For Sanjeev Kumar, it was the role, and what he could do with it, that mattered.
Videos: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff.com
Harihar Jethalal Jariwala.
He was born on July 9, 1938, in Surat and passed away, at the young age of 47, on November 6, 1985, in Mumbai.
By that time, his skill as an actor had won multiple honours, including two National Awards.
His competition included the leading stars of the time -- Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna and Shashi Kapoor, among others.
But he had no qualms playing older characters, and even their father, on screen.
For Sanjeev Kumar, as the cinematic world knows him -- or Haribhai, as his friends did -- it was the role, and what he could do with it, that mattered.
In a salute to this superbly talented and much loved actor, author Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta and Sanjeev Kumar's nephew, Uday Jariwala, teamed up to write Sanjeev Kumar: The Actor We All Loved (HarperCollins India).
As an actor, Sanjeev Kumar had many firsts to his credit.
Did you know that Anil Kapoor, who released the book, has acted with Sanjeev Kumar? And that, as Anil reveals, he could never have become an actor if not for Sanjeev Kumar?*
When Sanjeev Kumar was a great off-screen uncle and a great on-screen father...
Sanjeev Kumar and paaya parties...
Why Sanjeev Kumar reminds Anil Kapoor of Robert De Niro?
Why the world will never forget Sanjeev Kumar.
Anil Kapoor with the star he loved.
*Sanjeev Kumar and Anil Kapoor acted together in Hamare Tumhare (1979). In Hum Paanch (1980), which was produced by Anil's father Surinder Kapoor, and executive-produced by Anil's elder brother Boney Kapoor, Anil played an extra where needed and was outdoor in charge as part of the additional crew.
