Rajendra Kumar: Remembering “Jubilee Kumar” on His 21st Death Anniversary

Rajendra Kumar had penchant for onscreen tragedy, without his handy bottle of glycerin. He was known to indulge in heavy melodrama and wept buckets of tears playing the ever-sacrificing hero. His ability to charm women in musical romances with his bashful smile invariably reached his lovelorn eyes. His gestural style of acting flailing his arms became a signature, as did his quivering lips and emotion-laden voice. His acumen in spotting winning films had been vindicated time and again. Golden streaks rarely come more lustrous Rajendra had an incredible six consecutive hits with not a single flop: Mere Mehboob (1963), Zindagi, Sangam and Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), Arzoo (1965) and Suraj (1966). With his knack of choosing the right kind of projects, he delivered volley of non-stop hits. Courtesy his Midas touch, he was crowned with a hat tip “Jubilee Kumar”. The producers wanted a tragedian in the Dilip Kumar mould at an affordable price and Rajendra fitted the bill literally and figuratively.

His romantic style was unique. He wrote a “Prem Patra” to Vyjayanthimala in ‘Sangam’; dedicated a nazm to a burqa-clad Sadhana in ‘Mere Mehboob’, described Saira Banu as “kamsin” and “nadaan” in ‘Aayi Milan Ki Bela’ or showered Vyjayanthimala with flowers in ‘Suraj’ his romantic aura was overwhelming. He was rarely recognized as a good or great actor but he will always be remembered as a man who started as a teenager literally begging for food and rose to become one of the richest ever stars in the country.

There are three films Mere Mehboob (1963), Sangam (1964) and Arzoo (1965) stand out in his career. Serious, suave, deep, low-profile and gentle aptly describe his acting in these blockbusters. In Arzoo, his role is that of a young doctor who breaks all connections with his lady love after his leg is amputated due to a road accident. His pain and suffering is conveyed to the audience through his eyes and voice very beautifully. In Sangam and Mere Mehboob, the roles were, however, entirely serious and these established him as an actor who was in the same class as the great Dilip Kumar. In Sangam as the handsome barrister Gopal Verma, he excelled himself and communicated the essence of romance and true love, stealing the hearts of the audience. Sangam took Rajendra to a level where he started giving one hit film after another. He never looked back.

Rajendra Kumar Tuli was born on July 20, 1929, in Sialkot (now in Pakistan). His grandfather Chhajuram Tuli was a rich military contractor while his father Lakshmichand Tuli had a textile business in Karachi. After matriculation, he joined Hailey College of Commerce, Lahore. However, he had a passion for movies, so he would bunk classes to watch movies. In 1947, while he was in second year of college, partition took place. The crossing over was arduous, with the family giving up his younger brother as dead and dumping him on the banks of the Ravi, till a prescient Rajendra rushed back to bring his baby brother in arms. In Delhi, his father set up a cloth shop. He got a job in the police as an ASI. In early 1949, he left for Bombay to chase celluloid dreams.

Initially, young Rajendra was forced into sleeping on the footpath. Fortunately, his cousin Shyam Behl recommended him to the lyricist Rajinder Krishan. Being fluent in Urdu, he was assigned the job of making fair copies of the dialogues written by Rajinder Krishan. In 1949, he became assistant director to H. S. Rawail in ‘Patanga’. The gawky young Rajendra also made a debut on the big screen with his walk-on role of Sohan in the opening shot of this film. He continued to be an assistant with Rawail for five years in films like Patanga, Sagai and Pocketmaar etc. However, Rawail kept telling him he was not cut out to be an actor till the release of Vachan, his first silver jubilee hit. Meanwhile, Chandulal Shah of Ranjit Studios noticed his elegant features and cast him in the role of hero’s best friend in Jogan (1950). After Jogan, Shah offered him the lead role in Hum Log (1951) but unfortunately he was replaced by Sajjan. 

Producer/Director Devendra Goel saw some spark in him and gave him break as hero in his debut film 'Vachan' (1955). He was paid only 15 hundred rupees for the film. It was a silver jubilee hit and he was given a title ‘A Star is Born’. After struggle, bigger roles in Vachan and Toofan Aur Diya brightened his prospects. Mehboob Khan had cast Rajendra in ‘Awaz’, brought him under the glare of the spotlight with Mother India. His big chance came with 'Goonj Uthi Shehnai'. He played the Shehnai with creditable verisimilitude. The trumpet he blew made him a much sought after hero in films which had strong story lines and good music.

1959 was a fortuitous year as he followed it up with Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan and Dhool Ka Phool. He played the grey-shaded character in Dhool Ka Phool and a memorable role as the crusading lawyer in song-less hit Kanoon (1960). The often-overwrought family melodramas like Sasural and Gharana (1961) were just what the doctor ordered for people who enjoyed a quiet weep. Then came the robust ‘Aas Ka Panchi’ (1961), which started two profitable partnerships with filmmaker Mohan Kumar and actress Vyjayanthimala. He crystallised his martyr image with Dil Ek Mandir (1963), where he played a doctor who stakes his life to save the husband (Raaj Kumar) of her ex-love (Meena Kumari).

But just when he was at his zenith after Suraj, the sun began to slowly set on his career. His films like Aman, Palki, Jhuk Gaya Aasmaan, Saathi and Shatranj were disappointments. He enjoyed a short-lived reprieve with the moderate successes of Anjana, Talash, Geet and Ganwaar. The early 1970s saw Rajendra squandering his talents in indifferent films. Soon he found the offers stop coming his way, the realisation of descent dawned upon him quickly. He moved to supporting roles with quiet grace. He did films like Sunehra Sansar, Rani Aur Lalpari, Do Jasoos, Saajan Bina Suhagan, Do Phool, O Bewafa and Saajan Ki Saheli etc. A handful of special appearances in Punjabi films like Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam, Teri Meri Ik Jindri and Do Sher eventually landed in his kitty.

Rajendra Kumar was considered tragedy king in his own right. In some of his films, he would have a disability, he’d lose a limb (Aarzoo) or become blind (Pyar Ka Sagar, Sathi, Tangewala) or lose his voice (Geet). There are plenty of sad songs featured on him like “Keh Do Koi Na Kare” (Goonj Uthi Shehnai-1959), “Ye Aansoo Mere Dil” (Humraahi-1963) and “Humne Jafa Na Seekhi” (Zindagi-1964). 

His films were probably blessed with some of the most popular songs of Hindi cinema: “Kaun Hai Jo Sapnon” (Jhuk Gaya Aasman); “Mujhko Apne Gale Laga Lo” (Humraahi); “Husn Wale Tera Jawaab Nahin” (Gharana); “Aaj Ki Raat” (Aman); “Mujhe Teri Mohabbat Ka” (Aap Aaye Bahaar Aayi). In Suraj (1966), he acted on the most popular song of the millennium “Bahaaro Phool Barasao..”. Many of his films even had a complete track of hits like Sasuraal, Mere Mehboob, Dil Ek Mandir, Aarzoo, Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Sathi etc.

Rajendra Kumar was a thorough professional. In “Goonj Uthi Shehnai”, he essayed the role of Ustad Bismillah Khan, he would sit near the maestro and observe him playing the shehnai and then practise before a mirror. In “Kanoon” he played a budding advocate, he would don the black professional gown from the house itself and go to the studio. In “Mere Mehboob” he had the writer of the film sit on the sets to check any flaw in his Urdu dialogue delivery. In “Saathi” he walked around his house with a stick in his hands and eyes closed to bring alive the blind man.

Rajendra Kumar took to producing films and launched his son in ‘Love Story’ (1980), a resounding success. Kumar Gaurav was a star sensation and his father took charge of his career. Even when Gaurav's career ran aground, he continued making films like Lovers, Phool and Naam with him. The adulation he had once enjoyed, the fame and stardom that had been at his finger tips had all but faded away.

His stardom made him a mint and he had keen investment sense. Rajendra was supportive and many actors like Manoj Kumar, Feroze Khan and Rajesh Khanna owed their success to him. Rose Movies gave Randhir Kapoor a new lease of life with Jawani Diwani. Rajendra had even recommended Rakesh Roshan for his debut role in Ghar Ghar ki Kahani. Then there were the filmmakers J. Om Prakash and Mohan Kumar. 

On the screen, he essayed the role of a romantic hero, serenading all top heroines of his time. His proximity to Saira Banu had unnerved his wife Shukla. He even cut short a holiday abroad to attend Saira’s birthday, only to be greeted by the news next morning that the actress had been engaged to Dilip Kumar. In his last days, his son Gaurav had even left his house and lived in an apartment gifted to him by Sanjay Dutt.

During his three decades long career, he had acted in more than 80 films including an Egyptian film. Maa Baap was the first film to celebrate a jubilee in Nairobi. Rajendra Kumar was honoured with the Padamshri in 1969. He was also conferred with Justice of Peace honour and served as Honorary Magistrate. The Merit Certificate was presented by Jawaharlal Nehru for Kanoon and a Gujarati film Mehdi Rang Lagyo. He received the international Urdu academy trophy.

He was suffering from cancer and the family gathered in his hospital room on Gaurav’s birthday but the son was too busy shooting. Rajendra Kumar, an ace at playing a doctor grappling with life-threatening diseases, finally succumbed to cancer on July 12, 1999. He left his mark on the sands of time essaying innocence and virtue typical of the time.