Sanjeev Kumar

Acting

Sanjeev Kumar

Born 1938-07-09 · Surat, Gujarat, India

Sanjeev Kumar, born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala and fondly known as Haribhai, was born in Surat, Gujarat, into a traditional Gujarati family. In childhood, his family moved to Mumbai, where his passion for cinema blossomed. He enrolled in a reputed film institute, which marked the beginning of his journey in Indian cinema. Gifted with immense talent, he rose to become one of the most versatile and respected actors in the industry. He had a sister and two younger brothers and was fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, and English. Sanjeev began his career on stage with IPTA and the Indian National Theatre. Even at 22, he impressed audiences by portraying elderly characters, such as in All My Sons and Damru, directed by A.K. Hangal. He made his screen debut with a small role in Hum Hindustani (1960) and got his first lead in Nishan (1965). He acted in Gujarati films Kalapi (1966) and Mare Javun Pele Par (1968). His breakthrough came with Khilona (1970), a Hindi remake of the latter. He starred in notable films like Sangharsh (1968), Sachaai (1969), and even in an Indo-Iranian film in 1972. Sanjeev Kumar won the National Film Award for Best Actor twice for Dastak (1971) and Koshish (1973). He also won Filmfare Awards for Shikar (1969), Sholay (1975), Aandhi ,(1976) and Arjun Pandit (1977), Trishul (1979), Angoor and Vidhaata(1983)cementing his legacy as one of Indian cinema's greatest performers. As part of his government recognition, several honours have been bestowed upon Sanjeev Kumar in his hometown of Surat. A prominent road named Sanjeev Kumar Marg stands as a lasting tribute, inaugurated by veteran actor Sunil Dutt. Additionally, a school bearing his name was opened by the then Mayor, Kadir K. Pirzada. On a national level, India Post released a commemorative postage stamp in his honour on 3 May 2013, marking his immense contribution to Indian cinema. One of the most notable tributes is the Sanjeev Kumar Auditorium, a state-of-the-art facility built by the Surat Municipal Corporation at a cost of ₹108 crore. This cultural landmark was inaugurated on 14 February 2014 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi (now India’s Prime Minister). Sanjeev Kumar Udhyan in Mota Varachha was officially inaugurated by the Surat Municipal Corporation on 5 June 2018. TMDB mini biography by: Ashvin Borad

Acting credits

Priya poster
9.0

A young woman recounts her transformation, involving her parents, brother, sister-in-law, classmate, professor, and cycle waala who was in love with her.

Priya

1970

Sholay poster
7.1

After his family is slain by notorious bandit Gabbar Singh, former Inspector Thakur Baldev Singh enlists low-level outlaws Jai and Veeru to capture Gabbar and seek revenge.

Sholay

1975

Hum Paanch poster
6.8

Tyrannical and wealthy Veer Pratap Singh, rules over a small town - ruthlessly. Whoever opposes him is crushed. He is attracted to women, and has a lengthy affair with Soundariya, and even has a secret marriage ceremony with her. When Soundariya gets pregnant, he asks her to abort the child. When she refuses, he shuns her, and denies ever having married her or even being intimate with her. Her brothers attempt to get justice, but are dealt with ruthlessly by Pratap Singh's bodyguard, Bhima. Soundariya then must garner support of herself, and must find someone who can stand up to Veer Pratap Singh and end his tyranny, in a town with men who have been subdued for eons by Veer Pratap Singh and his men for eons.

Hum Paanch

1980

Griha Pravesh poster
3.3

A successful office worker who is happily married has a brief affair with a sultry co-worker in this romantic melodrama. His wife eventually wins him back from his forbidden lover.

Griha Pravesh

1979

Hero poster
7.0

Hero is the story of a criminal transforming and evolving as a good person under the influence of love. Jackie is a baddie with a heart of gold though, who has to settle scores with the area's 'Thakur' and his police officer son Sanjeev Kumar. So he opts for kidnapping their soft spot, Radha, Thakur khandaan's only daughter. Radha is given to understand that Jackie and his gang are police people who have taken her away to the safety of jungles because their house has been invaded by dacoits. The rest of the story is about the gang's camaraderie with Radha in sylvan spots and the discovery of truth by Radha.

Hero

1983

Vidhaata poster
7.6

When a Police inspector is killed by a band of thugs, his grieving father Samsher Singh seeks justice. Pratap Singh has left behind a pregnant widow, who dies in chidbirth, leaving Samsher to bring up the child Kunal. The transformation of Samsher Singh (a locomotive engine driver) into Sobhraj, multi millionaire and owner of a vast network of business. Kunal is brought up by Abu Baba, a servant of Sobhraj to be honest, upright, and very independent minded. Durga, the daughter of a former employee of Sobhraj, who is serving time and Kunal fall in love. This not acceptable to his grandfather, though Abu Baba approves of the relationship. Disaster strikes when an attempt is made to separate the lovers. The life of Samsher Singh alias Sobhraj begins to unravel from here. How Kunal's ethical upbringing by his foster-father, and his financial and business circumstances of his grandfather meet in a titanic conscience clash and how he resolves matters is at the nexus of the plot.

Vidhaata

1982

The Chess Players poster
7.0

In the year 1856, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah is the King of Awadh, one of the last independent kingdoms of India. The British intend to control this rich land and send General Outram to clear way for an annexation. Pressure is mounting amidst intrigue and political maneuvers, but the Nawab whiles away his time in pursuit of pleasure and religious practice. The court is of no help either — noblemen Mir and Mirza ignore all duties and spend their days playing endless games of chess.

The Chess Players

1977

Nauker poster
6.5

A wealthy widower, Amar, swaps identities with his servant Dayal to test prospective brides. He ends up falling for Geeta, the household servant, while posing as Dayal.

Nauker

1979

Kaala Patthar poster
7.5

Vijay Singh is a disgraced former Merchant-Navy officer who is branded as a coward after he abandons his crew during an emergency. Guilt-ridden and trying to forget his past, he takes up work at a coal mine where he gets trapped with other miners after a flood hits them.

Kaala Patthar

1979

Purani Pehchan poster
NR

Sandhya (Tanuja) suffers from recurring nightmares in which she is stalked by a hideous, deformed witch. Eventually she begins to see the witch even when awake, tormenting her even further. At a party, Sandhya mistakes a beggar for the deformed creature of her dreams. She stabs the woman and is forced into an asylum for the criminally insane where she meets with a tragic death. Mourning their loss, Sandhya’s uncle (Tarun Bose), fiancé (Sanjeev Kumar) and best friend (Bela Bose) begin to see her ghost roaming about. Is it their imagination? Or has Sandhya returned to haunt them?

Purani Pehchan

1971

Seeta and Geeta poster
7.0

Long-suffering heiress Seeta is treated worse than a servant by her abusive money-grubbing aunt. Meanwhile, her long-lost twin sister Geeta grows up to be a gutsy street performer. One day, the girls unintentionally swap places.

Seeta and Geeta

1972

Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty poster
NR

An assortment of characters living near Juhu in Chowpahy meet, sharing comic, romantic and fight scenes.

Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty

1975

Imaan poster
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Imaan

1974

Abdullah poster
9.7

Abdullah has to fight oppression and torture as he tries to bring up the boy as a hindu where the majority are muslims.

Abdullah

1980

Jaani Dushman poster
7.1

Jwala Prasad is to marry the girl of his dreams. On the day of the marriage, she is dressed all in red, as is the tradition in India. Just before the wedding she slips off to meet her real lover. When Jwala finds out, be is so enraged at he turns into a monster and kills both the to-be bride and her male friend. The saga does not end here, and this monster continues to terrorize the region, first abducting brides dressed in red just before the wedding procession stops at a Mandir (temple).

Jaani Dushman

1979

Charitraheen poster
9.0

Inder and Rama fall in love with each other but due to a twist of fate, Inder marries someone else. However, things take an unexpected turn when Inder and Rama meet again after a few years.

Charitraheen

1974

Trishul poster
6.4

Vijay Kumar is the illegitimate son of a construction baron, Raj Kumar Gupta and his first love, Shanti, whom Raj had given up in order to marry a wealthy heiress. Raj does not know of this son, who grows up and after his mother's death comes to Delhi to take revenge on the Gupta family by destroying the family's business and their relation with each other.

Trishul

1978

Alaap poster
8.3

Dedicated to the memory of the great singers K. L. Saigal and Mukesh, this charming and unpretentious film offers a palate-cleansing change from the spicy “masala” epics that dominated its era, and features their superstar Amitabh Bachchan in a decidedly offbeat role.

Alaap

1977

Sabse Bada Sukh poster
8.0

Village born Lalloo re-locates to Bombay, and returns a wealthy man. He goes to meet his friend, Shankar alias Bhompu, and together they meet and share tales, mostly about women, sex, and playboy magazines' pictures. A Bollywood movie director is shooting a film nearby, and they go and meet him and his beautiful actress, Urvashi. After meeting Urvashi, Shankar feigns a racking cough, and tells his family that he must go to Bombay, and seek medical treatment. Together he and Lalloo take the next train to Bombay to see if they can find the biggest happiness in life.

Sabse Bada Sukh

1972

Meraa Dost Meraa Dushman poster
8.0

Shakti and Shaitan Singh are two brothers who belong to a gang of bandits, headed by the their dad, Bahadur Singh. One day while on a looting rampage in Jamalpur Village, Shakti is wounded and takes shelter with Harkishen and his daughter, Lali. He loses consciousness for several days, while the rest of the bandits think he is dead. When Shakti regains his senses he and Lali fall in love with each other, but Lali wants him to lead a honest life, and it is only then that he can marry her.

Meraa Dost Meraa Dushman

1984

Zabardast poster
7.0

A family man, Ratan, decides to commit a crime for Balram Singh, but keeps the bounty for himself. Singh sets his house on fire, and believing his family to be dead, Ratan goes on the run.

Zabardast

1985

Aashirwad poster
8.3

Aashirwad is a 1968 Bollywood film. Produced by N.C. Sippy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee, it is directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Ashok Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar.

Aashirwad

1968

Nishan poster
5.5

Twin princes separated at birth must foil an assassination attempt and take their rightful places as rulers of a kingdom.

Nishan

1965

No artwork available
9.0

This is the story of Murari who wants to become a filmstar. He runs away from his house and goes to Mumbai to become a superstar. When he reaches Mumbai his whole world turns upside down. Fortunately he finds a friend in Mr Dubey who also is a struggler to get a break in films. They face hardships and at times they have to sleep in local trains. By the Gods grace Murari (Asrani) gets work as Junior Artist and works hard remembering the words Dharmendra told him once when they had met. His hard work pays off and one day he becomes the superstar of the film industry. But what about the flip side? Will he forget his old friends who had helped him during his struggle?

Chala Murari Hero Banne

1977