Sanjay Ashok Kumar (Hindi: अशोक कुमार, Urdu: اَشوک کُمار) (October 13, 1911 – December 10, 2001) was an Indian Bollywood actor. Born as Kumudlal Kunjilal Ganguly(Bengali: কুমুদলাল কুঞ্জিলাল গাঙ্গুলি) in Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency (now in Bihar), brought up in Bhagalpur and educated at the prestigious Presidency College, Kolkata, he stands as a very special icon of the 20th century cinema of India. He broke away from the theatrical role playing, which was then prevalent in Indian cinema and started a natural style of acting. is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... , Bhagalpur is a city and municipal corporation in Bihar state in eastern India. ... Bengal, known as Bango ( Bengali:বঙ্গ), Bangla (বাংলা), Bangodesh (বঙ্গদেশ), or Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ) in Bengali, is a region in the northeast of South Asia. ... Anthem God Save The Queen/King British India, circa 1860 Capital Calcutta (1858-1912), New Delhi (1912-1947) Language(s) Hindi, Urdu, English and many others Government Monarchy Emperor of India  - 1877-1901 Victoria  - 1901-1910 Edward VII  - 1910-1936 George V  - January-December 1936 Edward VIII  - 1936-1947 George... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... , Bombay redirects here. ... Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र) is a state in west-central India. ... For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal term popularly used for Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ... Hindi (DevanāgarÄ«: or , IAST: , IPA:  ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the 22 official languages of India and is used, along with English, for central government administrative purposes. ... Urdu ( , , trans. ... is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Bollywood (Hindi: , Urdu: ) is the informal term popularly used for Mumbai-based Hindi-language film industry in India. ... For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... , Bhagalpur is a city and municipal corporation in Bihar state in eastern India. ... Bengal, known as Bango ( Bengali:বঙ্গ), Bangla (বাংলা), Bangodesh (বঙ্গদেশ), or Bangladesh (বাংলাদেশ) in Bengali, is a region in the northeast of South Asia. ... For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... The Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of ticket sales and number of films produced annually (877 feature films and 1177 short films were released in the year 2003 alone). ...

Early Career

Reverently called Dadamani (affectionate term for elder brother), he started his career in Bombay (Mumbai), albeit accidentally, with the Bombay Talkies production Jeevan Naiya in 1936. The male lead, Najam-ul-Hussain, suddenly fell ill, and the company had to find a new hero. The director and studio head, Himanshu Rai, called upon his laboratory assistant Ashok Kumar to take the part and thus began a six-decade-long acting career. However, it was his subsequent venture with Devika Rani in Achhut Kanya in the same year that set him up for the big league. The movie itself stands out as one of the heralding social dramas of pre-independence Indian film. It was the story of a Brahmin boy falling in love with a girl from lower caste, the so called untouchables in Indian society. It was a big hit and started the trend of socially committed films. , Bombay redirects here. ... The Bombay Talkies Limited (commonly known as Bombay Talkies), founded in 1934 in Malad, Bombay (now Mumbai), India by Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani, was a high-tech movie studio of its time, with sound and echo-proof stages, laboratories and editing rooms, and preview theatre. ... is a 1936 film famous for being the first screen appearance and launch pad of early superstar Ashok Kumar, the film is about the social ostracization of dancing girls. ... Year 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Himanshu Rai (1892-1940), one of the pioneers of Indian cinema, is best known as the founder of the Bombay Talkies in 1934. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Sanskrit word denotes the scholar/teacher, priest, caste, class (), or tribe, that has been traditionally enjoined to live a life of learning, teaching and non-possessivenes . ... In South Asias caste system, a Dalit; often called an untouchable; is a person of shudra; the lowest of the four castes. ... For other uses, see Society (disambiguation). ...

Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar did a string of films after this including Izzat 1937, Savitri 1937 and Nirmala 1938. But she was the bigger star and Ashok Kumar was definitely in her shadow. He came into his own with three films opposite Leela Chitnis: Kangan in 1939, Bandhan in 1940, Jhoola in 1941, singing his own songs as was the custom then. He acquitted himself creditably and came away with several hits including most famously Main Ban ka Panchhi. Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Savitri and similar spellings represent various Sanskrit words and names:- Savitri, with all vowels short, is a (confusing) Roman-phonetic spelling of the Vedic Hindu sun god Savitr. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Leela Chitnis (September 9, 1909 – July 14, 2003) was an early actress. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A film about human relationships, which binds us. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ...

Ashok Kumar challenged the prevailing more traditional theatrical acting style and developed his own more natural style. He was also not afraid to take risks and was one of the first anti-heroes of Indian Cinema with his role in Kismet in 1943. This movie went on to create a record for the highest grossing film in India at the time of it's release. The Indian film industry is the largest in the world in terms of ticket sales and number of films produced annually (877 feature films and 1177 short films were released in the year 2003 alone). ... Kismet is a 1943 Indian Hindi film. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

He produced several films for Bombay Talkies during the final years of the company including the famous Mahal in 1949 in which he co-starred with Madhubala. In the 1950s, he played the suave cigarette-smoking criminal or police officer in several films of what was the Indian film-noir movement. In the late 1960s he switched to character roles playing the parent, grandparent, dirty old man and suave criminal, being careful never to be typecast. He paired up 20 times with the queen of tragedy, and one of the best actresses ever seen in Bollywood, Meena Kumari, in films such as Parineeta, Bahu Begum, Pakeezah, Ek hi Raasta, Bandish, Aarti and many more. Mahal (Devnagari: महल) is a 1949 Indian film directed by Kamal Amrohi and starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Madhubala (Hindi: मधुबाला, Urdu: ) (February 14, 1933 – February 23, 1969) was a Bollywood actress considered by many to be one of the most beautiful actresses to have graced the screens of Indian cinema. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969. ... Mahjabeen Bano (August 1, 1932 - March 31, 1972), more commonly known as Meena Kumari, was a prominent Indian film actress. ... Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyays 1914 novel Parineeta was adapted into a 1953 film by the noted director Bimal Roy. ... Pakeezah (Hindi: पाक़ीज़ा, Urdu: پاکیزہ، lit. ... Priest performing navami arati in front of a golden statue of Durga slaying Mahisasur. ...

Later Career

He acted in fewer films in the 1980s and 1990s and occasionally appeared on television, most famously anchoring the first Indian soap opera Hum Log and appearing as the title character in the unforgettable Bahadur Shah Zafar. His last film role was in Aankhon Mein Tum Ho in 1997. The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... The first TIME cover devoted to soap operas: Dated January 12, 1976, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of our Lives are featured with the headline Soap Operas: Sex and suffering in the afternoon. A soap opera is an ongoing, episodic work of fiction, usually broadcast on television... Hum Log was a very popular Hindi soap which started on Doordarshan in 1984. ... Bahadur Shah II (1775-1862) aka Bahadur Shah Zafar (Zafar was his nom de plume, or takhallus, as an Urdu poet) was the last of the Mughal emperors in India. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

Besides acting, he was an avid painter and a practitioner of homeopathy.^{[citation needed]} Homeopathic remedy Rhus toxicodendron, derived from poison ivy. ...

He died at the age of 90 in Mumbai. Altogether, he starred in over 275 films.

Family

His brothers Kishore Kumar and Anoop Kumar also acted in films. The three brothers worked together in the comedy Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi. Ashok, though the eldest of the three by quite a margin, survived them both. In fact, he stopped celebrating his birthday after the youngest brother, Kishore, died on that day in 1987. His sister, Sati Devi, was married to Sashadhar Mukherjee of the Mukherjee-Samarth family. Kishore Kumar (August 4, 1929 – October 13, 1987) was an Indian film playback singer and comic actor. ... Anoop Kumar is an Indian film actor who appeared over seventy Bollywood films. ... Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi was a famous Bollywood comedy film played in 1958. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Sashadhar Mukherjee was a producer in Hindi films. ... The Mukherjee-Samarth family has been involved in the Indian Bollywood film industry since the 1940s. ...

Awards and recognition

• 1959 - Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
• 1962 - Filmfare Best Actor Award, Rakhi
• 1963 - BFJA Best Actor, 'Gumrah' [1]
• 1966 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, Afsana
• 1969 - Filmfare Best Actor Award, Aashirwaad
• 1969 - National Film Awards for Best Actor, Aashirwaad
• 1969 - BFJA Best Actor, Aashirwaad [2]
• 1988 - Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award for cinematic excellence
• 1994 - Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award
• 1995 - Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2007 - "Special Award" by Star Screen Awards [3]

Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... -1... Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. ... A sample of rakhis, tied by sisters on the wrists of brothers in celebration of Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (राखी in Devanāgarī) is a Hindu festival and also Sikh festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Year 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ... As the Oscars are to Hollywood, so the Filmfare Awards are to the Indian Bollywood film industry. ... Urdu literature has a long and colorful history that is inextricably tied to the development of that very language, Urdu, in which it is written. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... The Filmfare Best Actor Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. ... Aashirwad is a 1968 Hindi movie. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... The National Film Award (Silver Lotus Award) for Best Actor winners: Category: ... Aashirwad is a 1968 Hindi movie. ... Also: 1969 (number) 1969 (movie) 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... Aashirwad is a 1968 Hindi movie. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is an annual award given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... The Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award is an Indian cinema prize. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Filmography

Some of his most remembered films include:

• Achhut Kanya (1936)
• Kismet (1943)
• Parineeta in 1953

This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kismet is a 1943 Indian Hindi film. ... Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyays 1914 novel Parineeta was adapted into a 1953 film by the noted director Bimal Roy. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Ashok Kumar at the Internet Movie Database
• A Good article by Anuradha Choudhary

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ...

References