.The fact that she even had to say that is disgusting. You cannot attack someone on her physique and Simple was very far from being ugly. She always looked joyful from the outside but she was suffering inside silently.
A new chapter of her life started in 1988 as a dress designer and she was now only a “star sister” despite her 20+ movies. She was now fully in the service of Dimple but the riles didn’t stop. She was even labelled, “the out-of-work-sister turned dress designer to help the star sister.” She however managed to shut the critics up when she won the National Award in Rudaali in 1994. Although she was now a well sought after Dress designer, detractors would say that “she was only doing costumes for Sunny deol, Dimple & niece Twinkle” which is unjust.
So, now we are in the early 2000s. The internet has exploded everywhere. Bollywood events & party pictures are all over the place. If you googled Dimple, Twinkle or Rinke, there were hundreds of pictures. But if you did same for Simple, there was nothing. Despite being ever present in the film industry, there was nothing on her online. She had been erased. I was shocked that an actress who did so many movies could be ignored in such a way. I could not stand such injustice. Even at bollywood movies & parties, no picture of her. Simple later told me that “ she almost never goes to parties or events”. However, there was one wedding( Riddhima Kapoor’s wedding) where she was present. I saw her in a family picture with “ Dimple, her mum, Rinke, Twinkle & Simple”. Simple was on the far right on the picture. A few weeks later, I checked the same picture online. It was removed, reworked and named “ The beautiful Kapadia brigade” and Simple was cut from the picture! I was dismayed. Why do they have to do that to her? When I would go on online forums talking about her, people would ask why I liked her, what I see in her, that’s she’s not really worth it & that her looks were an embarassment. How could people throw stones at a defenceless lady?
She was always ignored. Her friends( Tabu, Amrita singh, Priyanka), her family( Dimple, Twinkle, Rinke) were all incensed for their beauty and she was left in the background without even being noticed and whenever any article talked about her, it would be in very derogatory terms.This must have been really traumatic for her. Again, just imagine how she must have felt to always be the second best and always left behind.
I happened to meet Simple Kapadia in the last years of her life. By then, I had already inundated the net with pictures & videos of her to do her justice for her talent and her beauty. When I came to know her, I was amazed how gentle she was and how well balanced her character was. All the badmouthing, baseless rumours, comments & articles ridiculing her & derogatory remarks had not affected her in any way. She was very jovial and positive and didn’t even bother how people have been evil & condescending towards her throughout her life. Hats off Simple! You were a wonderful lady, a great actress, a stunning beauty & and such a gifted Costume Designer!