Mumbai, Oct 21: The 'Yahoo hero' of yesteryears, Shammi Kapoor, who stole the limelight on the celluloid screen with his endearing image of a good-hearted protagonist full of mischief and fun, today turned 73. The actor, recuperating from lung infection, was inundated with flowers and greeting cards and fans and well wishes lined up outside his suburban residence to wish him. "I have turned 73. I feel I have been reborn," an elated Shammi told a news agency, alluding to his recent sickness which forced him to spend nearly a month in hospital. "God has been kind and merciful. I thank my friends, family and fans who have prayed for me. I thank god for this new life," he said.

"He gives us our ups and downs in life and we have to thank god for both", he said. On his image as the cherubic hero, shouting `yahoo' from mountain-tops, the actor said, "I can't help it if people still think of me as the yahoo man, a role I had done in the 70's. I am happy that people enjoyed the role so much."
To a comment that no one wanted to think of Shammi as sick and ailing, he immediately quipped, "neither does Shammi himself".
"We are happy that he is back with us and we consider it to be god's grace," the actor's wife added.
The actor would spend the evening enjoying a dinner with his wife, children, grandchildren and other family members, family sources said.
Bureau Report