Career
Sanjeev Kumar made his debut in the film Hum Hindustani in 1960. Sanjeev's first film as a hero was the 1965 Nishan. In 1968, he played opposite the famous actor Dilip Kumar in Sangharsh. In 1970, Khilona made him a star. He went on to star in the hits Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Manchali (1973) and Aap Ki Kasam. He started working with the well-known director Gulzar in the early 1970's. He did nine films with Gulzar, including Koshish (1973), Aandhi(1975), Mausam (1975), Angoor (1981) and Namkeen (1982). Sanjeev Kumar deservedly won the BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) for his outstanding performance of a deaf and mute person in Koshish in which the female lead was played by Jaya Bhaduri, who acted as his deaf and mute wife and was nominated for Best Actor award in Filmfare for the same role. Many of his fans believe that these are some of the best films that he did. He will always be remembered as Thakur of Sholay which was released in August 1975. His character in Sholay is the most prominent of all the characters played by him. He started with C Grade stunt cinemas and rose to the heights of being the most versatile actors of Hindi cinemas.
He was endowed with excellent comic timing with which he entertained audiences in films like Seeta Aur Geeta, Biwi O Biwi, Pati, Patni Aur Woh, Angoor and Hero to name a few.
He was always ready to take unconventional roles that challenged him as an actor. He played Mirza Sajjad Ali, a chess-obsessed Lucknowi (citizen of Lucknow), in Satyajit Ray's classic Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977). Perhaps his best-remembered roles were in the blockbuster films Sholay (1975) and Trishul (1978). In Naya Din Nayi Raat (1974) Sanjeev Kumar reprised the nine-role epic performance by Sivaji Ganesan in Navarathiri (1964), which was also previously reprised by Akkineni Nageswara Rao in Navarathri (Telugu; 1966). This film has enhanced his status and reputation as a serious actor in Hindi cinema.
Sanjeev Kumar has always been regarded as one of the most talented and versatile actors ever in Hindi cinema. He stood his ground against leading superstars such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor in the Yash Chopra multi star cast film Trishul (1978) and with Dilip Kumar in the Subhash Ghai film Vidhaata (1982).
During the early 1980's, Sanjeev Kumar did more supporting roles than playing the lead. In 1980, he starred in a Punjabi movie Fauji Chacha.
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