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Mint
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
THIS Bollywood outsider rose to fame, clashed with Rajesh Khanna, couldn't be with Shabana Azmi, later died alone
Bollywood has seen many actors; Among them, one has carved a niche for himself in Bollywood as a true outsider, defying the odds. Renowned for picking intense, offbeat roles over typical hero parts, this actor became one of the industry's most respected performers. But while his professional life soared, his personal journey was filled with heartbreak. Even his contemporaries, such as superstar Rajesh Khanna, didn't like him once. He once shared a deep bond with Shabana Azmi, but their relationship couldn't take things further. It is none other than actor Sanjeev Kumar. Born as Harihar Jethalal Jariwala, Sanjeev Kumar hailed from Surat. He bagged his first Bollywood film after a stint in a film school. Sanjeev Kumar started his career as a stage actor and later made his film debut with Hum Hindustani (1960), but it was Nishan (1965) that marked his true first lead role. He went on to deliver iconic performances in classics like Koshish, Aandhi, Sholay, Angoor, and Trishul, cementing his place in the industry. With success comes rivalry. Sanjeev clashed with Rajesh Khanna on several occasions. Their most infamous one is from the time when Rajesh slapped Sanjeev. It happened after dating rumours between Sanjeev Kumar and Rajesh Khanna's ex-girlfriend Anju Manhendru began doing the rounds in the industry. Anju had told Filmfare, "I never fell in love with Sanjeev Kumar. For me, he was just my mother's brother. There was an actress who had spread the rumour that I was dating Sanjeev Kumar. Even my ex-boyfriend (Rajesh Khanna) started believing the same." Years later, Rajesh and Sanjeev worked together in a film where the former had to slap the latter for a scene. It is believed that Rajesh did not hold it back while slapping him for real. Anju Mahendru reported that the infamous slap was out of sheer jealousy. Besides Anju, Sanjeev was also rumoured to be dating other actresses. Many remember Sanjeev Kumar as the actor who almost married Hema Malini. The two met on the sets of Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), and the actor fell in love with her. However, he had a condition-- that Hema would stop working after marriage. As a result, the two parted their ways. While many might remember their break-up, not many know that Sanjeev also shared a soft corner for actor Shabana Azmi. Turns out, Shabana, who liked him back, if reports are true. However, their relationship never moved forward, reportedly because of religious differences; his mother had an objection to having a Muslim daughter-in-law. In an interview, published in the December 1979 issue of Star & Style, Sanjeev Kumar revealed, 'I knew Shabana for a longer period than I had known any other girl in films. What she felt for me that time must've been mere puppy love, but it could have culminated in an alliance with me if my mother had not put her foot firmly down. My mother, tolerant in other respects, was adamant about her refusal to accept a Muslim bahu.' The actor suffered in his personal life. It is said that after a time, Sanjeev Kumar stopped trusting women, believing that they were only after his wealth. Sanjeev's makeup artiste, Sarosh Mody, revealed about his love life in an interaction in 1982, 'Every woman whom Sanjeev loved and yearned for, ditched him, leaving him high and dry. His ego is terribly hurt. Sanjeev is suffering from some kind of a complex. Luck has never been in his favour.' Turns out, in the end, the actor never had two things in life despite money: a home and a wife. Sanjeev drowned himself in alcohol until he suffered his first heart attack. Anju Mahendroo was quoted as saying in an interview, as reported by Indian Express, "He was charming, he had a wonderful smile. They tried wooing him by sending him dabbas. Some women were genuinely in love with him. But he believed they were after his wealth, which was so sad because at the end of the day he had neither a home nor a wife.' 'He had stopped going out to prevent himself from eating and drinking. He was aware that premature death ran in his family, what with an inherited congenital heart condition. He'd keep saying that in his family, the men didn't live beyond 50," she added. Tragically, Sanjeev passed at 47 in 1985, alone, due to another heart attack. Although he came close to buying a house, reports suggest he was never able to take ownership due to legal disputes with the seller's family.
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sanjeev Kumar ‘numbered' his girlfriends, feared gold-diggers; died without home or wife after failed relationships with Hema Malini, Shabana Azmi
Sanjeev Kumar's life story is nothing short of a film. Coming from a middle-class Gujarati family in Surat, Gujarat, Sanjeev was among the few aspiring outsiders who made it big in the Hindi film industry. Though he may not have enjoyed the same popularity as his contemporaries like Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, and Shatrughan Sinha, he earned a cult following through character-driven performances in films like Khilona, Aandhi, Mausam, Namkeen, Koshish, Anamika, and more. He was also one of the rare actors who didn't shy away from experimenting with roles early on, even playing older characters in films like Trishul and Sholay while still in his 30s. While his fans fondly remember his powerful on-screen presence, Sanjeev's personal life also remained in the spotlight. The actor was popular among women, and he didn't shy away from admitting it. In an old interview with Filmfare, actor Anju Mahendroo, who shared a close friendship with Sanjeev, recalled how the actor used to number his girlfriends. She said, 'Whenever he was seeing a girl, he'd share it with me. We had numbered his girlfriends 1, 2, 3… He'd call up and say, 'Number 3 called me up today and number 9 reacted in this manner'.' Sanjeev was linked to many actresses in his lifetime, including Saira Banu, Hema Malini, Jayshree T, Shabana Azmi, and Sulakshana Pandit. However, his love story with Hema Malini drew the most attention. At the time, Hema had many suitors — Jeetendra wanted to marry her, and so did Dharmendra. She grew close to Sanjeev on the sets of Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), and the actor expressed his desire to marry her. However, Sanjeev's condition that she stop working after marriage ended their relationship. 'The cultural difference did not pose a hurdle, but Hema Malini's film career became a bone of contention,' the book An Actor's Actor mentions. Actor Sulakshana Pandit was deeply in love with Sanjeev Kumar, opposite whom she made her acting debut in Uljhan (1975). She even proposed marriage to Sanjeev, but he turned her down, as he was in love with Hema at the time. His rejection reportedly left Sulakshana heartbroken, and she never married. Sanjeev was also infatuated with Shabana Azmi and knew she had a fondness for him too. However, due to religious differences and his mother's disapproval of having a Muslim daughter-in-law, he never pursued the relationship. In an interview with Vijaya Irani in the December 1979 issue of Star & Style, he said, 'I knew Shabana for a longer period than I had known any other girl in films. What she felt for me that time must've been mere puppy love, but it could have culminated in an alliance with me if my mother had not put her foot firmly down. My mother, tolerant in other respects, was adamant about her refusal to accept a Muslim bahu.' Sanjeev's makeup artiste Sarosh Mody summed up the actor's tragic love life in an interaction in 1982. He said, 'Every woman whom Sanjeev loved and yearned for, ditched him, leaving him high and dry. His ego is terribly hurt. Sanjeev is suffering from some kind of a complex. Luck has never been in his favour.' While Sanjeev had many relationships, he never truly trusted the women in his life — partly due to heartbreak and partly because of what people around him made him believe. Anju Mahendroo once revealed how he became wary of women, suspecting they were only interested in his money. She said, 'I don't know whether he kept falling in love, or women kept falling in love [with] him. But there were lots and lots of women around him all the time. He was charming, he had a wonderful smile. They tried wooing him by sending him dabbas. Some women were genuinely in love with him. But he believed they were after his wealth, which was so sad because at the end of the day he had neither a home nor a wife.' Sanjeev was known for his fondness for food and alcohol. The actor never cared much for maintaining a fit physique. After suffering a heart attack, he underwent bypass surgery and significantly reduced his alcohol intake. Recalling a meeting with Sanjeev during that phase, Anju shared, 'He had stopped going out to prevent himself from eating and drinking. He was aware that premature death ran in his family what with an inherited congenital heart condition. He'd keep saying that in his family, the men didn't live beyond 50.' Apart from longing for a life partner, Sanjeev also dreamed of living in a house of his own. Towards the end of his life, he managed to buy a large property. However, due to a legal dispute within the seller's family, he was never able to claim ownership of it. Sanjeev Kumar passed away after suffering a heart attack in 1985 at the age of 47, without fulfilling his two dreams — spending life with a wife and owning a home.
Pink Villa
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Meet actor who offered Big B Rs 5,000 for Saat Hindustani, fought with Madhuri Dixit over costume, survived on his wife's support and now…
Today in the Meet Actor series, we bring to you a very popular face from the industry. An actor who actually wanted to become a director, trained under Satyajit Ray for the same, but also ended up portraying some of the most iconic roles on the silver screen. From Aamir Khan's Ghajini, Katrina Kaif's Merry Christmas, Sidharth Malhotra's Hasee Toh Phasee, to many more, we have seen this actor shine with his acting skills. He is none other than Tinnu Anand. Tinnu Anand's father, Inder Raj Anand, was a well-known writer in the Bollywood film industry. Despite his being a part of the glamor world, he did not want his son to enter the industry. But, the creative streak in him forced the veteran actor to go to his dad and confront him about his desire to direct a film. Tinnu had revealed that this had upset his father. But when he saw that his son did not want to do anything else, Anand was sent to the Satyajit Ray School. In an interview, the Ghajini actor has revealed how he was offered K Abass' film Saat Hindustani. The heroine of this film, Neena Singh, suggests Amitabh Bachchan 's name for a role in the film. To this, Abbas had said that Big B will have to come to Mumbai for auditions at his own expense, and this is how he landed in the dream city. It was Tinnu who took him to the filmmaker's office and was given the 'dirty job' of offering Big B Rs. 5000 for the entire film. Reportedly, Anand even got in a spat with Madhuri Dixit over her costume, which made the actress walk out of Shanakht. He is married to Shahnaz, daughter of veteran actor Agha. His wife, who is a writer and former editor of Star & Style magazine, financially supported the family when the actor was initially struggling in the industry.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
When Rekha's father said she ‘messed up' by getting involved with Amitabh Bachchan: ‘It became the biggest scandal in the industry..'
and are two of the biggest stars in Indian cinema, both loved for their powerful performances and unforgettable screen presence. But beyond the silver screen, their names have been linked together in one of Bollywood's most talked-about alleged love stories, one that neither of them ever confirmed or denied. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While their families stayed silent, Rekha's father, legendary South Indian actor , once shared his thoughts on the matter. What he had said left many surprised and offered a rare glimpse into Rekha's personal life. Gemini Ganesan on Rekha's alleged relationship with Amitabh Bachchan In an old interview with Star & Style magazine, Gemini Ganesan opened up about the rumoured relationship between Rekha and BigB He said, 'People tell me that Rekha has messed up her personal life by getting involved with Amitabh. But I never discuss Rekha's personal affairs with her. Why should I?' Ganesan himself had a complicated love life. He was married to Alamelu but also had relationships with other women, including actress Pushpavalli—Rekha's mother. He didn't shy away from talking about his own affairs. In fact, he proudly said, 'When I married Savitri and Pushpavalli several years ago, eyebrows were raised, and it became the biggest scandal in the industry. And yet today no one is aghast when they hear about marrying Asma or marrying Hema. So, in one way I think I have been the trend setter for extramarital involvements in the industry.' Rekha was born in 1954 to Gemini Ganesan and Pushpavalli. The two were never married. Ganesan remained with his first wife, while Pushpavalli was already separated from her husband. While the Amitabh chapter was the most talked about, Rekha's love life never found lasting happiness. She was linked with several actors and filmmakers, but none of the relationships worked out. In 1990, she married businessman Mukesh Agarwal. The marriage was troubled from the start, and just seven months later, Mukesh died by suicide. EXCLUSIVE: Nani Reveals Massive Body Transformation For 'Paradise' | How He Got Chiranjeevi On Board
