In an period of superstars like Rajesh Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar had his personal fan base. The caress in his voice, untailored manner and dimpled smile stirred the correct hormones. In distinction to this celebrated picture, Sanjeev in individual was each delicate and mawkish. The shadow of previous tragedies had made him simply as sentimental about his household. Grandfather Shivalal Jariwala and father Jethalal Jariwala each succumbed to coronary heart assaults earlier than reaching 50. Sanjeev, beset by these misgivings, was as soon as quoted saying, “I play older roles to reside that life which I’m not fated to in any other case.” The foreboding did play itself out when youthful brother Nikul Jariwala handed away in 1984, Sanjeev in 1985 and center brother Kishore Jariwala in 1986. However Sanjeev Kumar’s legacy, given his genius, has defied demise and the a long time. Right here, nephew and co-author of the biography, Sanjeev Kumar: The Actor We All Beloved (co-written by Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta) handpicks fond reminiscences of his late uncle. In Uday Jariwala’s personal phrases:
Humble beginnings
Uncle-nephew bond
The man behind the mask
Shades of romance
Age no bar
Class act
Humble beginnings
Uncle-nephew bond
I used to be his oldest nephew, his youthful brother Nikul’s son. He liked all children (together with my siblings Prithvi and Ekta) within the household however he doted on me. I used to be a spoiled brat. All of us lived collectively at Perrin Villa in Bandra. My early reminiscences are that of accompanying him for dubbing, taking pictures and outdoor in the course of the holidays. He loved selfmade Gujarati meals. Non-vegetarian meals was by no means ready at house. So, when Sanjeevji was free on a Sunday, we’d go to the Gazebo restaurant for Chinese language fare. He additionally liked paya, khichda… I learnt to savour these with him.We had round 5 vehicles. He’d ask me which one he ought to drive. At some point I acquired out of the automobile saying I wished to journey in an auto. And not using a thought, he took me in a single. He didn’t have the cash to pay the auto-wallah. So he borrowed cash from the restaurant employees and paid the auto driver. The man stored ready outdoors until we completed consuming to drop us again. Normally, after lunch he’d drive by Hill Highway, Mount Mary Church, Bandstand… and sing songs from his movies. Typically, for the sake of enjoyable he’d drive dangerously near a passerby earlier than turning away. He’d bathe me with items on my birthday. We celebrated two birthdays in a yr. One was his on July 9 and the opposite was mine. I used to be not good in research and would nearly go. He wished me to shift to the distinguished Bombay Scottish Faculty. For that he went out of this fashion and met the principal. he had the most important assortment of video cassettes. It included his Hindi movies and lots of Hollywood movies. I’d hold all of them organized so as. I’ve watched a number of Hollywood classics with him. He had purchased a sea dealing with bungalow in Juhu. However attributable to a authorized downside, the court docket case went on for years. Baa liked the home in Bandra. So Sanjeevji continued residing in it due to her reminiscences.
The person behind the masks
Sanjeevji was delicate mannered and by no means misplaced his mood – aside from as soon as. My father, Nikul, had suffered a coronary heart assault and was admitted to Nanavati Hospital. There was pressure at house and I used to be being naughty and misbehaving. So he hit me. I fell down and noticed stars in daylight. I moist my pants. On the way in which to the hospital to see my father, Sanjeevji couldn’t disguise his tears. The helplessness in direction of his brother and the guilt in direction of me… it was a mixture of each. After my father Nikul handed away (1984), Sanjeevji was shattered. I used to be round 12-13 then. That was the age Sanjeevji had additionally misplaced his father. Earlier than my father’s demise, he by no means cared about his well being. However now he wished to. Satirically, it was my father, who was alleged to bear the surgical procedure in Houston, US. However Sanjeevji went for it as a substitute in 1984. He returned the signing quantities of many movies earlier than going to the US. Publish the surgical procedure, he shed the surplus weight. He gave up consuming. Apprehensive about his producers, he was eager to complete the unfinished tasks. However I consider he ought to have taken it sluggish for six months not less than. Trying again at t,he final days of his life, it was the Diwali season. My mom, Jyotiben, and the remainder of the household had gone to Kolkata the place my Nani lived. I used to be requested to remain behind with Sanjeevji. I spent round 10 days with him, accompanying him for dubbing and taking pictures. At night time we watched movies collectively. On November 3, I left for Kolkata to accompany my mom to the Jagannath temple in Puri to meet a vow, which she’d taken for Sanjeevji’s well being. After we returned to Kolkata from Puri, we had been knowledgeable that his well being had all of the sudden deteriorated. Sadly, on our flight again to Mumbai, we learn the report of his passing away on November 6, 1985. It was additionally his mom’s demise anniversary. My different uncle, Kishoreji, handed away in 1986. It was alleged that Sanjeevji was a miser. However he was not. After his demise, his secretary Jamnadasji revealed an inventory of well-known names from the business whom he’d lent cash to. Few returned it. The Sanjeev Kumar Auditorium constructed by the Surat Municipal Company was inaugurated on February 14, 2014 by PM Narendra Modi. Quickly, we launched the NGO, The Sanjeev Kumar Basis. We’ve adopted a authorities college the place we maintain the scholars’ wants. We organise drama competitions, movie festivals and well being care camps… to maintain his legacy alive and provides a platform to new expertise. He was an easygoing individual – no hang-ups, no star tantrums. He’ll at all times be remembered as a caring individual, standing by his household and pals. Loving, smiling and residing life to the fullest.
Shades of romance
Ladies had been loopy about him. He obtained lots of feminine consideration. One woman stored calling on the landline with totally different names. She believed she was married to him. She’d blame my grandmother saying, ‘You don’t need us to reside collectively.’ Sanjeevji did come near marriage twice. But it surely didn’t work out. Baa might be one cause. She didn’t need an inter-caste alliance. Additionally, he didn’t desire a working lady. He wished for a spouse who stayed at house. Somebody, who’d maintain his mom, the home and the household. Other than the well-known ‘tiffins’ despatched to him, there have been additionally items and love letters coming in from his co-stars. After Baa was no extra, an actress informed him, ‘I’ll live-in with you however I don’t need your loved ones round. It will likely be simply us.’ Sanjeevji didn’t prefer it. He was old-world in his values and connected to his household. We had been his youthful brother’s children. He may have requested us to reside in one other home however he didn’t. He cared for us as his personal. After Baa handed away, he misplaced curiosity in getting married.
Age no bar
His first movie as lead was Aspi Irani’s Nishan (1965), which had him in a double position. It was a black and white movie with horse using and sword combating. His breakthrough got here with Khilona (1970) impressed by the Gujarati movie Mare Javun Pele Par (1968). He performed a deranged man with conviction.
Gulzar saab forged him as an older man in 4 movies Parichay (1972), Koshish (1972), Aandhi (1975) and Mausam (1975) and as a younger man within the comedy Angoor (1981) and Namkeen (1982). Sanjeevji was happy with Koshish. He received the Nationwide Award for it. Since he performed a deaf and dumb character, there was no dialogue. He needed to depend on his facial expressions and palms. Jaya Bachchan and Sanjeevji attended workshops to be taught signal language. As soon as Gulzar saab occurred to make a movie with one other actor and it flopped. Sanjeevji informed Gulzar saab in jest, “Yaar teri image toh mere saath hello hit hoti hai. Baaki sab ke saath flop hoti hai.
Tu doosron ke saath mat banaya kar!” After that Gulzar saab solely labored with Sanjeevji. A. Bhimsingh’s Naya Din Nai Raat (1974), a remake of the Tamil film Navarathri (1964), had him in 9 avatars, symbolic of the navras in human feelings. He performed lover, hunter, a transvestite, an alcoholic… ably supported by Jayaji. He shared wonderful chemistry with Jayaji. He performed her lover (Anamika), father (Parichay), father-in-law (Sholay), a well-wisher (Silsila)… Jayaji and he had been shut pals. I noticed her in the course of the shoot of Nauker (1979). The bungalow the place they shot was at Pali Hill, near our home. I’d go to the set on weekends.
See Additionally: Best films of Sanjeev Kumar
Class act
Sanjeevji’s power was subtlety. He was assured about his expertise. In multi-starrers, the place some actors excelled in dance and motion, he’d consider elevating his character by his efficiency. He by no means bothered about train or health. For him it was about being an actor, not a star. My favourites embody the breezy comedy Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Manchali (1973) and Aap Ki Kasam (1974). Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Arjun Pandit (1976) received him the Filmfare Greatest Actor Award. His character Mirza Sajjad Ali, a chess-obsessed nawab in Satyajit Ray’s traditional Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977) stays a milestone.
I keep in mind going to Bangalore with him for the taking pictures of the long-lasting movie Sholay (1975). The schedule was a protracted one. So as a substitute of a resort, we stayed in a bungalow. As Thakur Baldev Singh in Sholay, Sanjeevji needed to specific silent ache. Thakur needed to emote solely by his eyes as a result of his palms had been minimize. In Trishul (1978), his character Raj Kumar Gupta was about delicate energy. Sanjeevji needed to full the movie’s shoot earlier than he may journey for exhibits. On the final day, after finishing his work he became his common kurta lungi when Yashji (Chopra) requested for a sure shot. So, he placed on the waistcoat and shirt as a part of his character as soon as once more. However he didn’t change the lungi. He requested Yashji to shoot the scene with him sitting on the desk. He was that sensible. Subhash Ghai’s Hero (1983) had him play a Pathan, a pandit and an Australian man.
He loved getting out and in of costumes, enjoying together with his voice and expressions and delivered all these in single takes. After Sunghursh (1968), he did Ghai’s Vidhaata (1982) with Dilip saab. Ramanathan’s Devata (1978) is one other particular movie. I really like the quirky tune Chand churake laya hoon written by Gulzar saab and composed by RD Burman. In Rajkumar Kohli’s Jaani Dushman (1979), there was no heroine paired reverse him, no tune featured him however nonetheless he was the principle character, the ghost of Thakur Jwala Prasad.
As is understood, Ok Asif saab started Love And God with Guru Dutt and Nimmi. But it surely was shelved attributable to Guru Dutt’s demise in 1964. Asif saab resumed the movie in 1970 with Sanjeevji. As Majnu, Sanjeevji needed to seem younger. Asif saab put him up in a resort close to his home.
He acquired him enrolled in a gymnasium shut by in order that he may monitor him. He was additionally stored on a strict weight-reduction plan. However the movie took too lengthy to make. So his physicality stored altering. Ok. Asif handed away in 1971. His spouse Akhtar Asif launched the unfinished movie in 1986 a yr after Sanjeevji handed away. However, Sanjeevji at all times seemed as much as Asif saab and hung his body in the lounge.
He’d level in direction of it and say, ‘He’s my guru.’
See Additionally: Deepak Tijori creates a heartfelt tribute for Sanjeev Kumar’s birthday
