Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor, who has won many hearts in the sixties and seventies with his acting prowess and charm in films like Deewar and Kabhie Kabhie, turned 74 today.

Having starred in over 170 films in a career spanning four decades, Shashi now leads a secluded life. The ailing actor was last seen in a wheelchair at the prayer meet of his elder brother Shammi Kapoor, who passed away on August 14 last year.

Bollywood celebrities took to twitter to wish Shashi on his birthday today.

"Shashi ji's birthday today... Spent some of the most wonderful moments in films we did together... Good health and happiness to him!," megastar Amitabh Bachchan wrote on Twitter.

"Shashi Kapoor has built an institution in Prithvi Theatre and fulfilled his father Prithviraj and wife Jennifer's dream. He earned from film and gave back to the film industry. He produced 36 Chowringhee Lane, Junoon, Vijeta, Kalyug and was the best Producer," veteran actress Shabana Azmi tweeted.

"Met SHASHIJI a few months back to get his hand impressions 4 The LEGEND'S WALK initiative. He gracefully obliged us (sic)," actor Riteish Deshmukh said.

Born as Balbir Raj Prithviraj Kapoor, Shashi began his acting career in the early 1940s as a child artist in films like Aag (1948) and Awaara (1951), where he played the younger version of his elder brother Raj Kapoor.

He made his full fledged acting debut as a hero with Yash Chopra's Dharmputra (1961). His best known performances include Waqt (1965), Haseena Maan Jayegi (1968), Aa Gale Lag Jaa (1973), Roti Kapda Aur Makan (1974), Deewaar (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Trishul (1978), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978) and Namak Halaal (1982).

He is one of the first Indian actors to go international, having acted in English movies like Shakespeare Wallah (1965), Pretty Polly (1967), Heat and Dust (1983).