Talkie Superstar

SMM AUSAJA looks back at the career of Ashok Kumar, the lab assistant turned movie icon whose on-screen presence lasted right up to the late 90s

The 2000s have SRK, the 90s had Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan sharing the limelight, the 80s had Amitabh Bachchan, the 70s had Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bachchan, the 60s and 50s had Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoort sharing honors with Dharmendra, Shammi Kapoor and Rajendra Kumar. No one talks about the 30s and 40s. The man who ruled the box office in these decades, and continued his charm the following years in none other than Ashok Kumar. His enormous contribution to Hindi cinema is largely unsung for inexplicable reasons.

Born Kumudlal Ganguly in Bhagalpur (Bihar) on October 13th, 1911, Ashok Kumar is a product of Presendency College, Calcutta. In 1936, Himanshu Rai of Bombay Talkies launched Ashok Kumar in Jeevan Naiya. Ashok worked as a lab assistant in Bombay Talkies, and when the lead hero of Jeevan Naiya eloped with actress Devika Rani, Rai replaced him with Ashok starting a resplendent career lasting almost six decades. Ashok also introduced a natural style of acting quite divergent from the theatrical form prevalent in the 30s. Jeevan Naiya was declared a hit, and this followed six successive hits including Achhut Kanya, Savitri and Izzat, leading to a meteoric rise of an actor into mega stardom. Achhut Kanya is memorable for its theme of untouchability and the song Main ban ka panchhi… filmed on Ashok Kumar and Devika Rani.

In 1940, on the silver jubilee of Bandhan in Lahore, Ashok Kumar was accorded a hero’s welcome at Nishat cinema. Amidst the huge crowd was Dev Anand trying to get a glimpse of his favorite hero, but couldn’t. In 1943 Ashok Kumar smashed all records with Bombay Talkies’ Kismat, which proved to be the biggest success of Hindi cinema all the way till G P Sippy’s Sholay in 1975! It was also his first negative role. Once he became a huge star, he got a stake in the prestigious Bombay Talkies where he launched the success of several actors including Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand. He signed Dev Anand for Ziddi at a time when the latter was struggling to for a hit. Ziddi (1948) gave Dev Anand stardom, which was reaffirmed with Guru Dutt’s Baazi.

Ashok Kumar ruled the forties. Bandhan (1940), Anjan and Jhoola (1941), Kismet (1943), Chal Chal Re Naujawan (1944), Humayun (1945), Shikari (1946), Sajan (1947), Padmini (1948) and Mahal in 1949 were huge hits. While Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor emerged as the new megastars on the horizon, Ashok Kumar held his own with memorable hits all through the fifties. Sangram and Samadhi in 1950 with his favorite actress Nalini Jaywant were super-successful, with Ashok Kumar playing a freedom fighter in the latter. He shared acting honors with Dilip Kumar in Deedar (1951) and in the same year did Afsana for B R Chopra in which he had a double role. This film was later remade with Dilip Kumar as Dastaan, and failed. In 1952, Betaab and Nau Bahar did well, while 1953 had him working in Bimal Roy’s classic Sarat Chandra adaptation Parineeta with Meena Kumari. A superb performance. Bombay Talkies closed in 1954 with Baadbaan being its last film with Ashok Kumar and Dev Anand leading the cast. It was made to help the workers of the studio and none of its stars had charged money. The same year Naaz was released which was extensively shot abroad. In 1955, Ashok Kumar and Meena Kumari surprised the audience with their delightful comedy in Bandish.

After Bhai Bhai (1956) Ashok Kumar teamed once more with brother Kishore Kumar taking Anoop Kumar as well to create magic with Madhubala in Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) an unforgettable comedy made in the country featuring the Ganguli brothers. Ashok Kumar’s notable films in the 60s include Kanoon (1960) a songless taut drama by B R Chopra, Rajshri’s Aarti with Meena Kumari and Burma Road (1962). In 1963, he once again joined hands with Bimal Roy for Bandini, a milestone of his career. He did this film amidst strained relationship with the celebrated director, and gave a marvelous performance, and his cameo in Ye Raaste Hain Pyar Ke was the most talked about aspect of the film besides the beautiful Leela Naidu. Meena Kumari complimented his stature as an actor in many ways and their team worked wonders in Benazir, Chitralekha (both 1964) and Bheegi Raat (1965).

Ashok Kumar excelled as an actor as the decade progressed. Mamta (1966) with Suchitra Sen, Bahu Begam (1967) with Meena Kumari, and Navketan’s Jewel Thief (1967) made him the icon of histrionics in the eyes of talented directors. He gradually switched to character roles as age advanced, but even in such roles he made a niche for himself, which was irreplaceable with any other actor. The process started with Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Aashirwad (1968) in which his rap song Rail gaadi chhuk chhuk became a rage with kids. He continued to enthrall his fans in 70s as well as 80s. Films like Pakeezah (1971), Victoria No.203 (1972), Chhoti si Baat (1975), Mili (1975), Arjun Pandit (1976), Anurodh (1977), Safed Jhoot (1977), Khatta Meetha (1977), Khubsoorat (1980), Shaukeen (1982), Mahaan (1983), and Duniya (1984) are truly memorable.

Ashok Kumar’s was a multifaceted personality. He was a painter and a homeopath when he didn’t act. He helped several actors and directors gain foothold in the industry. His narration of TV serial Hum Log is still remembered, so is his appearance as Bahadur Shah Zafar in a historical made for Doordarshan. His last film was Aaakhon Mein Tum Ho in 1997. He died at the age of ninety in Mumbai on December 10, 2001.

The writer is a cinema historian and a Hindi film-memorabilia collector; he can be contacted on smmausaja@hotmail.com
.