Ashok Kumar Profile, Bollywood actors Ashok Kumar, read the biodata of Bollywood actors Ashok Kumar.

Ashok Kumar Profile

Ashok Kumar was an Indian film actor, born as Kumudlal Kunjilal Ganguly in Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency he attained iconic status in Indian cinema. His father Kunjalal Ganguly was a lawyer and his mother Gouri Devi came from a wealthy Bengali family and the family was based in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. His brothers Anoop Kumar and Kishore Kumar also acted in films.

Three brothers worked together in the comedies Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi and Chalti Ka Naam Zindagi. Ashok Kumar stopped celebrating his birthday after the death of his youngest brother, Kishore Kumar in 1987.

Besides acting, Ashok Kumar was an avid painter and a practitioner of homeopathy.

Ashok Kumar started his career in films accidentally with the Bombay Talkies film “Jeevan Naiya”, as the actor of the film “Jeevan Naiya” ran away with lead female of the film, Devika Rani, who was the wife of director of the film. Now the company needed a new hero for the film. At that time Ashok Kumar was a laboratory assistant in the same production company. The director and studio head, Himanshu Rai, called Ashok Kumar to act in the film and thus began a six-decade-long acting career.

It was his subsequent venture with Devika Rani in the film “Acchut Kanya ” the same year that established him as an actor in the film industry.

Thereafter Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar did a string of films suchas “Izzat”, “Savitri “and “Nirmala “. But Ashok Kumar’s performance was overshadowed by Devika Rani’s acting as she was the top star.

Ashok Kumar came into his own with films like “Kangan”, “Bandhan” and “Jhoola” opposite Leela Chitnis. Ashok Kumar sang his own songs in the films as it was custom at that time in the film industry.

His breakthrough performance was in Kismet (1943) which ran for three years in Bombay and Calcutta and was one of the first Hindi language mega-hits of Inida and gained him national fame through his charamastic performances and his talented singing. From then onwards, Kumar became a sought-after actor who appeared in over 200 Hindi and a few other Indian language films, playing romantic leads or threatening villains and making Rs.300-400 a month during the 1940s and 1950s.

Ashok Kumar gave several hits including the most famous “Main Ban Ka Panchi” He was one of the first anti-heroes of Indian Cinema with his role in the film “Kismet”. This movie went on to create a record for the highest grossing film in India at that time.

Ashok Kumar was fondly called Dadamuni and produced several films for Bombay Talkies including the famous “Mahal” in which he co-starred with Madhubala. In the late 1960s he switched to character roles playing the parent, grandparent and dirty old man.

Ashok Kumar paired up with the queen of tragedy and one of the best actresses ever seen in Bollywood, Meena Kumari, in more than a dozen films such as “Parineeta”, “Bahu Begum”, “Pakeezah”, “Ek Hi Raasta”, “Bandish”, and “Aarti”.

Ashok Kumar also appeared on television, most famously anchoring the first Indian soap opera ‘Hum Log ‘and also appeared as the title character in the unforgettable ‘Bahadur Shah Zafar’. His last film was “Aankhon Mein Tum Ho “in 1997.

Altogether, he starred in over 275 films. He has done more than 30 Bengali dramas in Dhakuria.

Although Ashok Kumar roles gradually decreased to supporting and minor parts as he got older and suffered more ill health, his popularity in India never diminished and he was often in demand for cameos and live convention appearances.

Ashok Kumar died at the age of 90 in Mumbai.

Ashok Kumar broke from the theatrical style then common in Indian film towards a more naturalistic method. Given his versatility and proven brilliance over five decades, he is considered by many to be the finest ever Indian actor.

The Government of India honoured him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1988 and the Padma Bhushan in 1998 for his contributions towards Indian cinema.

Awards:

Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
Filmfare Best Actor Award, Rakhi
Bengal Film Journalists’ Association – Best Actor Award (Hindi), ‘Gumrah’
Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, Afsana
Filmfare Best Actor Award, Aashirwaad
National Film Awards for Best Actor, Aashirwaad
Bengal Film Journalists’ Association – Best Actor Award (Hindi), Aashirwaad
Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest award for cinematic excellence
Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
Padma Bhushan
Awadh Samman by the Government of Uttar Pradesh
“Special Award” by Star Screen Awards

Filmography:

Amar Deep, Do Musafir,
Khatta Meetha, Anurodh,
Dream Girl, Aap Beeti,
Chori Mera Kaam, Mili,
Hum Tum Aur Woh, Pakeezah,
Purab Aur Pachhim, Aradhana,
Jewel Thief, Masoom, Bandish
Mr India, Asli Naqli, Tawaif,
Farishta, Ram Tera Desh,
Aankhon Mein Tum Ho,
Return of Jewel Thief, and many more movie in which Ashok Kumar acted.

Film Name          : Ashok Kumar
Original Name    : Kumudlal Kunjilal Ganguly
Nick Name          : Dadamoni
Common Name    : The Grandfather of Indian Cinema
Date of Birth       : 13 October, 1911
Birth Place          : Bhagalpur
Date of Death      : 10-12-01
Eye Color            : Black
Hair Color           : Black
Religion               : Hindu
Education            : law in Presidency College in Calcutta
Wife                     : Shobha Ashok Kumar
Debut Film          : Jeevan Naya