Today is Sanjeev Kumar’s death anniversary. So check out this Filmfare article on him with quotes from his interviews.
Tags: Aandhi Angoor Anubhav Arjun Pandit B.R. Chopra Balraj Sahni Blast from the Past Dharmendra Dilip Kumar Exclusive Filmfare Gulzar Hema Malini Hum Hindustani Interviews Khilona Koshish Manoj Kumar Mausam Meera Naya Din Nayi Raat Nishan Nutan Pati Patni Aur Woh Retro Sanjeev Kumar Seeta Aur Geeta Shatranj Ke Khilari Shikhar Sholay SunghurshSanjeev Kumar – Filmfare Article
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Biography of Sanjeev Kumar Have a look.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ld5KozcguX8
Please publish more on SK a great actor – much missed.
Have not been able to find any interviews of his. Will surely post if I find them.
I feel the best actor of indian cinema with deleep saab.. Nobody can match both, nd Sanjeev never copied deleep saab. Wish I could hv seen him more
Prefer SK over DK, specially since he didnt get to do much work but still regarded so highly.
i think DK is highly regarded because of acting, not the number of films.
and SK is also regarded highly because of acting.
if i take your funda and apply to Amitabh and DK, amitabh should be regarded more than DK
I have one of his interview in Hindi .. will find and post
If one dies young, he does not get the chance to build a body of work, without which building a reputation is even more difficult for any actor.
I think he had a good body of work. And Sanjeev played lot of old roles even while he was young. I think he is one of the rare young actors in Bollywood who could play old man roles so well. Ironically for someone who played so many old roles he did not live to be a old man in real life.
Yes the irony was very tragic. I like his body of work (he acted for 20-25 yrs – and actors did a lot more work back then), but keep feeling he cud have done so much more. He died at 47 – thats the age that our Irfan is today.
Also longer u manage to hang arnd, its helps ur reputation. Amitabh’s reputation increased with his return thru KBC/old-roles and he is still one of the most recognizable brands of bollywood – even though he has only just been arnd for many yrs without major successes (at least BO wise).
DK was working in the nineties and is more recognizable to the younger generation – main reason why his name comes up more often in online discussion these days than RK/DA. Also the better actor usually does better when they shift to character roles with age.
Today a SRK/Aamir/Salman movie may do 200 cr along with say a hrithik movie (he is only star in that age range, so cant club him with anyone). Credit usually will go more to the Khan mainly becoz ‘hey he has been giving such hits for last 20 yrs’ – but in reality a guy like Salman was probably not even a A-lister for a decade within those 20 yr or aamir was hardly a major BO player for a similar time.
Longevity is more useful for stars than any success – coz if they can hang arnd there is always the chance of hitting a winning streak now and then. SK was not exactly a star (more like Abhay Deol kind of actor) but same goes for them too.
Agree that longevity matters.
Dilip I think had only two hits in the 60s (Ganga Jamuna and Ram Aur Shyam from less releases though) and Rajendra Kumar was the top star during the 60s. He had a horrible 70s but his comeback in the 80s in prominent older roles changed the narrative for him and enhanced his reputation. It made it seem like he was always there from the late 40s.
Same thing with Amitabh’s comeback and now Rishi’s reputation has been enhanced since his comeback in older roles.
I think DK played the vital role in making Saudagar (91) a big hit. And his acting chops became more prominent when pitted against the stylized mannerisms of Raaj Kumar. When it comes to ‘gravitas’ – DK is way ahead of Amitabh or anyone else. That is ironical, since DK was the ‘tragic romantic hero’ while Amitabh was ‘angry young man’.
Amitabh’s attempts to be ‘all-rounder’ in the eighties masala did cost him a lot on the long run. It is irritating to see Amitabh still trying to dance (or whatever weird jhatkas he does) on TV at this age. (And it definitely was more ridiculous than SRK’s hamming in KANK.)
i was talking abt acting… not reputation, or sucess, fame… so acting doesn’t matter on longevity. if u have done 25-30 good films, then u can understand the acting potential i guess.
btw agree with you o the issue which u describe… and agree with sputnik
Sanjeev Kumar Interview from 1977
Which are the roles that Sanjeev Kumar, among our more competent actors, found satisfying?
âVery few indeed,â Sanjeev smiled. âI enjoyed doing the roles in âNaya Din Nayee Raatâ, âAnubhavâ,âKoshishâ, âVishwasghatâ, âKhilonaâ, âAandhiâ and âMausamâ.
âNaya Din Nayee Raatâ offered the maximum challenge: it was the most difficult role of my career so far. I portrayed nine different characters. They were not just nine disguises; they were nine different people. Normally when a hero is in disguise he can take all the liberties he wants: even if your false moustache comes off the public wonât bother because they know you are in disguise.
âBut when you are playing different characters the public very minutely watches and tries to compare the different characÂters. Thatâs why I consider my role in `Naya Din Nayee Raatâ a difficult one.â
In portraying this role SanÂjeev admits he had received a lot of help from Sarosh Modi, his make-up man, and from the filmâs writer and the director (Shim Singh). Unfortunately, the film didnât run well and he was quite depressed. âAfter putting in all that hard work if people are not going to see what you have done how can you help feeling depressed?â
Sanjeev considers his role in âKoshishâ his best performance so far. âThe main reason for this,â he says is the last scene, the climax of the film, the scene between the father and the son, which is totally meant for the actor. In that scene, I did not have any dialogue to speak, nor did I have any particular caÂmera placing to help my perforÂmance; it was completely the actorâs scene. Normally it is very difficult to get that type of a scene, where the director solely depends on the actor. If it had flopped it would have been my failure, no one elseâs. I must thank Gulzar for giving me that scene, for placing all the confidence in me.
To a very large extent an actorâs performance would deÂpend upon the director and script, Sanjeev says, âWithout a director, without a script, you can do nothing. The script is the most important factor and then comes the director who transforms the script into a film. Many a bad performance can be saved by a good script and good direction. The direcÂtor would know where to cut the shot, whether the actor has failed in the performance, wheÂther to change the camera angles and light up the scene or the shot in a particular manner so that the faults of the actor are suppressed, or that certain feaÂtures of the actor would give just the impression of what the scene demands.
âThe same way a good performance can be ruined by bad editingâ, he went on. âNow if I have an emotional scene, and if I have to speak in the scene and if I have to express my feelings with just my eyes and if the camera is kept someÂwhere behind me, the whole scene would be a waste. If the scene is taken just on the reÂaction of the other character and I am not seen, well, that scene is a waste as far as I am concerned. Of course it does happen that way sometimes but it must be for a certain effect, or purpose. Otherwise it goes waste. So I would say the script and the director can save a bad performance and also ruin a good performanceâ
Does he relish playing old menâs roles? âLooks like it,â Sanjeev said smiling. âThe way my films have been going these last few months, or years.. Most of them are old characters so I cannot say I donât like them.â
The very first role that he played was that of an old man. It was a stage play. He was just 21 and the character that he played was that of an old man aged 60, with six children. And guess who played his wife in the play, Shabana Azmiâs mother, Shaukat Azmi!
Later he again played an old man in an adaptation of ArÂthur Millerâs âAll My Sonsâ and Leela Chitnis played his wife! âThese two plays gave me a reputation as an actor. A. K. Hangal was the director of the first play, and I am thankful to him that he did not give me the heroâs role in it though it was a very good role. So my first step into acting started with characterization. And being my first play, my first role, I went completely after the character and tried to imagine how he must have been, his mannerisms, his way of walking, talking, and so on.
âBut when I am playing a romantic hero, the so-called hero, I feel I have to be just myself; which is what most heroes do. Well it is just that way; you cannot say anybody is wrong or right. For example I was playing the hero in âUljhanâ where I didnât play an elderly character, I just playÂed the hero, I had to be just myself. And you do not get your battery charged unless you have something new to do. But in âUljhanâ I had to be just myself. There was no challenge for the actor.
âThere have been occasions when I have refused heroesâ roles and in turn accepted roles of elderly characters. I do not have any inhibitions about playÂing any roles.â
How does he establish rapÂport with his director? âMy experience is you do not deliÂberately try to establish rapÂport with the director. Either it is there or it isnât there. If you are not on the same wavelength no matter how much the actor tries or no matter how much the director tries, it is useless. In just a couple of days you realize whether you can get along well with him or not. At least that has been my exÂperienceâ
Sanjeev confesses that he has not liked several of his own performances. âSome films are yet to be released and I wouldnât like to name them because the producers might sue me for giving bad publicity to their films.â What about films alÂready released? âWell, there is âRocky Mera Naamâ and I have conveniently forgotten the other names.
âComing back to the question of rapport with the director there have been instances when, a director with whom I have discussed in private a few scenes and a few things I would like to do in the film, comes on the sets and tells me just the same things I had told him earlier. Which means the diÂrector is not confident of himÂself. He just repeats what I have told him and shows off as if that was his own contribution to the filth, I feel quite hurt about such things; I think it is very childish for the director to behave thus. In such circumÂstances I lose interest in the film.â
He continued: âThen someÂtimes you find the producer does not have enough finance; he has not paid the staff, he has not paid meâof course I can forget about my payment. Are you surprised? I know I am branded a kanjoos but let me assure you I donât care about my payment so much in such circumstances; but the rest of the unit membersâhow can he expect them to work with interest and enthusiasm? Then the heroine gives the dates as if she is obliging the producer. You canât make a good film in such an atmosphere. The film is a joint effort, you need everyone associated with it charged up. And when the actor loses interest, it is surely going to affect his own work in the film. With this type of director or producer I do not repeat myself; so that I do not give a repeat bad performance.â
Sanjeev Kumar says he is very keen on directing a film. He had been thinking about it for a long time now âBut I know that requires a lot of conÂcentration, a lot of time which I cannot spare now. It is a big responsibility which means when I take up direction I will be doing only that and nothing else. I might act in that film or I might not, it depends on whether I get a suitable role. It is a long way off though. How can I take up direction when I am working in so many films? It is a tough job, the directorâs and I do intend doing it, but a little later.â
Sanjeev says he has a numÂber of good roles on hand. Nagi Reddiâs âYehi Hai Zindagiâ is one of them. In the first half he plays a poor worker, devoted to his wife and children and through his industry he becomes a millionaire. But he realizes he was happier in the days when he was poor. âThis again is an elderly character,â he remarkÂed. âThe role is very important because it is a one-man show: right from the first frame to the last, the whole film is on my shoulder.â
âIn Gulshan Raiâs âTrishulâ, directed by Yash Chopra, I am an old man too,â he continued. âGuess who are my children in the film, Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan. It is a tough role and thatâs why I am doing it. There is another good role in Raj Kumar Kohliâs film, I donât remember the title. It is the type of role that I have not done so far.
âTwo other movies I like are Khalid Akhtarâs âLadiesâ Tailorâ and B. R. Chopraâs âPati, Patni our Wohâ. Both are social satires, comedies and I am very fond of doing comedy roles. I am not an old man in these movies.
âThen of course there is MaÂnikdaâs (Satyajit Ray) film, âShatranj ke Khilariââthis role too has a slight touch of comeÂdy about it which I like. That would be one of my most imÂportant films of 1977. Here I am playing a character obsessed with the game of chess. Again this is not an old manâs role.â
Does he wish to play any particular role? âFrom the beÂginning I have never thought of playing any particular characÂter; I have always kept myself open. But there are some chaÂracters that I would be happy to portray: for instance, the Hunchback of Notredame, the role in âWuthering Heightsâ. âDr. Jekyl and Mr. Hydeâ. These roles demand something more from the actor than others!
âI have also a great fascinaÂtion for lawyerâs roles. My moÂther always says I should have been a lawyer, hearing me argue when we have some conÂtroversy. I love discussions, arguments, it is in my nature. In playing a lawyer you get a lot of scope for using mannerÂisms, you can use a little style. In the court room scenes, beÂcause you are not involved you can give a stylized performance sometimes, And lawyers are supposed to dramatize things and so you can over-dramatize a little.â
Talking of his favorite direcÂtors Sanjeev said: âI liked a lot working with Basu BhattaÂcharya and I am looking forÂward to working with Basu Chatterji. K. Asif and Gulzar are both favorites. I like Vijay Anand; also Mahesh Bhatt whom I find very promising. I have enjoyed working with Ravi Tandon and Ramesh Sippy. As for Manikda, it is a great experience working with him.
âBut I must confess I have enjoyed best working with Mahesh Kaul. He was an actor himself; he had the ability to convey in just one sentence how he wanted you to do a scene: You knew exactly what he wanted when you were working with him.â
What safeguards does he take for the box office success of his films? âNone at all. I think they are useless, these so-called safeguards. Nobody can predict the success or failure of a film. Even big producers like Raj Kapoor have not been able to. do it. You know the fate of `Mera Naam Jokerâ. Dilip Kumar who makes one film in two years must be taking all the safeÂguards, but then you know with what results. I do not think anybody can predict success or failure. As far as I am concernÂed I first make sure the role is satisfying and challenging, And that it is being handled by a competent director. If I am satisfied with these I do the film and try to give my best. I do not worry about a filmâs fate at the box office. No release fever for me. I agree with what Raj Kapoor said once in ansÂwer to the question âWhat does the audience want?â He said: âWhat the audience wants the audience itself does not know.â I think the best policy is to try and give your best and leave it to the audience.â (As interviewed by V. S. Gopalakrishnan in 1977)
Link
There is a documentry out on SK next year “in search of late Sanjeev Kumar” I’m quite excited about it. Also Sholay 3-D out in January. It will be good seeing SK on the big screen.