During an era when Hindi cinema was dominated by superstars like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, Shashi Kapoor, Jeetendra, and Shatrughan Sinha, Sanjeev Kumar stood out by going against the grain. He proved himself to be an actor of exceptional calibre, while still being a star. Sanjeev Kumar was perhaps the only actor of his time who embraced roles that required him to play characters much older than his actual age. While most stars preferred to portray younger characters on-screen, Sanjeev Kumar had no reservations about playing a grandfather or father to his contemporaries and even his leading ladies.
Interestingly, many in the industry affectionately called him Hari Bhai, as his real name was Harihar Jethalal Jariwala. Sanjeev Kumar once shared why he was comfortable playing older characters on-screen, and his explanation was both surprising and unsettling. According to Hanif Zaveri, the author of An Actor’s Actor: The Authorised Biography of Sanjeev Kumar, the actor was once asked why he accepted “old man” roles despite being young. In jest, he replied, “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 prediction sadly came true, as Sanjeev Kumar passed away in 1985 from a heart attack at the age of 47.
Sanjeev Kumar’s assertion about the men in his family dying before they turned 50 proved to be accurate. According to Hanif Zaveri, the actor was unafraid of death and remarked, “For the record, his grandfather Shivalal Jariwala, his father Jethalal Jariwala, his brother Kishore Jariwala, and his younger brother Nikul Jariwala all passed away before reaching 50.” In an eerie coincidence, they all succumbed to the same cause of death, including Sanjeev Kumar himself — a heart attack.
Sanjeev Kumar also never married during the course of his life. It is widely believed that he wanted to marry Hema Malini and was heartbroken when she got married to Dharmendra instead.
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