When Sanjeev Kumar Proposed To Hema Malini During Sholay Shoot – News18

Bollywood has witnessed many actors becoming a legend. While many of them have died, their films and songs continue to rule the hearts of the audience. One such actor is Sanjeev Kumar, who is known for his iconic role as Thakur in Sholay. He may have achieved immense success and stardom in his career, but his personal life was not so smooth. The actor was deeply in love with the “dream girl” of Bollywood, but upon being rejected by her, he remained single for the rest of his life. What’s interesting is that the actor also may have predicted his death correctly.

Sanjeev Kumar was born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala and hailed from Gujarat’s Surat. He came to Mumbai with his family and joined a film school to pursue his dream of acting. He began his career by working with the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and later joined the Indian National Theatre. He marked his debut with a small role in Hum Hindustani which was released in 1960. He earned fame after the role in Nishan which was released in 1965. However, it was his 1970s film Khilona that catapulted him to fame.

His versatile acting and his on-screen persona won the hearts of the audience. He has belted out some notable works like Parichay, Koshish and Aandhi to name a few. His portrayal of a deaf and mute character in Koshish earned him immense praise and recognition from critics. He has worked with leading ladies like Hema Malini, Rakhee Gulzar and Moushumi Chatterjee.

Did you know about Sanjeev Kumar’s one-sided love for Bollywood’s Dream Girl, Hema Malini? During the shooting of Sholay, Sanjeev Kumar proposed to the actress for marriage, which she refused. Reportedly, the actor had no clue that Hema Malini and Dharmendra were already dating each other. After the rejection, he decided to never marry for the rest of his life.

As per reports, he had predicted his death. He once joked that he will never grow old because, unlike other men in his family, he may too not live past the age of fifty and hence, he gets a feel of being old on screen. Reportedly, Sanjeev Kumar suffered a massive heart attack and died on November 6, 1985, at the age of 47. Many of his films were released after his death.