Bollywood has seen many legendary actors and among them is Sanjeev Kumar, best remembered for his popular role as Thakur in Sholay. Despite his immense success and fame, his personal life was filled with heartbreak. Kumar, whose real name was Harihar Jethalal Jariwala, never married, deeply affected by his unrequited love for Bollywood’s “dream girl” Hema Malini. Interestingly, Sanjeev Kumar also seemed to have predicted his own untimely death.
Born in Surat, Gujarat, Sanjeev Kumar moved to Mumbai with his family to pursue a career in acting. After joining the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and later the Indian National Theatre, he made his film debut with a small role in Hum Hindustani in 1960. His career began to take off with his performance in Nishan (1965), but it was the 1970 film Khilona that made him famous.
Known for his versatile acting, Sanjeev Kumar delivered memorable performances in films such as Parichay, Koshish, and Aandhi.
One of the most poignant aspects of Sanjeev Kumar’s life was his one-sided love for Hema Malini. During the filming of Sholay, Kumar proposed marriage to her. However, she rejected his proposal, reportedly because she was already in a relationship with Dharmendra, a fact Sanjeev Kumar was unaware of at the time. Devastated by the rejection, Sanjeev Kumar vowed never to marry, and he remained single for the rest of his life.
In an eerie twist, Sanjeev Kumar seemed to have predicted his own early death. According to reports, he often joked that he wouldn’t live past the age of fifty, as the men in his family had a history of dying young. He remarked that this was the reason he portrayed older characters on screen, saying he would never get the chance to grow old in real life. Tragically, his words came true when he suffered a massive heart attack and passed away on November 6, 1985, at the age of 47.
Even after his death, several of Sanjeev Kumar’s films were released, continuing to remind audiences of his talent and leaving behind a legacy that endures to this day.
