An Actor’s Actor: The Authorized Biography of Sanjeev Kumar

by Hanif Zaveri, Sumant Batra

More than forty years after his death, Sanjeev Kumar remains a role model for all aspiring actors. He could light up the screen in underpants, paunch showing, in one of Hindi cinema's most lovable song sequences, 'Thande thande paani se nahana chahiye' (Pati Patni Aur Woh, 1977). Entirely unselfconscious of his image as a star, he would often be cast as the father figure to a number of his contemporaries, most famously Sharmila Tagore in Mausam (1975) and Amitabh Bachchan in Trishul (1978), or as the elderly Thakur in Sholay (1975) and yet leave an indelible mark with his presence and his acting prowess.

After starting out in B-films in the 1960s, he caught the eye in Sungharsh (1967), where the manner in which he held his own against Dilip Kumar is now stuff of Hindi film folklore. Equally adept at comedy (Angoor and Manchali, for example) and dramatic serious roles (Anubhav and Koshish), he was truly an actor's actor.

Hanif Zaveri and Sumant Batra's biography provides a glimpse of star's personal and professional lives, taking off from the traditional business of the Zariwalas, his romantic involvement with some of Hindi cinema's biggest names, his lifelong battle with loneliness and his glittering achievements on screen. An Actor's Actor is a succinct introduction to the life and films of a star who left us tragically at the young age of forty-seven but who continues to live through his unforgettable and remarkable contribution to Hindi cinema.

Genres: Biography

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2021

Reviews

[Himanshu · Rating 4 out of 5]

My earliest memory of Sanjiv Kumar are from the movie Sholay. When I first saw this movie, the attraction were Jai/Veeru/Gabbar. Of course the immaturity of the age had more to do with not giving limelight to the character of Thakur. Notice I am saying Thakur and not Sanjiv Kumar. This was the power of the actor. He played the role with so much conviction that one used to forget that it's acting.


In my older yrs I got exposed to Angoor and I was blown away by his comic timing. Probably the best comic film of all time.
It was surprising that such a master actor had no biography worth his name. This book fills the gap nicely. One eye opener to me was the reason behind things not working out with Hema Malini and the shocking end of his relationship with Nutan.

[Asim Bakhshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a rare phenomenon when the greatness of an artist's character mirrors the splendor of his art. My admiration for Sanjeev Kumar dates back to the days before VCRs when Doordarshan broadcasted the weekly Hindi film and a daily double dose of Chitrahar. Even as children, we recognized his talent, and he had many fans among my aunts and uncles. Since then, I have watched "Aandhi" at least every 2-3 years, and other great movies like "Mausam," "Silsila," and "Sholay" regularly.

This biography is very well-written and almost illuminating. However, it would have been even more amazing with more film history included. I wonder why "Mausam" (1975) was only briefly mentioned without a detailed background narrative. This film, directed by Gulzar, showcased Sanjeev Kumar’s versatility as he played a dual role, offering a poignant exploration of love and loss that remains unforgettable.

Equally puzzling is the extensive space given to "Love and God" (1986). This project, plagued by production delays and ultimately released posthumously, doesn't fully underscore Sanjeev Kumar's brilliance. Instead, it serves as a curious, yet tragic footnote, rather than a highlight.

On the other hand, the emphasis on lesser-known gems like "Anubhav" (1971) and "Griha Pravesh" (1979) is commendable. These films, directed by Basu Bhattacharya, delve deep into the complexities of marital relationships and showcase Kumar’s ability to portray nuanced, everyday characters with profound depth. "Anubhav" particularly stands out for its realistic portrayal of a struggling marriage.

I ended up watching both films again and plan to revisit a few others. By the way, to complete Basu Bhattacharya's trilogy of marital relationships, be sure to watch "Avishkaar" (1974), even though it does not feature Sanjeev Kumar.

Additionally, it’s worth noting Sanjeev Kumar’s extraordinary work in films like "Koshish" (1972), where he plays a deaf-mute character. This film, also directed by Gulzar, is a testament to Kumar’s exceptional acting prowess, highlighting his ability to communicate profound emotions without uttering a single word. Many others have been dealt with brilliantly in the book.

May the great man who allowed us to experience raw human emotion through his performances rest in peace.

[Bhawana Somaaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the title, ‘An Actor’s Actor’. These are things that insiders of Bollywood always discuss that Sanjeev is an actor’s actor, he’s an audience actor, that he is a performer, he is a star et cetera. It is a very lovingly written book by Hanif Zaveri, Sumant Batra with a lot of instances into his past, both personal and professional. And they have also met a number of people. It’s a very engaging book. But I feel, I am left with wanting more. I feel the theatre world where he came from could have been more deeply explored. I feel there were many people close to him that the authors didn’t meet particularly child stars at that time, Sachin and Sarika. Because they have done a number of films with Sanjeev both as a child and later as grown-up actors.

I would say almost all the film scribes had a very good equation with Sanjeev Kumar. So, all of them have great memories of him too but then none of them wrote the book, these two have written the book on him. And at least we have a book ready because you know the actors don’t write their own books while they are alive. And then somebody else does it for them. Sometimes they don’t meet the right people and sometimes they meet the right people. I also felt that the back cover blurbs could have been endorsed by bigger personalities not that the current ones don’t have value, they do. It is just giving a certain pedestal to an actor. Go and read the book, it’s worth it.

[Isha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth biography I've read this year. Although the authors did full justice with this book but I feel that some of the unnecessary details could've been avoided. Also, there's a detailed mention of other actors which was not needed.

Overall the first half of the book serves just right.

[Rupin Chaudhry · Rating 5 out of 5]

You will love tugs man for the mastery of the craft and purity of his soul.
A thoroughbred gentleman.

[Shyam Asnani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written book about one of the greatest actor of Bollywood , who departed early.

[Syed Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entire life has been covered beautify.

My Respect for Hari Bhai has gone to infinity after reading the book.

[Manish Kumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating 3.5

अगर आप संजीव कुमार के प्रशंसक हैं और उनके व्यक्तित्व, उनके शुरुआती संघर्ष और अपने सहकलाकारों के साथ उनके संबंध के बारे में जानना चाहते हैं तो ये किताब निश्चय ही पठनीय है। ए के हंगल, अंजू महेंद्रू, हेमा, राजेश खन्ना, नूतन, शत्रुघ्न सिन्हा, मौसमी चटर्जी, दिलीप कुमार, शर्मीला टैगोर, सारिका, शबाना आज़मी से जुड़े तमाम रोचक किस्से किताब मैं मौज़ूद हैं जिनमें कुछ का जिक्र मैंने ऊपर किया।

बतौर लेखक हनीफ और बात्रा कहानी कहने की कला में औसत ही कहे जाएँगे, खासकर उन हिस्सों में जहाँ परिवार से जुड़े लोगों के कथ्य प्रस्तुत किए गए हैं। पर संजीव कुमार पर किया गया उनका शोध और उनके साथियों के संस्मरण इस किताब को बेहद रुचिकर बनाते हैं। वे बधाई के पात्र हैं कि उन्होंने एक ऐसे अभिनेता के जीवन को उसके चाहने वालों के सामने प्रस्तुत किया है जिसके बारे में किताब की शक़्ल में पहले कुछ नहीं लिखा गया।

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