Sanjeev Kumar defied traditions & conventional paths !
Today is 69th birth anniversary of amazingly versatile actor Sanjeev Kumar. I am sure many people always feel his absence in the hindi films.
* * * *
If one actor can shower rage from his eyes and yet at same time may deliver ice cold words from his mouth then this actor’s name should be Sanjeev Kumar and he had performed above mentioned skill in the role of Thakur Baldev Singh in Sholay. But this was not his first ever brilliant performance. Years before in 1968 he had shown this charisma in Anokhi Raat also. He was changed in the film, so easily, from a simple caretaker to a callous bandit that audience did not believe it was same man. He had this quality to opt different body language, different dialogue delivery to perform different characters in same film. It wont be exaggeration to say that he was one of those actors who could perform all the 9 rasas on screen.
Dilip Saab did triple role in Bairag, Amitabh Bachchan did triple role in Mahan, Mehmood did triple role in Humjoli(?) but Sanjeev Kumar defeated everyone when he accepted the challenge to portray 9 different characters in a single film. He created history in this film, “Naya Din Nayee Raat”. It was his ace shot, never seen before in hindi cinema. If he did only this one film even then he was going to be included in the list of great actors India has ever produced.
When he had played the role of cousin of Dilip Kumar in HS Rawail’s Sanghursh then his performance had declared clearly that here comes an actor who would be establishing new milestones in coming future and when Dilip Saab showered bounty of praises on him in this film then this was not just a fluke for Sanjeev Kumar because he knew he was going to establish new definitions in the history of hindi cinema.
He did a silent revolution in the hindi cinema because he did not opt the popular box office path to do what he wished to do. Leave alone exceptions like Love and God, he brought class in whatever he did. We cant find any other actor who would have played lover/husband, father in law, father and again lover of same actress within a span of decade. Sanjeev Kumar did this rare act with his different roles with Actress Jaya Bhaduri/Bachchan. Dilip saab had this reservation as he did not accept the role of Birju in Mehboob’s Mother India. He said,” I cant shout ma ma to an actress who has been my actress in many films”. But as an actor Sanjeev Kumar knew no boundaries. He defied every conventional approach in hindi cinema and he tried or his ways were like this only that he produced contradictions. Thus its very difficult to bind him under a single definitions. He gave so much variety that he can be said a truly versatile actor hindi cinema has ever produced.
If he is in a film and Director is willing to give importance to his character then he has always brought class in to that film by his performance and examples are scattered all over. Sanghursh, Trishul, Sholay, Vidhata, Sachchai, Satyakam, Swarg Narak, Ashirvad, Khilona, Silsila etc are the films where he had produced healthy competition before his co stars and thus we the audience got beautiful films. And this list is so long. We may have a look over his filmography and will find many great films there.
If late 60s saw advent of Rajesh Khanna, the first Super star of hindi cinema then at the same time Sanjeev Kumar was adding a new chapter in the history of hindi cinema by his performances in unconvetional roles in Khilona and Koshish. He was bringing balance in the hindi films. He was not super star in the league of Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan as far as box office success is concerned but he was super class actor who never was defeated by these actors whenever they appeared together on screen. The man who can confront comfortably Dilip Kumar on screen in his 3rd 4th film only then it says much and rather all about the calibre of that actor.
“Satisfaction of watching a superb acting” has been the outcome from watching Sanjeev Kumar’s films.
Whenever an unbiased history of Hindi cinema will be written then film historian will be compelled to mention the coupling of Sanjeev Kumar and Gulzar. This pair started its journey from Koshish and they gave us 6 films and except Parichay where Sanjeev Kumar had small role, rest 5 films (Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam, Angoor and Namkeen) are collector’s items. Through Sanjeev Kumar, Gulzar could bring that rare touch in visual story telling which is possible to get only through reading the good literature. Sanjeev Kumar was able to perform at that level at which Gulzar was able to think. What a director needs ? Actors who can support his visions and Gulzar saab got such actor in Sanjeev Kumar. If not Koshish, where SK plays deaf and mute character, and certain histrionics are associated with the character and we have to see the film with those associations then Aandhi, Mausam and Namkeen, three films shout aloud to make the point clear. All three films have simple character and Sanjeev Kumar’s performances not only raise the quality of these films but spoil the audience also because after watching Sanjeev Kumar in these films, one cant accept mediocre performances by other actors. Don’t we feel elated if we imagine Ijaazat in mid 70s, with Sanjeev Kumar playing Shashi Kapoor’s role and either of Shashi Kapoor/Vinod Khanna/Amitabh Bachchan playing Naseeruddin Shah’s role. Ijaazat could have got different flavour and different heights then.
When many were busy in doing usual love story or lost and found drama based films, Sanjeev Kumar was busy in bringing maturity in hindi films. He did Dastak and Anubhav in 1970. He made lead hero a matured contemporary man through these films. Inspite of commercially successful films like Manchali, Anamika and Sita aur Gita, Sanjeev Kumar did not fall for the alluring aspect of box office success by repeating his roles and thus creating an image for himself. If any image he cared for was of an actor who was able to play different characters on screen with equal élan.
If Amitabh Bachchan was writing history through box office success in the 70s then at same time Sanjeev Kumar was creating history by brining a variety of characters on screen.
Except Dilip Kumar such actors are hard to be seen in hindi film industry who care for breaking his own image otherwise most of the actors fall for their most popular images. Sanjeev Kumar may look careless about growth of his career but perhaps he was very sincere towards this aspect of acting career that he would not play same characters again and again. It seems he thoroughly enjoyed his acting career and that’s why his characters are so lively on screen.
He seems equal at ease while saying those revengefull dialogues in Sholay as he grins in Manoranjan when he says to Zeenat Aman,” I need a car and not a taxi” or when he repeats his Takia kalam with apt timing in Swarg Narak, “Adjust kar lenge” or when he said in Angoor,” Dikhne mein to main avani dikhta hun par agar ek ulte haath ka laga dun to…” or when he shouts in Vidhata,” Maliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik” or when he, as a hunter in NDNR teases dancer character and says with wide eyes,”Bhaand” and laughs heavily. Examples are plenty.
There is a tough character of Hiraman in Teesri Kasam, which Raj Kapoor had played with a class and except Dilip Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar, it seems very difficult for others to bring that rustic simplicity on their face. Often SK could replace all the other characters in the film. In Satyakam he and Dharam ji could easily have replaced each other’s characters. In Sachchai, SK could have exchanged his role with Shammi Kapoor’s role. It can be iconoclastic to say but SK could have played role of Gabbar Singh with different touches. He had shown his skill in such roles way back in Anokhi Raat in 1968 and later in NDNR also.
If he was able to portray romance with Suchitra Sen in Aandhi then he was equally at ease with Rina Roy in Ladies Tailor.
He excells in comedy as well and gave us Swaarg Narak, Yahi hai Jindagi, Ladies Tailor, Angoor, Swayamvar, Biwi O Biwi, Pati Patni aur Woh, Shriman Shrimati etc.
He did not bother about his appearances on screen. Its said that B.R. Chopra had asked him to reduce his weight for his adult comedy film, Pati Patni aur woh, and Sanjeev Kumar always showed dilly dally attitude and said that he would do it when they would film song ”Thande Thande pani se nahana chahiye” but as SK was not able to resist good food so film’s shooting was almost finished and he was same fatty. In last he said bluntly that he would appear in the song in long underwear. Did his belly make any problem for audience? His appearance is as comical and nice in that song as it should have been with his less fat body!
When Satyajit Ray entered in to making films in Hindi he casted Sanjeev Kumar as one of the main character in Shatranj ke Khiladi.
Some 2 months ago, there was discussion on Method acting or “The Method” acting and how few actors like Robert De Nero, Dustin Hoffman etc belong to same school of acting. Darn such method acting, Sanjeev Kumar was able to play Don Veto Corleone, if not better than equal to Marlon Brando’s performance. He could have brought new heights in each of Nero’s or Hoffman’s roles in films like Wag the Dog and Sanjeev Kumar did not take training of acting through any such “method acting “or “The Method” propagated by Strasberg or Stanislavski.
Though he said repeatedly in Swarg Narak, “Adjust kar lenge” but he did not do any adjustment in real life. Its said that he wanted to marry Hema Malini and he had proposed her which she refused because she was in love with Dharmendra. It’s also said that beautiful actress Sulakshna Pandit loved Sanjeev Kumar and she had proposed to him but he did not do any adjustment here. What he wished he did not get and what he was getting he did not accept. His love life remained unfulfilled and was this factor able to push him to bring that character Gerulal in Namkeen?
I always become sad and disturbed whenever realise that till now I have not been able to see completely Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s less popular film “Arjun Pandit” where he has given one of his finest performances.
Indian actors need to recognise the work of this actor. New actors can learn just by watching his films.
His charming smile, his efforts to make his eyes still so that tears comes automatically in his eyes and he does not have to use Glycerin, His voice modulation, and his ability and flexibility to opt proper get ups, his willingness to go deep in to the psychology of the character which may require mannerisms which are not helpful in creating a popular image and his desire to explore new and different horizons in acting area will always put him in the category of great actors.
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agar sanjeev zinda rahte to amitabh ki doosri pari aisi nahi hoti.sanjeev ka jana ek sabak bhi hai.hamre actors apni sehat ko lekar sawdhan rahen.
gud point rk..sk could play the Hiraman…n yes u recalled me of “anokhi raat” my fav. film is angoor..each and every frame of “angoor” is different due to sk..i wish this film should never end….n i can continuosly c the gr8 actor..thanx for writing this peace abt such an extraordinary actor..would lik to add more wen i wil b free
Ajay: Its a good feeling to think If Sanjeev Kumar was still alive after mid 80s and had a good health then perhaps deterioration in hindi films could have been either slowed down or stopped. If Vinod Khanna had not left films and Sanjeev Kumar had not died, Amitabh Bachchan also could have given good films in 80s. But Alas! such ifs and buts dont work in life.
But surely 47 was not an age for Sanjeev Kumar to die. More than him, we needed 20 more years of his life.
dipankar:
SK in Angoor is marvellous and Deven Verma’s able support enhances the impact of the film multifold.
http://passionforcinema.com/angoor-1982-%e2%80%93-%e2%80%9ccomedy-of-errors%e2%80%9c-without-any-error/#comment-3088
Many more films come to mind. Like Devata where he and Danny gave joy, Chehre pe chehra (Dr J and Hyde in Hindi),
Abdullah, and then there was Jani Dushman, where he played a killer though he was under the infleunce of evil soul. Raja aur rank where he sings, O phirke wali tu kal phir ana….
Then there was a film, where he plays a poor villager and his in laws dont like him and thus he has to bear humiliation because he is living with his wife and kids at their place.
and many others:)
There was a time the media had called Sanjeev Kumar a bad actor. In one of his interviews I had read him making fun of them saying that when his films were hits media used to call him a good actor and now when some of them are flopping they are calling me a bad actor.
He was also a very moody person. He used to leave the sets without the permission of anybody. He used to drink alot. His co-stars had said that he was very sad and he used to hide his feelings.
One of my favorite films of Sanjeev Kumar is Biwi O Biwi.
I used to call him the most versatile actor in Hindi films.
Beautiful tribute to one of the finest actors I’ve seen in Hindi cinema; and my favorite. Sanjeev Kumar played a wider range of characters with more sensitivity and reality than his contemporaries. He is set apart, I think, by his everyman sensibility - he was not larger than life like Amitabh Bachchan, not heartthrob handsome like Dharmendra or brooding like Rajesh Khanna. He was instantly relatable, completely real, natural, gifted, charming in a totally accessible way.
RK - Great writeup again man. Sanjeev Kumar will always remain one of my favorites. In his time he was THE most versatile actor in Indian cinema, bar none. He could and did do it ALL.
Some of my favorite Sanjeev Kumar films not mentioned above:
- Lakhon Ki Baat (Director: Basu Chatterjee, costarring Farooq Sheikh). Yet another film Sanjeev Kumar carries entirely through his fantastic, hilarious performance. “TV mein aksar dikhaate hai ke hospital mein khoobsoorat nurses hoti hai… woh sab kahan hai?” He says to a nurse.. lol!
Shriman Shrimati (Director: Vijay Reddy, costarring Rakhee Gulzar). Was a typical social family-sudhaar drama of the 80’s but again, Sanjeev Kumar & Raakhee’s performance uplifted the film.
Be-Reham (Director: Raghunath Jhalani, co-starring Shatrughan Sinha). Here Sanjeev Kumar plays a tough, no nonsense Commissioner of Police, a role model for the Inspector character of Shatrughan Sinha. I still remember the sterness in his voice when he states “Image nahin to kuch bhi nahin” speaking of what seperates a police officer from an average man. I wish I could recall the full monologue…
With Sanjeev Kumar, there is always one more that we would have missed! Hero, for example. I remember the movie only for two reasons - Amrish Puri’s Paasha, Sanjeev Kumar’s Inspector Mathur. The police raiding scene (with his wife on the phone) and his disguises in the climax scene are hilarious. Still remember the day he passed away - I saw my Dad’s eyes wet for the first time. Sachin (gapuchi gapuchi gam gam), I was told, was Haribhai’s prot
RKji, yeh post likh ke to appne hamara dil jeet liya.
Sanjeev Kumar occupies special place in hindi film industry and my heart. Like Ashok kumar and AB, SK was able to play any character like serious(sholay, vidhata, satyakam, trishul) or comic(angoor, manchali…) I like his punchline from the film Manchali very much “peechli saat poosto se”. If Bhejafry was made in 70 or 80s he could be best choice for vinay pathak’s character. don’t rememeber film’s name but i saw a film where he played character of a person ( bahot bolne wala aur logo ko sheshe me utarnewala) and he was perfect.
Justin:
Media is never devoted to any actor for long. They do it with everyone. If you recall Hrishida’s film Guddi then there is a scene, Dharmendra rebukes a journalist.
Late Vinod Mehra also had complained about Media’s bad behaviour. Execpt Amitabh Bachchan, who could stood on his own because of his box office success and could manage without interaction with media, actors have suffered from media’s highhandedness. Media thinks it can make and destroy actor’s career and image.
carla: you are so right about Sanjeev Kumar.
Tony: you reminded me some more films and many still remain there.
Guys,
if you have not read then you should search Desi Train, OZ had written long article on Sanjeev Kumar. He did not publish that post on 9th July so I had to make this small post. Please read that post to know much more about Sanjeev Kumar and his films. I had read that post some one year ago, hope that is still there. That article was my introduction to Desi Train and one of the human species called Oz.
Dont miss that.
Wb: you are right about SK. that one film is always in the list which we have forgot. Though Hero I avoided myself, because this was one of his last films and his scenes were handled badly in editing, perhaps becasue of his illness his role got erratic editing.
he was there in a murder mystery also. was it Qatl or QATIL?
Re: Sachin some other day full post!
it is very true he was the most versatile actor of bollywood till date for him role is being
made of anykind
Shailesh : SK was master in punch lines. his timing was just perfect and when he used his voice also to bring more impact then he was lethal.
Its always amazing to see an actor who is so serious in Sholay and he is seen in songs like Logon na maro ise, or bahon mein chale ayo or when he dance with Smita Patil on song, baton mein na talo ji dil de dalo ji…..
Amit:
yes
Versatility was the “key word” in SK’s acting career
Sanjeev Kumar and Thamizh film industry shared a unique relation - via the great legend - Sivaji ganeshan. Sivaji played the original 9 roles in the movie “navarathiri” (9nights) and Sanjeev gladly gobbled up the chance to do a sivaji in “Naya din Naya raat”. He also played Sivaji’s role in the remake of “Gnana oli” (light of wisdom)(I dont remember the name of the hindi movie - story of a christian who commits murder of a guy who molests his daughter and runs away to become a millionaire in another town- meets his comeuppance years later). He did a fleeting guest appearance in a song in Sivaji’s “Bharatha Vilas”. There was a strong sense of camraderie between the two great actors from different filmdoms of India that was a treat to watch as both did roles played by each other in remakes.
My strongest memory of him is in a movie with Sarika where he becomes blind, finds out his wife’s adultery and kills her in a cold blooded planned manner. I don’t remember the name of the film, but his acting was scintilliating to say the least.
Jai Ganesh: first film was Devata with Shabana Azami and Benjamin Gilani along with Danny in role of Inspector.
Second was perhaps Qatil, one of the last films of SK.
the film was Qatl not Qatil.
good thriller. Sarika played SK’s wife and Mark Zuber was her lover. and how SK kills them after being blind was superb. Shatrughna Sinha played poce inspector’s role.
hey can anyone tel me if i go to india,will i be able to meet any of his familly members? he never married ey? but is there anyone alive today from his familly? i get soo emotional when i tok abt Mr.sanjeev kumar….Do anyone know if i can find any of his interviews today? i guess there will always be more to him. mayb this is how he will forever be in our hearts and mind though ppl say his career never took off! Do we really need such careers? Dont think he ever did any of his roles for his careers! thanks to anyone who can help…abt getting these informations abt him!
@Sanjeev,
I guess Sanjeev Kumar used to live with his mother. Not aware about his siblings and other relatives. Yes he did not marry.
Never came across any Interview of SK. Though Our HG may search some day any/some of his interviews. If you find any thing through online search, please share it with others also here.
Thanx a lot bro for writing this beautiful article. Dilip kumar ,Amitabh and many others had there usual style.But Sanjeev Kumar was not with any style . He played the role in such a beutiful way that the character used to come out of it. He is really the best versatile actor which Indian cinema has ever produced .Salute to the great actor……The Sanjeev Kumar.
there was no one, there is no one and there won’t be any one who can potray rather than act (acting is a superficila word)like Late Shri Sanjeev Kumar.He represented a common man on the screen
[...] sanjeev-kumar-defied-traditions-conventional-paths/ [...]
I think Sanjeev kumar is universal as a human being. If world did not have language to create walls, the world would have seen a brillant actor transcending all.I love him when ever I see him on screen.I wish he had not died.I wish he had not been sad in his life .
May be it was because of that sadness he could bring so much warmth and emotion to the screen.
hello friends,
Thankx for the artical. Sanjeev kumar was one of the best actor I ever seen in my life, no one will forget the seen from Sholy ( gabbar tumhare li ye to mere do pair hi kaffe hai)I Think in my school life i have seen hi most of the movies (thnx to ATN channel which is to broad cast movie every afternoon ) Qatl i s on of the Fav move of mine.aap ki kasam, sholy,chattis ghanta,and one more movie amitab come and hides out in sanjeev kumars house. soo any movies. AN unforgettable person.
Thankx for th blog again
hi friends,
thanks for all the information provided about sanjeev kumarji,
he was indeed such an actor that no one can ever replace him,i have seen most of his movies sholay,trishul(ek rupaiya ka fark bhi sirf do baar hua hi)the way he hits the table and delivers the dialogue is simply superb, pati patni aur woh,anamika,mausam,qatl,are only few of his good movies,we have lost a great actor who cant be replaced for generations to come.
@Prakash (24),
I guess you are confused between two films.
36 ghante did not have Sanjeev Kumar. It had Sunil Dutt, Danny and Ranjeet as bad boys who take shelter in the house of Raaj Kumar, Mala Sinha and Parveen Bobby.
Then there was Farar where Amitabh Bachchan hides in to the house of Sanjeev Kumar and Sharmila Tagore.
@radha k. krishnan,
Not only Pati Patni aur woh but an old film Pati Patni also (before he became a known star) presents him as a very fine actor. One more film (i cant recall the title) where he was a poor villager and his relatively rich and city based in laws dont like him, was able to give a clear proof of his high skills in acting at the begining of his career.
and in both he was playing simple looking common man and not a get up based character. He had got a vast range.
Sanjeev Kumar was undoubtedly the best actor that Hindi Cinema has ever produced. I had seen him in 1981. He was quite good looking too. It is sad that he did not really take care of his health. I had heard that Even Hema Malini was in love with Sanjeev Kumar, but her mother did not want her to get married then. One can see a great chemistry between Sanjeev Kumar and Hema Malini in the movie “Seeta aur Geeta”. There was no chemistry between her and Dharmendra in that movie.