Ashok Kumar, born Kumudlal Ganguly on October 13, 1911, fondly called “Dada Mani,” was a trailblazing actor who brought natural acting to the forefront of Hindi cinema. His legacy extends from being the first superstar of the 40s and 50s black-and-white era as well as the first lead actor to play an anti-hero. Notably, he seamlessly transformed into a character actor, enjoying a prolonged and immensely successful career.
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Willum Skeener
A significant influence in Indian cinema, Ashok Kumar laid the foundation for his younger brothers, Anoop Kumar and the renowned singer Kishore Kumar. Kishore, in particular, stands today as the most beloved of the trio.
In recognition of his monumental contributions, Ashok Kumar received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1988, the highest national honour for cinema artists, and the Padma Bhushan in 1999 from the Government of India.
Ashok Kumar’s entry into acting was serendipitous. Filling in for its lead, “Najm-ul-Hassan,” who eloped with the producer’s wife, and the film’s heroine, Devika Rani. He adopted the name Ashok Kumar; this was his first movie—mbay Talkies production Jeevan Naiya (1936).
He goes on to star with Devika Rani in several successful movies like Achhut Kanya (1936), Janmabhoomi (1936), Izzat (1937), Savitri (1937), Vachan (1938), and Nirmala (1938).
Despite the early success, Ashok Kumar was not the superstar he later became. The Gyan Mukherjee-directed 1943 movie Kismet smashed all existing box office records and became the first Hindi movie to gross 1 crore at the box office. It features Ashok Kumar as the first anti-hero in Indian cinema.
After Kismet, Ashok Kumar became the most bankable star of the era, delivering a succession of box office successes with movies such as Chal Chal Re Naujawan (1944), Shikari (1946), Sajan (1947), Mahal (1949), Mashaal (1950), Sangram (1950), and Samadhi (1950).
Despite the arrival of younger stars like Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, and Raj Kapoor, Ashok Kumar remained one of the top stars of the era with hits like Afsana (1951), Nau Bahar (1952), Parineeta (1953), Bandish (1955), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Ek Saal (1957), and Howrah Bridge with Madhubala (1958). His most successful film of that era was Deedar (1951), in which he played the second lead to Dilip Kumar.
Ashok Kumar appeared frequently opposite Nalini Jaywant in several movies of the 1950s. He did around 17 films with Meena Kumari in a span of twenty years, ranging from Tamasha in 1952 to the 1972 magnum opus, Pakeezah.
By the 1960s, Ashok Kumar switched over to character roles, variously playing the parent, uncle, or grandparent, being careful never to be typecast. From a judge in Kanoon (1960), a self-sacrificing brother in Rakhi(1962) for which he won the Filmfare Best Actor Award, an ageing freedom fighter in Bandini (1963), a caring brother in Mere Mehboob (1963), an ageing priest in Chitralekha (1964), a vicious zamindar in Jawaab (1970), a criminal in Victoria No.203 (1971) and a doting grandfather and father-in-law in Anuraag (1972), he played a wide variety of roles.
Ashok Kumar played important roles in several landmark movies in the 1960s and 1970s, including Jewel Thief (1967), Aashirwad (1968) (for which he won a Filmfare Award as well as a National Award in 1969), Purab aur Pashchim (1970), Pakeezah (1972), Mili (1975), Chhoti Si Baat (1976), Khatta Meetha (1980), and Khoobsurat (1980).
Apart from being an actor par excellence, he was an accomplished singer; his rap “Rail Gaadi” in the 1968 movie Ashirwad was probably the first instance rap was used in a mainstream movie.
In his earlier films like Achhut Kanya (Main ban ki chidiya) and Kismet (Dheere Dheere Ana re badal), he sang for himself.
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.
Ashok Kumar’s illustrious career concluded on December 10, 2001, at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate in the hearts of cinema lovers.
