Sanjeev Kumar : The Actor We All Loved

by Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta

'He was a natural; one of the most powerful actors.' --Narendra Modi

The 1970s were indeed the golden era of Bollywood. In the decade that revolutionized Hindi cinema, there was one actor who was every director's fail-safe artiste. When he entered the frame, the audience would sigh with relief, 'Nothing can go wrong now!'

Sanjeev Kumar was the antithesis of the typical Bollywood hero doing romance and action. Not one to crave glamorous roles, he was more interested in versatility. From his mature roles in films like Mausam and Aandhi to his comic timing in Angoor or the angst of person with disabilities in Koshish-he was truly a thinking man's actor. His expressive face, inflections and pauses, natural ease for lip-syncing, all of it made him the complete package.

Written by his nephew Uday Jariwala and Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta, this biography takes us through Sanjeev Kumar's journey to becoming one of the greatest actors Bollywood has seen, with personal essays by his friends Gulzar, Randhir Kapoor, and co-stars Sharmila Tagore, Moushumi Chatterjee, Tanuja, among others.

Genres: Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

Published July 9, 2022

Reviews

[Anand Ganapathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a huge fan of Sanjeev Kumar and watched some of his best movies ( Koshish , Aandhi , Angoor , Shatranj ke Khiladi ) etc... When my sister passed on this recently published book which she had just finished reading , I decided to read it immediately . Recreating the life of someone who passed away almost 3 and half decades ago is tough but the authors have done a good job ( some amount of fan boying is present but that's acceptable as Sanjeev Kumar was one of super stars of his time ) .. A highly recommend read for all movie buffs ( and people of the younger generation who may only remember him for his role as the Thakur in Sholay )

[Jawahar Surti · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

We had been reading bits and pieces of the great actor - he was labeled as AN ACTOR'S ACTOR - over the years. The author has compiled everything in one place with interviews of friends and co-stars, chapters by some artists and family & friends... To take us on to the journey of Haribhai's life... Some chapters kind of end abruptly which I did not like... But since I am a Hindi film fan and like to read as much as I can on the trivias etc., I did enjoy reading the book... His films towards his last days in the industry were not worth much though... I remembered a glimpse of the actor I had while they were shooting.. He was driving his Mercedes and in speed, taking a turn to park in the car park of a bungalow in the then Bombay... The shot was taken quite a few times... He looked dashing.. There's another book on him which too I wood like to read at some later date...

[Kunal · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like 3.5

Can be read more out of love & fanboying over the actor than the quality of the text.

[Preeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sanjeev Kumar was an Indian actor who has portrayed some iconic roles which are still fondly remembered by many.
My mother cried when she heard about Sanjeev Kumar's death. And she was so angry on Hema Malini at that moment. Such was the power of Sanjeev Kumar's charisma. Her emotional outburst made me curious and I watched a few of Sangeev Kumar's films. Anamika, Seeta aur Geeta, Aandhi, Angoor are some of my favourite films. 'Baahon me chale aao' and 'Tere Bina zindagi se shikwa' have always been on my playlist.
So when I was asked to read and give my opinion about this book, I couldn't say 'No'. I was so excited, I grabbed the book with both hands. The description of Sanjeev Kumar's last day (6th Nov,1985) is in the initial pages. The moment I read about it, I closed the book and kept it aside. Couldn't pick up the book to read further for almost the next 24 hours. The emotional angst that I felt upon reading about the incident of his death was too much to handle.
Written by Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta and Sanjeev Kumar's nephew Uday Jariwala the book chronicles the actor's journey to stardom. Sanjeev Kumar was a people's actor. In the few years that he lived , he created a special place in the hearts of people. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrillers to comedies. He was voted the seventh greatest actor of Indian Cinema in a poll conducted by Rediff.com.
The book also contains personal notes from his friends,relatives and co-stars.
It is a must read for all Sanjeev Kumar fans. It gives a peek into the much needed behind the scenes persona of the legend named Haribhai Jariwala.

[Bhawana Somaaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have read several books on Sanjeev Kumar before but this book is special because it’s written by Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta along with Sanjeev’s nephew and heir, Uday Jariwala. It is about 380 pages divided into eight sections and it tells you almost everything you want to know about Sanjeev Kumar. The book introduces you to the actor’s family tree, it tells you about his journey from Jariwala to Sanjeev Kumar. It tells you intimate details of his relationship with his mother, who is called Baa, and all his co-stars also called his mother, Baa. The book also tells you about the women in his life, those who were attracted to Sanjeev Kumar and the women Sanjeev Kumar was attracted to and why these relationships went sour. There are many details about the actor at work and his complexities. His colleagues and his filmmakers tell you his weakness and strength. There are people who idol worship him like a father and God, like Sachin Pilgaonkar.

Almost the entire film fraternity is there and you get to know of many episodes and incidents that you had not read or heard about particularly those that Moushumi Chatterjee reveals. Sanjeev Kumar had a special equation with Jaya Bahaduri, Sharmila Tagore, Tanuja and they all are giving their insights into the actor. There is a journalist account too from Bharati Pradhan who says that Sanjeev Kumar’s first or second love was never a women or money, it was booze and food. I thought that was a sparkling insight on the actor.

The strength of the book is also in a way its weakness. There are so many voices, so many insights that the narrative eventually is a compilation because the greed to put in everything about everybody which is also a great plus because you get the stories in its authenticity with the images and sounds. But eventually it reads like a compilation and not like a narrative or one voice. So that is the only thing that you miss in this book. For a Sanjeev Kumar fan or a lover, it’s a priceless book. So go read it. And congratulations to both the authors on their wonderful job.

[Nandini · Rating 4 out of 5]

A much-needed meaningful tribute to the legend

Sanjeev Kumar, a name I was not familiar with until the previous year. Luckily I got into watching movies from the 90s, 80s, and 70s; in that order, and discovered why people were mad behind artists and actors of that age.

Having seen only a handful of his movies this book is wonderfully delicious to know more about a man who passed away more than 4 decades ago. The legacy he has left behind through his craft, kindness, friendships, and love for his family has made it possible for fans and movie lovers to be able to read about his life after so many years.

I am so glad that after reading this, I'll be able to enjoy watching his other movies even more and appreciate the hidden nuances.

I recommend reading this once.

[Aditi Varma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Week 38 Book 34
Sanjeev Kumar the actor we all loved by Uday Jariwala and Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta
Rating:5/5

I was a teen when I got introduced to Sanjeev Kumar and ever since I've had a crush on him, I'm a huge fan. I was thrilled to know about this book, and devoured every page! Must read for Sanjeev fans.

[Dilip Maloo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book on one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema; also one can learn the importance of health and discipline!!

[Dipika Bangera · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read if you want to know more about the man, Sanjeev Kumar. Since he is one of my favorite actors I really enjoyed reading this book. Thanks to his nephew, Uday who has kept his legacy alive.