Simple man with an infectious smile: Actor Raza Murad remembers Sanjeev Kumar on his death anniversary

Sanjeev Kumar was regarded as an actor par excellence.

Sanjeev Kumar, widely regarded as one of the most versatile actors in the Hindi film industry, passed away on this day in 1985 much to the shock of his die-hard fans. Speaking to DH, on his death anniversary, veteran actor Raza Murad said that he was a simple man with an 'infectious smile'. He revealed that 'Hari Bhai' had no insecurities and he simply enjoyed doing his job.

The Riyaasat actor added that Sanjeev Kumar was a natural performer who could make even an 'unnatural' scene come across as natural. "He was a simple person and never interfered with anyone's work. He could essay even unnatural scenes with ease and make them come across as natural and believable," he added.

Murad worked with Sanjeev Kumar in quite a few movies with Dawat and Charitraheen being the pick of the lot.

Sanjeev Kumar, born in a Surat-based Gujarati family in 1938, began his acting career with a supporting role in the 1960 release Hum Hindustani. He subsequently essayed strong roles in films such as Nishan and Sachaai, carving a niche for himself. It was, however, the 1970 release Khilona that established him as a bonafide star.

He went on to act in movies such as Aandhi, Seeta Aur Geeta and Mausam, proving his mettle. The evergreen classic Sholay emerged as a gamechanger for 'Thakur', making him an inseparable part of the Hindi cinema. He remained a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s despite the emergence of younger heroes. Sanjeev Kumar impressed a section of the audience with his performance in Hero and the cult classic Silsila.

His untimely death robbed the film industry of one of its brightest stars. Several of his films released posthumously but none of them did well at the box office. Professor Ki Padosan, which released in 1993, marked his final appearance on the big screen.