Sanjeev Kumar

Sanjeev Kumar born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala and fondly known as Haribhai was born in Surat Gujarat into a traditional Gujarati family In childhood his family moved to Mumbai where his passion for cinema blossomed He enrolled in a reputed film institute which marked the beginning of his journey in Indian cinema Gifted with immense talent he rose to become one of the most versatile and respected actors in the industry He had a sister and two younger brothers and was fluent in Gujarati Hindi and English Sanjeev began his career on stage with IPTA and the Indian National Theatre Even at 22 he impressed audiences by portraying elderly characters such as in All My Sons and Damru directed by AK Hangal He made his screen debut with a small role in Hum Hindustani 1960 and got his first lead in Nishan 1965 He acted in Gujarati films Kalapi 1966 and Mare Javun Pele Par 1968 His breakthrough came with Khilona 1970 a Hindi remake of the latter He starred in notable films like Sangharsh 1968 Sachaai 1969 and even in an IndoIranian film in 1972 Sanjeev Kumar won the National Film Award for Best Actor twice for Dastak 1971 and Koshish 1973 He also won Filmfare Awards for Shikar 1969 Sholay 1975 Aandhi 1976 and Arjun Pandit 1977 Trishul 1979 Angoor and Vidhaata1983cementing his legacy as one of Indian cinemas greatest performers As part of his government recognition several honours have been bestowed upon Sanjeev Kumar in his hometown of Surat A prominent road named Sanjeev Kumar Marg stands as a lasting tribute inaugurated by veteran actor Sunil Dutt Additionally a school bearing his name was opened by the then Mayor Kadir K Pirzada On a national level India Post released a commemorative postage stamp in his honour on 3 May 2013 marking his immense contribution to Indian cinema One of the most notable tributes is the Sanjeev Kumar Auditorium a stateoftheart facility built by the Surat Municipal Corporation at a cost of 108 crore This cultural landmark was inaugurated on 14 February 2014 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi now Indias Prime Minister Sanjeev Kumar Udhyan in Mota Varachha was officially inaugurated by the Surat Municipal Corporation on 5 June 2018 TMDB mini biography by Ashvin Borad