Sanjeev Kumar — The Iconic and Versatile Bollywood Actor

Sanjeev Kumar — The Iconic and Versatile Bollywood Actor

When I speak of Sanjeev Kumar (a.k.a. Hari Bhai), I refer to an actor who was honest, talented, and versatile, and who Bollywood lost far too soon. He passed away on November 6th, 1985, at the age of 47 due to a heart attack. One of his favorite dialogues from the Film Sholay still rings in my ear.

“Thakur na jhuk sakta hai na toot sakta hai … Thakur sirf marr sakta hai” (Thakur cannot bow, and neither can he break … Thakur can only die.)

Image provided by Bollywood Picture Gallery

My objective in writing this article is to appreciate his work and pay respects to this legendary actor, who, in my opinion, made significant contributions to Indian cinema by being able to perform in various genres (i.e., Drama, Comedy, Romance, and Action), which is genuinely remarkable.

Growing up, he was one of my favorite actors whose work I admired. What fascinated me the most was that he would take on roles that a hero of his stature would be hesitant to accept. The roles he played were brutal and uncalled for, as they required extraordinary talent and hard work. The reason I say this is that at the age of 22, he played the role of an old man in the play “Damru”, directed by A.K. Hangal, which was an adaptation of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons. Additionally, who can forget the movie Naya Din Nayi Raat, which was adapted from the Tamil Movie “Navaathn”, in which he played nine different roles.

Nine Roles enacted by Sanjeev Kumar — Image provided by Scroll.in

I was also fortunate to see him participate in a cricket match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 11, 1979, alongside other Bollywood actors, including Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, and many others, where they raised money for the victims of the West Bengal floods. All I remember is that he was a left-arm spinner who emulated Bishen Singh Bedi’s bowling style, which was impressive.

He began his career in 1960 with the Hindi Film “Hum Hindustani,” in which he had a minor role. What intrigues me the most is that he was able to establish himself as a unique actor, despite being overshadowed by established actors like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, and Dev Anand, among others. He also faced strict competition from emerging actors like Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra, but directors picked him for roles that I believe only he could do.

It was director Gulzar who spotted him and included him in his films, including Parichay (1972), Koshish (1972), Aandhi (1975), and Mausam (1975), in which he played the role of an older man. These four movies did well at the Box office, and he gained recognition for his work. According to Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor, their partnership was equivalent to Hollywood legends Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro’s iconic pairing. On a personal side, Gulzar was his friend and confidant with whom he shared his worries.

Images fetched using Google.

When it came to comedy, I am talking about movies like Manchali, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Angoor, Biwi-O-Biwi, and Hero. Out of all the movies, Angoor was my favorite. Some of his notable performances on the Romantic side were Anamika with Jaya Bhaduri (Now Bachchan) and Seeta Aur Geeta, which was a blockbuster hit with Hema Malini. I enjoyed both movies, especially the songs from the movie Anamika.

He is also remembered for playing an iconic role in the movie Shatranj Ke Khilari (The Chess Players) directed by the great Satyajit Ray, in which he portrayed Mirza Sajjad Ali, a nobleman obsessed with playing chess with his friend, Mir Roshan Ali (played by Saeed Jaffrey). At the same time, their kingdom gets annexed by the British.

Image provided by Delhi Messenger

In all, Sanjeev Kumar acted in approximately 140 Hindi films, out of which 25 are the most notable ones. Please click on the link to see the list of the 25 Best Movies of Sanjeev Kumar. For all the Hindi movies, click on the following link: Sanjeev Kumar — IMDb (scroll down to credits, click on the Actor button to expand the list).

He received various awards and recognitions, but there were three movies (Shikar -1969 Best Supporting Actor, Aandhi — 1976, Arjun Pandit 1977) for which he received the Filmfare Best Actor award, and two films (Dastak -1971, Koshish — 1973) for which he received the National Award for the Best Actor.

Concluding Thoughts

Although his legacy endures in my mind to this day, there has been no one, in my opinion, who can emulate his acting roles. He had his unique brand, and to recognize his contribution to Indian Cinema, the Gujarat State government honored him; a road, a school, and an auditorium have been named after him in his hometown, Surat. Additionally, a postage stamp was also issued in his honor.

Image from Wikipedia

In the words of Bollywood living legend Amitabh Bachchan, who remembered his co-star.

“Hari Bhai, as he was fondly called, was another exceptional talent. His casual and carefree performances were a treat to watch. We did several films together, and each one was a memorable experience. Not just because of the opportunity to learn from such an eminent artist, but also because of the time spent with him informally.

A lover of life, he lived it on his terms. Soft and gentle, he had a subtle sense of humor and would delight us with his numerous anecdotes on and off the set.

He was very close to Jaya (Bachchan) and was extremely fond of her. They had worked together in numerous sensitive films. He treated her like his little sister and a confidante.

Food was his weakness, and he never bothered about his appearance as a result. I guess he had a premonition that he would not live long, and as a result, he never married for fear of leaving behind a distraught partner.”

My sincere hope is that his legacy stays alive, and his acting is a guiding light for aspiring individuals entering Indian Cinema.