The most-worshipped of Indian male figures are often those who symbolise wounds and angst, who undertake warrior-like journeys of battle, domination and ostentatious upliftment of the downtrodden. Shashi Kapoor, who passed away last week, was not, praise be, among these. His luminous beauty, his grace even when awkward with standard filmi performance tropes, his mischievous and inclusive smile, and his delicate acting were among his many noted qualities. But perhaps most special about him was an uncommon kind of masculinity that he embodied as a public figure.

Illustration/Uday Mohite