Hair dye, the grey one was Sanjeev Kumar’s most prolific prop. Though he died a 47-year-old, almost all through his career he won accolades for playing old men. It was his fans who objected to him playing Amitabh Bachchan’s father in Trishul. Off screen, he was more than content in the company of single malts. He was the spirit of many a party and an equal amount of movies. Entertainment was his forte. Whether he made you cry in Koshish, or laugh in Angoor, put you on the edge in Sholay or shocked you in Khilona, he could do it with ease. When a director hired Sanjeev Kumar, he hired the luxury of going to sleep. The actor would arrive at the fag end of the shift and wind up before the rest of them. Such was his easy talent. Sanjeev Kumar was a real actor.
(L) Sanjeev Kumar and Dilip Kumar formed a mutual admiration society. The two featured in Vidhata as well. Here they are seen exchanging pleasantries at an event.
(R) Sarika and he shared a close bond. The two photographed celebrating Holi with his nephew.
Seen here in a jovial mood with Randhir and Shammi Kapoor and actress Simi Garewal.
(L) Sanjeev Kumar was not a conventional-looking hero. His charm lay in his simplicity.
(R) Sanjeev during his ‘lean’ days. Haribhai, with his penchant for food and drink, later developed a paunch. Not that it bothered his female fans.
The world’s a stage
Harihar Jariwala became Sanjeev Kumar on the stage of IPTA in Mumbai. Even as a stage actor, he had a penchant for playing older roles. At age 22, he portrayed an old man in an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. The following year, in AK Hangal’s play, he again played the role of a 60-year-old with six children. The story in films was different. Kumar made his debut with a small role in Hum Hindustani in 1960. His first film in the lead was Nishan. In 1968, he acted with Dilip Kumar in Sangharsh. It was with Khilona in 1970 that he got his first whiff of popularity. With hits like Seeta Aur Geeta, Manchali and Aap Ki Kasam, Kumar became a certified star. His work with Gulzar was some of his best – Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam, Angoor and Namkeen. Kumar had defied the norms and carved a niche for less swashbuckling and real-looking heroes.
Sanjeev and Zeenat Aman at a party. The duo shared great chemistry in the comedy Manoranjan.
Being honoured by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed with an award.
Photographed with a fan and co-star Jaya Bhaduri on the location of Anamika. Jaya and Sanjeev also did films like Koshish, Naya Din Nayi Raat, Nauker and Silsila.
(L) Photographed with a fan and co-star Jaya Bhaduri on the location of Anamika. Jaya and Sanjeev also did films like Koshish, Naya Din Nayi Raat, Nauker and Silsila.
(R) Sanjeev took to hosting shows easily. Seen here at the Filmfare Awards function.
(L) As the iconic Thakur Baldev Singh Sholay. Sanjeev stood his own in front of stars Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra.
(R) His last public appearance at the 32nd Filmfare Awards. His massive weight loss was noticeable.
Old is gold
He held his own against more established stars in epics like Sholay and hits like Arjun Pandit and Trishul. Films like Biwi O Biwi, Pati Patni Aur Woh and Naya Din Nayi Raat added to his reputation. In Naya Din…, Kumar played nine roles and was compared to Tamil legend Sivaji Ganesan for the same. His role as Mirza Sajjad Ali, a chess-obsessed Lucknowi nawab, in Satyajit Ray’s Shatranj Ke Khilari exemplified his desire to experiment. This was also the time that Kumar found himself head-over-heels in love with Hema Malini. She didn’t reciprocate his advances though. Later, Kumar shifted focus to movies like Vidhata and Namkeen.
__PAGEBREAK_
Holi-day with Jeetendra, Rakesh Roshan, Subhash Ghai, Randhir Kapoor and Sujit Kumar
Sharing a joke with Mehmood at a birthday party!
Enjoying a light moment with co-stars Farooque Shiekh and Anita Raaj.
With RK Nayyar, Poonam Sinha, Shatrughan Sinha, Prakash Mehra and Sadhana at the Qatl party.
Bitter end
Truth was, Kumar was born with a congenital heart condition and sadly most male members of his family never lived past 50. When he suffered a heart attack, on the insistence of good friend Gulzar, he underwent a heart surgery in the US. Kumar returned with supporting roles in Hero, Yaadgar and Laakhon Ki Baat. But his lively ways and tryst with alcohol continued. Again Gulzar came to the rescue and forced Kumar to get his kidneys treated. On November 6 1985, at the age of 47, he suffered a fatal heart attack. More than 10 movies starring Kumar released after his death, the last of which was Professor Ki Padosan.