Jagmohan Singh Barhok
आइये मेहरबाँ, बैठिये जाने-जाँ
शौक़ से लीजिये जी, इश्क की इम्तहाँ
कैसे हो तुम नौजवाँ, इतने हसीं महमाँ
कैसे करूँ मैं बयाँ, दिल की नहीं है ज़ुबाँ
आइये मेहरबाँ…
On His Birth Anniversary
Ashok Kumar, has unarguably been, one of the most sought after actor of Hindi cinema. I rank him along with the ‘Big Three’ (Dilip, Raj & Dev Anand). He was a hero before anyone from the ‘Big three’ appeared on the cine horizon and acted opposiete many a leading actress like Usha Kiran, Rani,Mumtaz Shanti, Meena Kumari, Nalini JayAwant, Mala Sinha, Madhubala, Nutan, Vyjanyanthimala, Sadhna, Hema Malini to mention some.
Ashok Kumar started his career with “Jeevan Naiya “(1936) followed by Achhut Kanya (1936), Kangan, Bandhan, Jhoola (1939-1941) , blockbuster “Kismet” (1943) ,”Mahal”, “Afsana”, “Deedar”, (1949), “Howrah Bridge”, ‘Dhool Ka Phool”, “Jewel Thief”, “Bhigi Raat”, “Gumraah”, “Meharbaan”, “Bahu Begam” ,”Mere Mehboob” ,”Kanoon”, “Khandaan” , “Ek Hi Rasta”, “Mamta”, “Satyakam”, & “Shauqeen”.
He reigned supreme as a hero, character artiste and as a villain. His villainy was different from the ‘run of the mill’ stuff as is evident in films like “Jewel thief”. His arrival exuded suspense, too. in many films.
He also played ‘woh’ between the hero & heroine in many hits. Legendary singer-actor Kishore & Anup Kumar were his younger brothers.
I met the actor on the sets of “Return of Jewel Thief’ in 1995 and talked to him at length. A wonderfully confident personality was Ashok Kumar. Born this Day in 1911.
