Dared to be different!
" Hum tumhe maarenge, aur zarur maarenge… lekin woh bandook bhi hamari hogi, goli bhi hamari hogi aur waqt bhi hamara hoga”
This dialogue from the 1981 film Bulandi encapsulates the spirit and attitude of the yesteryear actor Raj Kumar. Despite not hailing from a film family, he always played by his own rules. Did you know he was a sub inspector in the Bombay police before the acting bug bit him.
One of the most successful actors of Hindi cinema ,the late Raj Kumar who is renowned for his unique roles and gravelly baritone with distinctive dialogue delivery. This inspired writers to create larger than life roles infused with his trademark wit and sarcasm. These unique mannerisms and habits, combined with his commanding presence, contributed to his mystique and legendary status in Indian cinema.
"Aapke paon dekhe, bahut haseen hain. Inhein zameen par mat utariyega, maile ho jayenge...” from Pakeezah and “Chinoy seth, jinke apne ghar sheeshe ke hon, woh doosron par patthar nahin phenka karte ” from Waqt!
These iconic dialogues said with such flair have transceded generations of film afficiandos.
Raj kumar was a star and behaved like one. Laal Pathar is one his finest actings and remains my go to movie whenever I feel like watching the cinema of 70s. MotherIndia, Pakeezah, Waqt, Saudagar, Heer Ranjha, Tiranga. He was known for his love of golf and horse riding. He reportedly kept the same Plymouth car for 40 years and also retained the same driver, hairstylist, and tailor for a similar duration, highlighting his preference for continuity and loyalty. He also had a particular fondness for getting his shoes polished. It was an open secret that Raj Kumar used a wig and In a Times of India article, Sharmila Tagore recounted traveling in a car without air conditioning with Raaj Kumar and having to keep the windows shut to prevent his wig from coming off.
His catch phrase “Jaani,” first heard in Waqt and his insistence on wearing white shoes became extensions of his on screen persona and idiosyncrasies. His iconic one-liners were delivered with such flair that they became etched in Bollywood culture. During the 70s, when Zeenat Aman was rapidly ascending to stardom following her breakout role in Haré Rama Haré Krishna, she met Raaj Kumar at a film premiere. Kumar reportedly said to her sarcastically: “Zeenat, you are very beautiful. Why don’t you try acting?”
A widely cited anecdote claims he rejected the lead role in the film Zanjeer because he did not like the director Prakash Mehra's face and the brand of hair oil he used. This move ultimately made Amitabh Bachchan a superstar. He famously dismissed a script narrated by filmmaker Ramanand Sagar by calling his pet dog over and asking if the dog was interested in the role. When the dog didn't respond, he told Sagar, "If my dog is not ready to do the film, how do you expect me to?".
Following a string of unsuccessful films, his secretary questioned why he kept raising his price. Raaj Kumar's reported reply was, "The movies may have failed, but I never failed". A very well-read man, Raaj Kumar was a florid orator and gentleman, though his bluntness often upset many actors.
Raaj Kumar spoke impeccable Urdu and English and always preferred to read his scripts written in Urdu. Despite his serious and no-nonsense screen persona, he got some of the most romantic songs to sing on the celluloid. Who can forget the unforgettable number that Rafi sang for him in ‘Kajal’ (1965): ‘Ye zulf agar khulke...’ or ‘Neele gagan ke tale...’ (‘Humraaz’, 1967), ‘Meri duniya mein tum aayi’ (‘Heer Raanjha’, 1970), ‘Chalo dildaar chalo chaand ke paar chalo’ (‘Pakeezah’, 1972) and ‘Har taraf ab yahi afsane hain’ (‘Hindustan ki Qasam’, 1973).
The motto of Raj Kumar’s life was: “I believe in things I do, I do things I believe in.” Fiercely independent and confident, the maverick actor never compromised on his principles. So indomitable was his spirit that when Subhash Ghai visited an ailing Raj Kumar, the latter remarked, “Raj Kumar ko bimaari hogi toh badi hogi na, koi zukaam se thodi na marega Raaj Kumar.”
He valued his privacy a lot and It's reported that he had made specific requests regarding his funeral. He instructed his family not to inform anyone from the film industry about his death and to cremate his body quickly at the Shivaji Park electric crematorium before the news could spread. He passed away on July 3, 1996, from throat cancer, at the age of 69. He is fondly remembered as a true legend who dared to be different.
Note:(pics from internet for illustration only)
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