Raaj Kumar, who first appeared on the big screen in 1952 with ‘Rangeeli,’ is known for his diverse acting style in Bollywood. Everything about Raaj Kumar impressed people, whether it was the way he held his cigar or how he spoke the dialogue.
Raaj Kumar Biography
Raaj Kumar was born on 8 October 1926 in Balochistan (now in Pakistan) in a Kashmiri Pandit family. His original name was Kulbhushan Pandit. His father’s name was Jagdishwar Nath Pandit, and his mother’s name was Dhanraj Rani Pandit. He had two brothers and five sisters.
Raaj Kumar earned a special place in the hearts of audiences by appearing in many classic Bollywood films. Raaj Kumar’s delivery of dialogue in films was also distinct from that of other actors. In addition, some of his film dialogues are still well-known today.
Raaj had a unique, deep voice, which was perfect for serious roles. The 3rd of July marks the anniversary of Raaj Kumar’s death.
Raaj Kumar began his professional life as a police officer. He worked as a sub-inspector at the Mahim Police Station in Mumbai in the early 1950s. Even though the job was secure, he dreamed of becoming an actor. Many of his friends and colleagues encouraged him. They admired his strong personality, confident voice, and striking appearance. Their support pushed him to leave his stable government job and try his luck in films.
Raaj Kumar’s experience as a police sub-inspector shaped his personality and acting style. The discipline and authority he developed in real life gave him a strong screen presence. He was used to handling tense situations and dealing with people from all walks of life. This helped him play serious and powerful roles with confidence.
His deep voice and firm dialogue delivery became his trademark. He often portrayed lawyers, police officers, and honest, principled men. His performances felt natural because they reflected the confidence and control he had learned during his years in the police force.
While he was still working at the police station, he met people from the film industry. Filmmaker Sohrab Modi noticed him at Metro Cinema. Another filmmaker, Baldev Dubey, met him at the police station and offered him a role in a film titled Shahi Bazar. However, his first released film was Rangili in 1952, which was also spelt Rangeeli. It was directed by Najam Naqvi. He was only 26 years old at the time. The film did not receive much attention.
After Rangili, his early career was difficult. Several of his films failed at the box office. These included Anmol Sahar in 1952, Aabshar in 1953, and Ghamand in 1955. He faced financial problems during this period. Despite the setbacks, he did not give up. Around this time, he also changed his name to Raaj Kumar, which later became well known in Hindi cinema.
His breakthrough finally came in 1957. He played Prince Naushazad in Nausherwan E Adil and appeared as Shamu in Mother India. These roles brought him recognition and marked the beginning of a long and successful career. Over the next four decades, he acted in more than 70 films.
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Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar’s movie
The two superstars appeared in two movies. Paigham in 1959, when Raaj appeared as Dilip Kumar‘s elder brother, and in 1991, both appeared in Subash Ghai’s blockbuster “Saudagar”.
Raaj Kumar’s marriage and Children
Once during the journey, Raaj Kumar met Jennifer, a flight attendant and an Anglo-Indian. Later, Jennifer married Raaj Kumar, and she changed her name to ‘Gayatri’ as per Hindu rituals.
They had 3 children, 2 sons, Puru Rajkumar and Panini Rajkumar, and 1 daughter, Vastavikta Pandit.
His son, Puru Raj Kumar, made his debut as the lead actor in the Hindi film “Baal Bramhachari” opposite Karishma Kapoor, but failed to impress. Later, he played some character roles, even negative ones, in movies like Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai.
Raaj Kumar’s daughter, Vastavikta Pandit, made headlines for the wrong reason. In 2012, she stalked actor Sahid Kapoor and even bought a flat near his apartment. She even claimed to be Shahid’s wife in public. Later, Shahid filed a police complaint against her. Many believed she did this to gain public attention, as she had failed to kick-start her acting career.
She made her Hindi film debut in “Aisi Bhi Kya Jaldi Hai”, but the movie flopped at the box office. Later, she did a movie in 2001 called Mitti and Ei8ht Shani in 2006.
Raaj Kumar and Govinda
Rajkumar and Govinda were shooting for a film. Govinda was spending time with Rajkumar after the shoot ended, wearing a flirtatious shirt. Rajkumar said to Govinda, man, your shirt is very nice. Govinda was pleased to hear this from Kumar’s mouth.
He said that if you like this shirt, then you should keep it. The prince took the shirt from Govinda. Govinda was happy that Rajkumar would wear his shirt. But two days later, when Govinda saw that Rajkumar had made a handkerchief from that shirt.
Raaj Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan
In the past, even actors like Big B were said to have faced Rajkumar’s sharp wit. There is a popular story about a party where Rajkumar met Amitabh Bachchan. He complimented Amitabh on his stylish suit. Amitabh was pleased and offered to share the tailor’s address. Rajkumar calmly replied that he needed the address so he could get some curtains stitched. After hearing this unexpected response, Amitabh could only smile.
Raaj Kumar and Ramanand Sagar
There was a time when some of Raj Kumar’s films were only moderately successful at the box office. However, this did not change his attitude. He remained confident and firm in his decisions. One day, his close friend and director, Ramanand Sagar, came to his house with a film offer. Raj Kumar refused the offer without hesitation.
Raj Kumar and Ramanand Sagar shared a strong friendship. Raj Kumar had worked in films like Zindagi and Paigham under Sagar’s direction. Because of their bond, Sagar believed that Raj Kumar would agree to his next proposal.
Sagar wanted Raj Kumar to play the lead role in his new film Aankhen. He even offered him ten lakh rupees for the role. He came prepared and presented the offer seriously while they sat together in Raj Kumar’s well-decorated drawing room. Both of them were smoking cigars as they talked.
After hearing the offer, Raj Kumar stayed silent for a few moments. Sagar felt confident that his friend would accept. Suddenly, Raj Kumar called his dog, who was walking around in the room. The dog came and sat near his feet.
While holding his cigar, Raj Kumar looked at the dog and said, Jani, tell me, should we accept Sagar Sahab’s offer or not. The dog looked at him for a moment and then began to bark.
Raj Kumar then turned to Sagar and calmly said that even his dog did not approve of the offer, so there was no question of his saying yes. Sagar felt insulted by this response. However, Raj Kumar was known in the industry for his bold and blunt nature. Sagar left without saying much. Soon after, he signed Dharmendra for the film and began shooting.
Raaj Kumar and Raj Kapoor
This incident happened during Prem Chopra’s wedding party, who got married to the sister of Raj Kapoor’s wife. Raj Kapoor was most likely drunk at the event where he allegedly went up to Raaj Kumar and publicly yelled at him, calling him a murderer. The latter was clearly taken aback by Raj Kapoor’s harsh words, following which he stated that, despite being a killer, he had never approached Raj Kapoor for work.
Death
Raaj Kumar died on 3rd July 1996 due to throat cancer. He had asked his sons to conduct his rites without making any fuss. The sad part of the story is the man who was famous for his voice died something related to that.
Filmography
| Year | Movie Title | Director | Producer | Budget (INR, Approx.) | Box Office Collection (INR, Approx.) | Opposite Actress | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | Rangeeli | Najam Naqvi | Najam Naqvi | 2 lakh (est.) | 10 lakh (moderate) | Rehana | Debut; minor role |
| 1952 | Anmol Ratan | M. Sadiq | M. Sadiq | 2 lakh (est.) | 8 lakh (moderate) | Meena Kumari | Early supporting role |
| 1953 | Aabshar | Hasrat Lucknowi | Hasrat Lucknowi | 2 lakh (est.) | 5 lakh (flop) | Nimmi | Early career film |
| 1957 | Mother India | Mehboob Khan | Mehboob Khan | 60 lakh (est.) | 8 crore (all-time blockbuster) | Nargis | Breakthrough; Oscar nominee |
| 1957 | Nausherwan-E-Adil | Sohrab Modi | Minerva Movietone | 50 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Mala Sinha | Historical drama |
| 1958 | Durga Mata | S.P. Bakshi | S.P. Bakshi | 30 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Nirupa Roy | Mythological role |
| 1959 | Paigham | S.S. Vasan | Gemini Pictures | 50 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Nutan | With Dilip Kumar |
| 1959 | Ardhangini | Ajit Chakraborty | Mars & Movies | 40 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Meena Kumari | Romantic drama |
| 1959 | Shararat | H.S. Rawail | H.S. Rawail | 40 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Kishore Kumar (co-star) | Comedy |
| 1959 | Ujala | Naresh Saigal | F.C. Mehra | 40 lakh (est.) | 1.5 crore (superhit) | Mala Sinha | Social drama |
| 1960 | Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai | Kishore Sahu | Kishore Sahu | 50 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Meena Kumari | Romantic hit; chartbuster songs |
| 1961 | Gharana | S.S. Vasan | Gemini Pictures | 60 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Asha Parekh | Family drama |
| 1963 | Dil Ek Mandir | C.V. Sridhar | Gemini Pictures | 70 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Meena Kumari | Filmfare Best Supporting Actor |
| 1963 | Godaan | Trilok Jetley | Trilok Jetley | 50 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Kamini Kaushal | Based on Premchand’s novel |
| 1963 | Phool Bane Angaare | Suraj Prakash | Eagle Films | 50 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Mala Sinha | Action drama |
| 1964 | Zindagi | Ramanand Sagar | Gemini Pictures | 60 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (hit) | Vyjayanthimala | Romantic drama |
| 1965 | Waqt | Yash Chopra | B.R. Chopra | 1 crore (est.) | 6 crore (blockbuster) | Sadhana | Top grosser of 1965; multi-starrer |
| 1965 | Kaajal | Ram Maheshwari | Filmalaya | 70 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Meena Kumari | Romantic classic |
| 1965 | Rishte Naate | K.S. Gopal | K.S. Gopal | 50 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Nutan | Family drama |
| 1965 | Oonche Log | Phani Majumdar | M.B. Raja | 50 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Asha Parekh | Drama with Feroz Khan |
| 1967 | Hamraaz | B.R. Chopra | B.R. Chopra | 80 lakh (est.) | 4 crore (blockbuster) | Vimi | Suspense thriller |
| 1967 | Nai Roshni | C.V. Sridhar | Vasu Menon | 60 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Tanuja | Social drama |
| 1968 | Mere Huzoor | Vinod Kumar | Vinod Kumar | 70 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Mala Sinha | Romantic drama |
| 1968 | Neel Kamal | Ram Maheshwari | K.L. Kahan | 80 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Waheeda Rehman | Reincarnation drama |
| 1968 | Vaasna | T. Prakash Rao | T. Prakash Rao | 60 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Padmini | Romantic drama |
| 1970 | Heer Raanjha | Chetan Anand | Chetan Anand | 1 crore (est.) | 3 crore (hit) | Priya Rajvansh | Epic romance; poetic dialogues |
| 1971 | Lal Patthar | Sushil Majumdar | F.C. Mehra | 80 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (average) | Hema Malini | Period drama |
| 1971 | Maryada | Aravind Sen | Aravind Sen | 70 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Mala Sinha | With Rajesh Khanna |
| 1972 | Pakeezah | Kamal Amrohi | Kamal Amrohi | 1.5 crore (est.) | 6 crore (blockbuster) | Meena Kumari | Cult classic; Meena’s last film |
| 1972 | Dil Ka Raja | P. Madhavan | A. Venkat Raman | 60 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Leena Chandavarkar | Comedy drama |
| 1972 | Mangetar | R.N. Vaidya | R.N. Vaidya | 50 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (flop) | Rekha | Lesser-known film |
| 1973 | Hindustan Ki Kasam | Chetan Anand | Ravi Tandon | 80 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (flop) | Priya Rajvansh | Patriotic drama |
| 1974 | 36 Ghante | Raj Tilak | Raj Tilak | 70 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Mala Sinha | Crime thriller; remake of The Desperate Hours |
| 1976 | Ek Se Badhkar Ek | Brij Sadanah | Brij Sadanah | 1 crore (est.) | 2 crore (hit) | Sharmila Tagore | Action comedy |
| 1978 | Karmayogi | Ram Maheshwari | Anil Sharma | 1 crore (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Mala Sinha | Double role |
| 1979 | Naatak | Sohanlal Kanwar | Sohanlal Kanwar | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Moushumi Chatterjee | Drama |
| 1980 | Chambal Ki Kasam | Ram Maheshwari | V.L. Doshi | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Moushumi Chatterjee | Dacoit drama |
| 1981 | Bulundi | Esmayeel Shroff | Yogesh Talwar | 1.2 crore (est.) | 2 crore (moderate) | Asha Parekh | Crime thriller |
| 1981 | Kudrat | Chetan Anand | B.S. Khanna | 1.5 crore (est.) | 1 crore (flop) | Hema Malini | Reincarnation drama |
| 1982 | Dharam Kanta | Sultan Ahmed | Sultan Ahmed | 1.5 crore (est.) | 3 crore (hit) | Reena Roy | Action drama |
| 1983 | Ek Nai Paheli | K. Balachander | Rajeev Pandit | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Hema Malini | Remake of Tamil film |
| 1984 | Raaj Tilak | Rajkumar Kohli | Rajkumar Kohli | 2 crore (est.) | 1 crore (flop) | Hema Malini | Period drama |
| 1984 | Sharara | Rajendra Prasad | R.S. Yadav | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Hema Malini | Action drama |
| 1986 | Mohabbat Ki Kasam | K. Pappu | K. Pappu | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Dharmendra (co-star) | Action drama |
| 1987 | Marte Dam Tak | Mehul Kumar | Pravin Bhatt | 2 crore (est.) | 4 crore (superhit) | Shabana Azmi | Action thriller |
| 1987 | Muzaffar | K. Pappu | K. Pappu | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Anita Raj | Historical drama |
| 1988 | Saazish | Rajkumar Kohli | Rajkumar Kohli | 2 crore (est.) | 1 crore (flop) | Anita Raj | Action drama |
| 1988 | Mahaveera | Naresh Saigal | Naresh Saigal | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Salma Agha | Action drama |
| 1989 | Jung Baaz | Mehul Kumar | Pravin Bhatt | 2 crore (est.) | 3 crore (hit) | Shilpa Shirodkar | Action drama |
| 1989 | Galiyon Ka Badshah | Sher Jung Singh | K. Yogi | 1 crore (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Hema Malini | Crime drama |
| 1989 | Suryaa: An Awakening | Esmayeel Shroff | Gulshan Rai | 2 crore (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Bhanupriya | Social drama |
| 1990 | Police Public | Esmayeel Shroff | Esmayeel Shroff | 2 crore (est.) | 3 crore (hit) | Vijayashanti | Crime drama; remake |
| 1991 | Saudagar | Subhash Ghai | Subhash Ghai | 6 crore (est.) | 15 crore (blockbuster) | Manisha Koirala | Iconic “Jaani” line; top grosser 1991 |
| 1993 | Insaniyat Ke Devta | K.C. Bokadia | K.C. Bokadia | 3 crore (est.) | 2 crore (flop) | Jaya Prada | Action drama |
| 1993 | Tirangaa | Mehul Kumar | Mehul Kumar | 4 crore (est.) | 8 crore (superhit) | Raakhee | Patriotic hit with Nana Patekar |
| 1994 | Betaaj Badshah | Iqbal Durrani | Vijay Mehta | 3 crore (est.) | 2 crore (flop) | Jaya Prada | Action drama |
| 1994 | Ulfat Ki Nayee Manzilen | K. Vijayan | K. Vijayan | 2 crore (est.) | 1 crore (flop) | Rekha | Romantic drama |
| 1995 | Jawab | Esmayeel Shroff | Esmayeel Shroff | 3 crore (est.) | 2 crore (flop) | Karisma Kapoor | Action drama |
| 1995 | God and Gun | Esmayeel Shroff | Kulbhushan Gupta | 3 crore (est.) | 2 crore (flop) | Rekha | Last film before death |