Today, we will talk about the actor who predicted his own death.
During the dominance of stars like Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar stood out by choosing roles of much older characters. Unlike other actors who played younger roles, Kumar often portrayed grandfathers and older men.
Today, let's take a look at his life:
1. Early Life
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Sanjeev Kumar, born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala on July 9, 1938, in Surat, moved to Mumbai as a child. After attending film school, he became a renowned Bollywood actor, celebrated as one of Indian cinema's greatest. Kumar had two younger brothers and one sister and spoke Gujarati, Hindi, and English fluently.
2. Career
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Sanjeev Kumar began his acting career on stage with IPTA and the Indian National Theatre, often playing older roles. He made his film debut in Hum Hindustani (1960) and became a lead actor with Nishan (1965). He gained prominence with Khilona (1970) and worked with director Gulzar in films like Parichay (1972) and Koshish (1973), earning acclaim for his portrayal of a deaf and mute person. Kumar starred in successful films such as Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Manchali (1973), and Aap Ki Kasam (1974). He also appeared in Tamil cinema and worked with various actresses, including L. Vijayalakshmi, Mala Sinha, Tanuja, Raakhee, and Moushumi Chatterjee.
3. Proposed to Hema Malini
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During the filming of Sholay, Sanjeev Kumar reportedly made an unexpected marriage proposal to Hema Malini, unaware that she was already dating Dharmendra, who was also in the film. After this, he remained single.
4. Predicted his own death
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Sanjeev Kumar, known as Hari Bhai, eerily predicted his early death, joking that he played older roles because he wouldn't live past 50 like his family. He had said, "I’m not going to turn old, as I will not live beyond 50, much like the men in my family. So, I might as well experience old age on screen.”
This casual remark became a haunting prediction when Sanjeev Kumar tragically passed away from a heart attack on November 6, 1985, at the age of 47.
5. Death
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After bypass surgery in the U.S., Sanjeev Kumar died from a heart attack on November 6, 1985, at 47. His younger brother Nikul had died before him, and another brother, Kishore, passed away six months later. More than ten movies featuring Kumar were released posthumously, with Professor Ki Padosan (1993) being the last, altered to fit the incomplete status of Kumar's character.
