Rajendra Kumar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Rajendra Kumar Tuli (1927-07-20)20 July 1927[1] |
| Died | 12 July 1999(1999-07-12) (aged 71) |
| Other names | Jubilee Kumar |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1949–1998 |
| Spouse | Shukla Tuli (?–1999) |
| Children | 3, includingKumar Gaurav |
| Relatives | Raju Patel (son-in-law) Ramesh Behl (brother-in-law) O. P. Ralhan (brother-in-law) |
| Honours | Padma Shri (1970)[2] |
Rajendra Kumar (born asRajendra Kumar Tuli; 20 July 1927 – 12 July 1999) was an Indian actor who starred inBollywood films. Starting his career in 1949, he worked in more than 80 films in a career spanning over four decades. Kumar is considered as one of the greatest and most successful actors inIndian cinema. He was popularly known as theJubilee Kumar during the 1960s, when he consecutively starred in several commercially successful films.[3]
Rajendra Kumar was born in aPunjabi HinduKhatri family inSialkot, in the Punjab province ofBritish India.[4] His grandfather was a successful military contractor and his father had a textile business inKarachi,Sindh, British India. During thePartition of India, the family had to leave all the land and property behind and move toIndia. When they came toBombay, Kumar decided to try his luck in the Hindi film industry. He never wanted to be a hero and took up work with directorH. S. Rawail as an assistant. For nearly five years, he worked with Rawail as an assistant in films likePatanga,Sagai,Pocket Maar.[5]
Kumar marriedShukla of theBehl family of Hindi films, a sister ofRamesh Behl andShyam Behl and aunt of their sonsGoldie Behl andRavi Behl.[6] He and Shukla had a son and two daughters. His sonKumar Gaurav is a former actor. His daughter Dimple was married to Hollywood film producerRaju Patel. His sister Manorama was married to Indian film producerO. P. Ralhan. His younger brother was film director Naresh Kumar.
Kumar acted withSunil Dutt andNargis in the filmMother India (1957) where Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar played sons of Nargis's character. He had a special relationship with Dutt and used to actively participate in campaigning for him, whenever the latter used to contest for elections. Kumar was best friends withRaj Kapoor, so much that his sonKumar Gaurav was engaged to the latter's daughter, Reema. However, their friendship fell apart after their children broke the engagement and Kumar Gaurav marriedSunil Dutt andNargis's daughter Namrata.[7]
After beginning his acting career with small roles inPatanga (1949) andJogan (1950), Rajendra Kumar appeared as a main lead inDevendra Goel'sVachan (1955) alongsideGeeta Bali.[8] The film emerged a hit and made him a known face.[9] This was followed byMehboob Khan'sepic drama filmMother India (1957), where he playedNargis's eldest son.[10] It opened to excellent audience response and went on to become anAll Time Blockbuster at the box office along with being the highest-grossing film of the 1957.[11][12]Mother India went on to win several accolades, including theNational Film Award for Best Feature Film (Hindi) and was also featured in the book1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.[13][14]
Kumar shot to stardom in 1959 with three back-to-back hits.[15] He first appeared inVijay Bhatt'sromantic musicalGoonj Uthi Shehnai.[16] It performed very well at the box office and proved to be a superhit.[17] His next releaseChirag Kahan Roshni Kahan was also hit at the box office andYash Chopra's directional debut, theromantic social dramaDhool Ka Phool, which went on to become a blockbuster as well as one of the highest earners of the year.[18] One of its song "Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega", sung byMohammed Rafi was a huge hit.[19] The following year, he co-starred alongsideAshok Kumar andNanda inB. R. Chopra'scourtroom dramaKanoon.[20] The film had no songs, however, it became a hit and went on to winNational Film Award for Best Feature Film (Hindi).[21][22][23]
1961 was the best year of Kumar's career with many successes. His first release, thedrama filmZindagi aur Khwab oppositeMeena Kumari was a critical and commercial hit.[24] He then appeared inMohan Kumar'sAas Ka Panchhi oppositeVyjayanthimala andS. S. Vasan'sGharana oppositeAsha Parekh, both of them where became blockbusters.[25] This was followed by another major hit inSasural and a moderate success inPyaar Ka Saagar.[26]
In 1963, Kumar's first release wasC. V. Sridhar'sromantic dramaDil Ek Mandir co-starringRaaj Kumar and Meena Kumari.[27] The film opened to highly positive response from critics and emerged as a blockbuster with Kumar receiving his first nomination in theFilmfare Award for Best Actor category.[28] The huge success ofDil Ek Mandir was followed by a hit inO. P. Ralhan'sGehra Daag.[22] His last release of the year wasH. S. Rawail's muslim socialMere Mehboob which also had Ashok Kumar andSadhana in the main lead.[29] The film topped the box office chart in 1963 and was given the verdict ofAll Time Blockbuster by the end of its run.[30] Its soundtrack composed byNaushad dominated the musical charts and was the second best-selling Hindi film album of the 1960s.[31]
With continuous flow of hits from 1959 onwards and many of his films running for a minimum 25 weeks (silver jubilee), Kumar earned the sobriquet ofJubilee Kumar and emerged as aSuperstar.[32][33]
In 1964, he delivered three major successes. His first release that year was Mohan Kumar'sAyee Milan Ki Bela co-starringSaira Banu andDharmendra.[34] It continued the success streak of Kumar and proved to be a superhit with receiving a nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Actor.[35] This was followed byRaj Kapoor's magnum opusSangam opposite Vyjayanthimala.[36] It received widespread acclaim, with high praise for its novel concept, direction, dialogue, costumes and performances of the cast, and is widely considered asHindi cinema's greatestlove triangle.[37][38] At the box office, it emerged as anAll Time Blockbuster and the second highest-grossing film of the 1960s behindMughal-E-Azam.[39][40] The music ofSangam was a huge chartbuster with songs which became popular like "Dost Dost Na Raha", "Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega", "Bol Radha Bol", "Yeh Mera Prem Patra" and emerged as the best-selling Hindi film album of the 1960s.[41] The mega success ofAyee Milan Ki Bela andSangam was followed by another superhit inRamanand Sagar's second directional ventureZindagi.[42] The next year, Kumar reunited with Ramanand Sagar for the romantic dramaArzoo oppositeSadhana.[43] The film did very well both critically and commercially, eventually became a blockbuster as well as one of thehighest-grossing films of 1965.[44] Owing to his subtle performance of a handicapped, Kumar received his third nomination forFilmfare Award for Best Actor which also turned out to be his last.[45]
In 1966, he starred inT. Prakash Rao's big-budgetswashbucklerRuritanian romanceSuraj.[46] The film backed up with superhit songs, including ""Baharon Phool Barsao", sung by Rafi and "Titli Udi Ud Jo Chali", a solo bySharda, went on to become a massive blockbuster and Kumar's sixth consecutive hit.[47][48] The following year, however, his successful run ended, with both of his releases,Aman andPalki, proving to be critical and commercial failures.[15] In 1968, he appeared in another of C. V. Sridhar's romantic dramaSaathi andLekh Tandon'sromantic comedyJhuk Gaya Aasman.[49]Saathi despite featuring some of the biggest stars of the time did average business, whileJhuk Gaya Aasman ended up as a box office flop upon release, but did well in re-runs later and attainedcult status owing to its unique storyline and music.[50][51]
In 1969,Rajesh Khanna gained nationwide success with his blockbustersAradhana andDo Raaste.[52] With Khanna’s rise, Kumar’s career began to lose some of its earlier momentum.[53] In 1969, he had three releases -Anjaana,Shatranj,Talash.Anjaana andTalash were successful butShatranj didn't do well at the box office.[22][48]
In 1970, Kumar continued to deliver hits in Ramanand Sagar'sGeet oppositeMala Sinha and his brother Naresh Kumar'sGanwaar opposite Vyjayanthimala. His other releases, including C. V. Sridhar'sDharti and Raj Kapoor'sMera Naam Joker, in which he played a small role, were failed commercially.[22][54] The next year, his sole release and final collaboration with Mohan Kumar took place for the romantic dramaAap Aye Bahaar Ayee opposite Sadhana andPrem Chopra.[55] The film backed up with melodious songs composed byLaxmikant–Pyarelal like "Mujhe Teri Mohabbat Ka Sahara", "Aap Aye Bahaar Ayee" and "Tumko Bhi To Aisa Kuchh Hota", were box office hit.[22]
In 1972, Kumar appeared alongsideHema Malini andRekha in another of Naresh Kumar's directional venture, theaction dramaGora Aur Kala.[56] A remake ofTamil mega hitNeerum Neruppum, was successful venture inHindi and emerged a blockbuster as well as the fifth highest grossing film of the year.[57] He then collaborated with Dharmendra and Mala Sinha for Ramanand Sagar'swar action filmLalkar.[58]Lalkar was one of the costliest films of its time, but managed to do average at the box office.[59] Following a brief hiatus, Kumar appeared inAdurthi Subba Rao'sSunehra Sansar (1975) and Naresh Kumar'sDo Jasoos (1975), both of which performed well commercially.[60] In the late-1970s, he starred in moderately successful films, such asDaku Aur Mahatma (1977),Shirdi Ke Sai Baba (1977),Sone Ka Dil Lohe Ke Haath (1978),Aahuti (1978) andBin Phere Hum Tere (1979), with exception beingSaawan Kumar Tak's hitdrama filmSaajan Bina Suhagan (1978), co-starringNutan andVinod Mehra.[61][62][63]
In 1981, Rajendra Kumar launched and acted alongside his sonKumar Gaurav in the romantic musicalLove Story.[64] The film was a huge blockbuster and one of the biggest hits of the year.[65] Its soundtrack composed byR. D. Burman was highly successful and the second best-selling Hindi film album of the 1980s.[66] ButLove Story proved to be the only huge successful film of his son's career.[67] Afterwards, Kumar did a guest appearance in another film with his sonStar (1982) and took up supporting roles in few films likeLovers (1983),Main Tere Liye (1988),Clerk (1989) but none of them were successful.[68][69]
In 1993, Kumar gave his last appearance inSingeetam Srinivasa Rao'saction dramaPhool, which he also produced.[70] It opened to negative response from critics and didn't performed well commercially.[71]
Kumar refused to take any medication as he was dealing with cancer, he died of heart attack at the age of 71 on 12 July 1999, just a day after his son's 43rd birthday and just 8 days before his 72nd birthday.[72]
The then Prime ministerAtal Bihari Vajpayee condoled his death and expressed profound grief. I & B MinisterPramod Mahajan said "The world of cinema has become poorer by his death." State minister for I & B,Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said, "The death of the veteran actor, who swayed the emotions of the cinegoers, is a great loss to the industry".[22]
Kumar is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Hindi cinema.[74][75] Known for his acting and mannerism, he earned the nickname ofJubilee Kumar as five or six of his films used to run simultaneously for 25 weeks.[32] Despite giving back-to-back massive hits, Kumar never won anyFilmfare Award.[76] One of the highest paid actors from the late-1950s to 1960s, Kumar appeared inBox Office India's "Top Actors" list seven times, (1961, 1963–1968). He topped the list six times (1963-1968).[15]
Dinesh Raheja ofRediff.com noted that Rajendra Kumar "fitted the bill, both literally and figuratively, perfectly". His ability to charm women in musical romances with his "bashful smile" that invariably reached his lovelorn eyes. His "gestural style of acting" became a signature, as did "his quivering lips and emotion-laden voice".[77] In 2020, Author Seema Sonik Alimchand published a book namedJubilee Kumar - The Life and Times of Superstar based on Kumar's life journey. Devdan Mitra said, "For much of the 60s, Rajendra Kumar strode the Hindi film world like a colossus. Therefore, it is surprising that not much has been written about the man whose film career lasted close to 45 years as an actor and a producer and whose life’s journey reflected the trials and tribulations of the generation affected by the ravages of Partition. This book on Kumar attempts to fill the void."[78] Sunil Dutt admired Kumar as a person by saying, "Even though Rajendra Kumar did not win any award throughout his career, he was one of the most genuine human beings I have ever encountered. When I was struggling with the troubles related to the arrest of my sonSanjay Dutt and my house was repeatedly being searched by means of numerous police raids, Rajendra Kumar was the one who came to my rescue by staying at my house and ensuring that raids were conducted using due procedures, false evidences were not planted in the house and valuables were not stolen."[7] Disha Bagchi ofThePrint called him "Bollywood's Jubilee King" and wrote that Bollywood could never repay the kindness when Kumar’s career began to plateau in the 1970s. He focused his energies on building a successful film career for his son. But, he will be remembered for "his powerful performances, kind demeanor and generosity".[5]
In 2022, he was placed inOutlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actors" list.[79]
| Films as actor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1949 | Patanga | N/A | |
| 1950 | Jogan | Raj | |
| 1955 | Vachan | Kishore | |
| 1956 | Toofan Aur Deeya | Satish Sharma / Masterji | |
| Aawaz | Ashok | ||
| 1957 | Mother India | Ramu | |
| Ek Jhalak | |||
| Duniya Rang Rangeeli | Shyam | ||
| 1958 | Devar Bhabhi | Ramu | |
| Ghar Sansar | Deepak | ||
| Khazanchi | Harish Mohan | ||
| Talaq | Ravi Shankar Chaube | ||
| 1959 | Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan | Dr. Anand | |
| Dhool Ka Phool | Mahesh Kapoor | ||
| Do Behnen | Ramesh | ||
| Goonj Uthi Shehnai | Kishan | ||
| Santan | Mohanlal Verma | ||
| 1960 | Kanoon | Advocate Kailash Khanna | |
| Maa Baap | Raj Kumar 'Raju' | ||
| Mehndi Rang Lagyo | Anil | Gujarati Film | |
| Patang | Dr. Rajan | ||
| 1961 | Zindagi Aur Khwab | Inspector Manoj | |
| Aas Ka Panchhi | Rajan 'Raju' Khanna | ||
| Dharmputra | party leader | Special Appearance | |
| Amar Rahe Yeh Pyar | Advocate Iqbal Hussain | ||
| Gharana | Kamal | ||
| Pyaar Ka Saagar | Kishan Chand Gupta | ||
| Sasural | Shekhar | ||
| Sanjog | Guest Role | ||
| 1963 | Akeli Mat Jaiyo | Prince Amardeep | |
| Dil Ek Mandir | Dr. Dharmesh | Nominated –Filmfare Award for Best Actor | |
| Gehra Daag | Shankar | ||
| Hamrahi | Shekhar | ||
| Mere Mehboob | Anwar | ||
| 1964 | Sangam | Magistrate Gopal Verma | Nominated –Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Ayee Milan Ki Bela | Shyam | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actor | |
| Zindagi | Rajendra 'Rajan' | ||
| 1965 | Arzoo | Gopal / Sarju | Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actor |
| 1966 | Suraj | Suraj Singh | |
| 1967 | Palki | Naseem Baig | |
| Aman | Dr. Gautamdas | ||
| 1968 | Saathi | Ravi | |
| Jhuk Gaya Aasman | Sanjay / Tarun Kumar 'Battu' 'Pappu' Saxena | ||
| 1969 | Anjaana | Raju | |
| Shatranj | Jai/Vijay/Shinranz | ||
| Talash | Raj Kumar 'Raju' | ||
| 1970 | Mera Naam Joker | Rajendra Kumar | |
| Geet | Suraj 'Sarju' Kumar | ||
| Ganwaar | Gopal Rai / Garibdas | ||
| Dharti | Bharat | ||
| 1971 | Aap Aye Bahaar Ayee | Kumar Verma | |
| 1972 | Tangewala | Raju / Rai Bahadur Kishandas / Dilbahadur Khan | |
| Gora Aur Kala | Karan Singh / Kali Singh (Kalua) | Double Role | |
| Gaon Hamara Shaher Tumhara | Brij "Birju" Bhushan | ||
| Aan Baan | Suraj | ||
| Lalkaar | Wing Commander Rajan Kapoor | ||
| 1974 | Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam | Boatsman | |
| Do Sher | Shera | Punjabi film | |
| 1975 | Do Jasoos | Karamchand Jasoos | |
| Rani Aur Lalpari | Rani's Father | ||
| Sunehra Sansar | Chandrashekhar | ||
| Teri Meri Ik Jindri | Jaggar Singh Fauji | Special Appearance | |
| 1976 | Mazdoor Zindabaad | Ram Singh | |
| 1977 | Daku Aur Mahatma | Laxman singh/Dilawar singh | |
| Shirdi Ke Sai Baba | Doctor (Pooja's Husband) | ||
| 1978 | Sone Ka Dil Lohe Ke Haath | Shankar | |
| Aahuti | CID Inspector Ram Prasad / Rocky | ||
| Saajan Bina Suhagan | Raj Kumar | ||
| 1979 | Bin Phere Hum Tere | Jagdish Sharma | |
| 1980 | Gunehgaar | Madan | |
| Badla Aur Balidan | Barrister Avinash Kumar | ||
| Dhan Daulat | Raj Saxena | ||
| Oh Bewafa | R K | ||
| Saajan Ki Saheli | Barrister Avinash Kumar | ||
| 1981 | Yeh Rishta Na Tootay | Police Inspector Vijay Kumar | |
| Love Story | Vijay Mehra | ||
| 1982 | Rustom | J. D. Mehta | |
| 1983 | Lovers | Christian Priest | |
| 1988 | Main Tere Liye | Shiva | |
| 1989 | Clerk | Rahim U. Khan | |
| 1991 | Insaaf Ka Khoon | Judge Kumar | |
| 1993 | Phool | Dharamraaj | Also Producer |
| TV show | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Channel | Notes |
| 1995 | Andaz | Zee TV | one episode | |
| Vansh | Zee TV | RK Films | ||
| Films as producer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Director | Notes |
| 1970 | The Train | Ravikant Nagaich | |
| 1981 | Love Story | Rahul Rawail | |
| 1983 | Lovers | Bharathiraja | |
| 1986 | Naam | Mahesh Bhatt | |
| 1991 | Jurrat | David Dhawan | also editor |
| 1993 | Phool | Singeetam Srinivasa Rao | |
| 1994 | The Jungle Book | Stephen Sommers | (co-executive producer) |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
