Sabrina Mathew’s recent post on cinema’s most beautiful women reminded me that it was time for me to do the second of my eye candy posts. Men again, but this time it’s good old Hindi cinema. As a reader pointed out, early Hindi cinema—the 30’s and 40’s—doesn’t seem to have had too many men who could be classified as hunks, but by the 50’s and 60’s (the period I concentrate upon) we had them in deliciously large numbers. Here goes, more or less in order, with my top ten:
1. Shammi Kapoor: Who else? I simply adore this guy in his cleanshaven avatar, between about 1957 and 1966 or so. He’s smart, charismatic, very energetic, and so mind-bogglingly handsome. Ridiculously good looking, especially in films like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee and Professor.
2. Dharmendra: One of the few actors from the classic era who managed to look good till well into the 70’s—but I think he’s at his best in the mid 60’s. Saira Banu, his co-star in films like Aadmi aur Insaan and Aayi Milan ki Bela, remarked that he looked Italian. One of my readers was of the opinion that no Italian comes even close. I agree.
3. Dev Anand: A little too skinny in his early films, but wonderfully good-looking during the late 50’s and early 60’s. I do wish, however, that the hairstyle, with that characteristic puff in front, had been a little less exaggerated. And he could’ve done without the mannerisms, too. But despite that, a hunk, all right.
4. Shashi Kapoor: Gloriously boyish, with his lopsided grin and slightly crooked teeth. He’s yummy in a way that’s different from his brother Shammi Kapoor, but is similar too (the joie de vivre of films like Pyaar Kiye Jaa is very Shammiesque).
5. Rajesh Khanna: Gorgeous through the 60’s, particularly in Aradhana: watch out for his photograph which Sharmila Tagore, as his girlfriend Vandana, carries around. And I think he sizzles in Roop tera mastana – that half open shirt is ooh!
6. Sanjeev Kumar: No, I don’t mean the overweight version of the 70’s (though his smile and voice continued to be gorgeous even then). I mean Sanjeev Kumar in a few films of the late 60’s, after his early B-grade films. Patently artificial costume jewellery, purple or scarlet velvet and thin moustaches don’t do much for the average man, and they didn’t do much for Sanjeev Kumar. But see him in films like Shikar, Jeene ki Raah, or Saathi, and you’ll see what I mean. Handsome. Very much so.
7. Sanjay Khan: Even though he tended to be a little wooden, I like this guy’s face. There’s something of the little-boy-lost look about him, extremely appealing—until he grins, when he’s magically transformed into an unmistakable playboy!
8. Parikshit Sahni: Okay, not one of your big time stars, but I saw him in his first film (Anokhi Raat) and nearly dropped off my chair, he’s so gorgeous. That bone structure is superb, and of course (with the genes he has), his acting’s pretty good too.
9. Joy Mukherji: Not very consistent, really: he’s sort of loose-lipped and flabby in later films like Humsaaya. But Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon and Shagird? Yesss!
10. Sunil Dutt: I’ve always held that Sunil Dutt was a fine actor, and in films for the art of it—otherwise how could a man so handsome consent to be the buffoon (and a none-too-good looking one at that) in Padosan?
Anyway, proves that even very bushy eyebrows can be overlooked when a man’s face is overall so arresting.
And, because I did it for my earlier post, a couple of also-rans:
Manoj Kumar: I don’t at all care for Manoj Kumar as the patriotic hero with the curling upper lip (and, as one of my relatives put it, “that constipated look”), but in some of his more light-hearted roles—in, for instance, Gumnaam, Woh Kaun Thi, Nakli Nawab, or Shaadi, he does look good.
Premnath: Years ago, in school, a bunch of us teenagers was discussing Hindi cinema’s handsomest men (yes, I started young!) Shammi Kapoor and Dev Anand topped nearly everybody’s list, but one friend said, “I also like Premnath”. Disbelief all around: “That fatty?” After which, of course, my pal and I had to clarify: No, not the fatty, but the fatty when he was younger, thinner, and much better-looking. In Aan, or Barsaat, or Naujawan, for instance.
Dustedoff 
Ah!
Dharmendra was always pleasing to the eye when he was playing the cultured man but he was ridiculous in his enemy of the dogs avtaar. Dev Anand was also quite charming, but as you pointed out, the mannerism got in the way.
I think Guru Dutt was quite handsome, if you are okay with anguish, angst and alcohol.
I cannot make up my mind about the Kapoor men. I know this will get me banished from your blog but I recently saw Teesri Manzil and Shammi looked as if he was having an epileptic seizure on-screen or maybe he has a coiled spring instead of a spine.
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acc to me shashi ji was the most handsome kapoor. dev anand was eye candy till guide. me and my sister were discussing about heroes. we said sanjay khan was handsome. then my mother said feroz khan. shammi kapoor was total delight in junglee and professor. i find rajender kumar ji very handsome too. vinod khanna was so handsome in his 70s movies.
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wow, what a list!
but missing dilip kumar! He looked so gorgeous in the early 50s!
I understand you not taking in Raj Kapoor, but in his non-Chaplinisque avatar, he can be quite charming.
I know, you are a big Joy fan, but what made oyu put Parikshit Sahni in!
Thank God tastes are different!
I know Uttam Kumar was not such a regular Hindi film hero, but he did 2-3 films, didn’t he?
His smile is so seductive!
Will post my list tomorrow. I prepared it 2 weeks back already! Wanted to compare it with yours
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Sabrina: yes, Guru Dutt was handsome too (especially in Mr and Mrs 55), but all that angst does put me off a bit. And as far as Shammi Kapoor is concerned, I do have that disclaimer – till about 1966 (which was when Teesri Manzil was made). Even though I love the story, the music and the general feel of the film, I do think Shammi was past his prime by then. It was also not a good time for him, since Geeta Bali died while the film was being made…
harvey: Am looking forward to your list!! I originally had Uttam Kumar in this list too, but then dropped him, probably because two of the main Hindi films he did (Amanush and Anand Ashram) had him looking really pudgy. He was very handsome in Chhoti Si Mulaqat, though. And Parikshit Sahni? You have to watch Anokhi Raat to see what I’m talking about. He’s delectable. ;-)
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yes shammi was already his prime. his double chin was noticeable but his acting made up. gleee.
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OMG a big YESSSSS to all your choices. OK not Manoj Kumar – I am prejudiced against the guy, but the rest of them are all great eye-candy material. But no Vinod Khanna?!!! Or does he not fall in the right time-period to be considered for your list? And hey, I like Sanjeev Kumar in fancy dress (when he was slim enough to look swashbuckling). Here’s an example from Nishaan.
I was watching Dhund a while back and boy, Sanjay Khan has his brother beat in the handsome stakes! And I am so glad you included Parikshit Sahni. He was so handsome but somehow never did become a big star – guess too many other hunks around in the 60s and early 70s in Hindi cinema! I have yet to see Anokhi Raat but he looked super handsome in Pavitra Paapi (which had Balraj Sahni too!).
OK. I’ll come back for more comments after I am done drooling! :-D
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I guessed someone or the other would disagree about Manoj Kumar ;-) I just happen to like him in his lighter moments…definitely not in stuff like Upkar or Purab aur Pachhim, or even Pathhar ke Sanam. No Vinod Khanna because he did only a couple of films in the 60’s (I saw his first film, Man ka Meet, and he really didn’t look that great in it: pretty gawkish). If I was doing a 70’s eye candy post, he’d probably top the list!!
Oooh, Sanjeev Kumar does look gorgeous in that clip (maybe it’s the missing moochh? I do like him cleanshaven. Feast your eyes on this one: he looks awesome, and the song’s another gem).
Yes, wasn’t Parikshit Sahni very handsome in Pavitra Paapi? Though I hated the way that film ended – just too sad.
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i dont like manoj kumar as an actor. his dialogue delivery in RKM. it was let down of the movie. but his dialogues were pretty fine. i sometimes wonder he has a great sense as a writer what happens to him when he is acting. he looked handsome in his early movies of 60s till maximum in mera naam joker. i find him handsome in black shirt and cream pants in MJK where rishi kapoor comes home to give books. my friend says unpay nehru jacket suit karti hain. i will continue to respect him as an writer and director. like for writing woh kaun thi, saving 2 songs from it. naina barsey rhimjhim rhimjhim and lagg jaa galey ki phir yeh hansi raat ho na ho. and for writing first part of mera naam joker. i liked that part very much. full of natural scenes which can happen and no moral policing. he also said es part ki charcha aaj tak hoti hain. i like songs of his movie hai hai yeh mazburi, mere desh ki dharti, om jai jagdish harey. i like miror shots in ek pyaar ka nagma hai. i find it divine. if one watches upkaar lake scene is best. where he and aasha parekh are talking early morning. sun reflection on lake water. i like it very much. and in koi jab tumhara hriday tod dey when saira banu disappears in dark corridors of oxford wearing herself black. it looks awesome. i think its my observation that he was fine actor in last scenes of his movies like neel kamal, anita, woh kaun thi, poonam ki raat. its my observation. just watch last scenes of the movie my observation you may agree. he could have been a villan. i was watching some movie with vjyantimala in it. he was fine in negative scenes. i think he has written another movie for raj khoshla may be or may not. i read his one interview. . don’t remember clearly. he said he has written many movies without giving his name. i think he should tell for better. and for wipers in woh kaun thi. he should not be blamed . in mera saya the servant girl is a mystery. raj khoshla should have been asked. i like him as a writer and director. and common people know that he is a writer and writes very well.
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My first intro to Manoj Kumar was Hai preet jahan ki reet sada in Chitrahaar and he did his lip-curling so much that I was put off for life! He isnt bad in Woh Kaun Thi, but I am too confirmed in my anti-Manoj-ism to appreciate anything about him!
I didnt realise Vinod Khanna had any films in the 60s! For some reason I thought he debuted in Gulzar’s Mere Apne where he was o so dishy! Which reminds me of another of my favorites who just comes into the 60s by one film – Naveen Nischol (imdb lists his first film Saawan Bhadon as a 1970 film but I seem to remember it as a 1969 one).
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O ooo, pressed submit before I meant to!
Pavitra Paapi was pretty sad but the novel it was based on was apparently even sadder. Guess someone wrote a novel for Dilip Kumar and poor Parikshit Sahni landed with the role! lol
And Dev Anand’s puff was distracting but without it he looked so ordinary. All his manly beauty was contained in that puff, I think! :-D
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Yes, I think if anybody’s first memory of Manoj Kumar was Hai preet jahaan ki reet sadaa, I wouldn’t blame them for not liking the guy. Purab aur Pachhim was one of the most jingoistic films I’ve seen; didn’t arouse any patriotism in me at all!
Interestingly, Man ka Meet had three people making their debuts: Vinod Khanna (as the villain), Leena Chandavarkar and Som Dutt (was that his name? – Sunil Dutt’s very average brother). One of those films where the villain looked better than the hero, but even then, not a patch on what Vinod Khanna was in later films like Sachcha Jhootha… and yes, agree with you completely about Naveen Nischol (am still trying to get hold of a Naveen-Asha Parekh starrer memsaab reviewed some time back: it sounded awesome: Naadaan).
One film in which Dev Anand’s puff is a little subdued, but he still looks delicious is CID: great film and fabulous music too!
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my top 5 first 3 positions taken by dharm paji. why i am calling him paji ! haha ! then its not in order shammi ji, shashi ji ( i love this man so much ), highest respect for the handsome kapoor. dutt saheb. on other note Rajkumar was bald and used to wear wig an acquaintance who lived in bombay told me. oh have to make one choice than it is dharmendar only. he is like fast food, mughali cusine, chinese food and south indian dishes. i wish mera gao mera desh comes on tv soon. aasha parekh triangle cap. i may watch as i have time and i wish do an article on Raj khosla ji. hi cinema . one of the most versatile director and ease man as he was relaxed never hyped ,no ego was cool. even he was so talented.
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I haven’t put my choice in a row, because if anything is harder than to choose 10 handsome men, then it is to put them in a row.
Here is my list and I think I’m going to antagonise everybody here.
Please, pleaaase don’t hate me!
Here it comes:
Dilip Kumar
His good looks and his lopsided smile, who could resist it. Happy, tragic or heroic, he was always handsome.
Dev Anand
This suave guy has everything going for him. He is sophisticated, he has this naughty look, he is mysterious, he has something, which tells you it is going ot be dangerous, even if it is a walk through a daylight park.
AND I love his puff, gives me something to curl around my fingers!
Shashi Kapoor
He is the male Moushmi Chaterjee for me. His boyish looks are so charming, even now at his ripe old age.
Balraj Sahni
I know, he is not good looking like goooood-looking but… He has this air of something tragic, something worldly, something very benign and a pinch of mystery. Surely a guy, whom you need, after a walk through the park with Dev.
Ashok Kumar
Good old Ashok Kumar! He had this rugged, edged face, rather like a raw diamond. He hardly got any roles to play a dacoit or something equally rough. I think some facial hair would have added to his charm.
Sunil Dutt
O his lively smile, which is more than reflected in his eyes. I love his anguished look for which he justly became famous for. I think he made bushy eyebrows a fashion trend.
Sanjay Khan
What is this thing about this guy, which makes him so desirable? I just don’t know.
Rajesh Khanna
For me he doesn’t fit in the 60s, he is more of 70s guy for me. But you can’t deny, that he has more than 5 movies in the 60s. Well, ab kya misaal du me tumhare shabaab ki.
Dharmendra
Chaand aahen bharega, phool dil tham lenge, husn ki baath chali to sab tera naam lenge!
Aisa chehra hai tera, jaise roshan sanvera….
Raaj Kumar
O God, I am expecting lots of brickbats for this. But just think of him without his jaani mannerisms and his own controlled self. This guy had lots of sex appeal. He just has to look. His beauty is something, which you can’t grasp in words.
—————
Raj Kapoor
In the early 50s, without his chaplinesque ado, and with his wavy hair and the way he grasps Nargis…. swooooon!
Premnath
I have nothing more to add to what dustedoff said.
Now, I think memsaab and dustedoff will not talk to me atleast for 5 months, since I didn’t include Shammi Kapoor here in the list. Please forgive me, I just don’t find him handsome! :-( I tried, really!
The best I liked him was with his moustache in his early movies.
O God, if I go on talking like this, I will be kuchumber in few minutes.
curious about your response
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harvey, yes (and I know memsaab’s going to support me on this!): How can you not have Shammi Kapoor on your list? He is just perfect, in my opinion! But as we said earlier, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder… which is why I’m not going to go yuck, yuck, yuck at your including Ashok Kumar and Raaj Kumar in your list. ;-)
I do think Balraj Sahni was good-looking in some roles (like Seema, but somehow I always think of him as the paterfamilias of family dramas like Bhabhi or Waqt – and as Parikshit Sahni’s father. That’s one father-son duo where the looks improved!). And Raj Kapoor is bearable in Chori Chori or even in bits of Shree 420 – for instance in Mudmud ke na dekh, where he actually looks good.
And since you’ve also got Sanjay Khan, Dharmendra and Dev Anand in your list, you’re forgiven! ;-)
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dustedoff, you are too kindhearted. I will try again to find Shammi Kapoor handsome!
And yeah, Balraj Sahni has this paterfamilias look, but that is what makes him so … likeable, even in his looks. He is the guy with both the feet firmly on the ground and no hiccups during the ride!
*I’m not going to go yuck, yuck, yuck*
You disappoint me! That is very mean of you! ;-)
*And since you’ve also got Sanjay Khan, Dharmendra and Dev Anand in your list, you’re forgiven! ;-)*
Can you imagine a list of handsome guys of indian cinema without the latter two?
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“Can you imagine a list of handsome guys of indian cinema without the latter two?”
Never. Absolutely not! See, we agree on some :-))
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You r great Memsaab.
But I feel personally feel No. 1 position is our Super Star Rajesh Khanna not Shammi Kapoor.
There are romantic leading men and there are romantic leading men, but very few have taken cinematic love to legendary heights. While there might be other icons but Super-Star- Actor Rajesh Khanna after four decades, he is the ultimate true romantic legend.
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dustedoff, how does it feel to be referred to as memsaab? ;-)
BTW, inspired by you I started on my last train journey the compilation for my list of beautiful actresses of the 50s and 60s and I don’t know whom to exclude. They all looked beautiful except maybe Sandhya. :-0
I think this will be only a compilation rather than a list.
Which flower are you using as your icon?
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Dharmendra forever + Jeetendra was a cutie as well especially in the 60’s-70’s, Vinod Khanna too is a hottie
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V Manohar: Thanks for the compliment, but the memsaab title is Greta’s, not mine ;-). And as I mentioned to harvey, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder… so I guess Shammi Kapoor is for me (and memsaab!) what Rajesh Khanna is to you. Personally, I like Rajesh Khanna only in his first few films – beyond the mid-70’s, the hairstyle and the mannerisms begin to pall on me.
harvey: I suppose I should be flattered at being referred to as memsaab! And guess what, I’ve been trying to do a beautiful actresses post too, but picking 10 lovely women from Hindi cinema of the 50’s and 60’s is well nigh impossible! Everybody was so utterly lovely, it seems.
I have no idea which flower that is – it’s a wildflower, photographed at Hatu Peak near Narkanda (Himachal Pradesh) last year. The summit of the peak is covered with these, along with strawberries and yellow daisies, this time of the year. Very pretty!
bollywooddeewana: Yes, Jeetendra was nice too in his earlier films, but somehow I wouldn’t put him in the hunk category… something about him is more cutie than hunky. ;-)
Vinod Khanna, as I mentioned to bollyviewer, is more from the 70’s than the 60’s. If this was a 70’s post, he’d have been top of the list – and would probably have occupied each of the other positions on the list too! Very hot (I saw Inkaar again yesterday, so am on a VK high right now).
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if i have to marry one of these hunks i am confused whom i shall marry. for dharmendar i already wrote on memsaab blog that he was complete hit among all heroines whether it was intelligent sharmila , zeenat , saira , mosuhmi . if you are good books of sharmila ji then it is really something to cherish. i just want to say for him. aapkey haseen rukh par aaj naya noor hain. mera dil machal guya toh mera kya kasoor hain. i just love him. i wana say i think no heroine ever ever refused to work with him and all worked multiple times. whether sharmila, mosuhmi, zeenat, tanuja and all. god bless him. he is 80 but still looks so handsome. i wana ask him aapki fitness ka raaz kya hain ?? i remember sharmila ji was prasiing him for his fitness ki badey tandurast hain. toh outdoors mai koi dikkat nahi hoti. i can be on and on on this man but still i want to say, tumko humari umar lagg jaye. he is like a chicken to me. sheer joy to eye and sheer delicious to eat. haai ! i am in la la la land.
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dharmendar i like very comfortable in masala movies between main stream n commercial like do chor. and his doggish avtaar. no no in classic cinema of bimal roy, hrishikesh and basu da. i feel he is acting. knowing his fun hearted nature.
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Harvey, thats a nice list, too. Most of them would make it to my list as well. Agreed young Dilip Kumar was strikingly handsome (though I find that his “acting” rubs me up the wrong way) and I find Balraj Sahni and Ashok Kumar very handsome too (though I agree with Dustedoff that they arent really hunk category). But I must go *yuck* at Raj Kapoor and Raj Kumar! The first, to me always looked like a very lecherous Uncle – even in his very young days. The second was sooooooo annoying that when I first saw Alec Guiness’s marked resemblance to him (The Bridge On The River Kwai) I almost didnt like him either!
Dustedoff, isnt Inkaar awesome? As to VK’s hotness, I’ve just been watching Raaj Mahal – a costume swashbuckler – and boy could that guy give Stewart Granger a run for his money. I wish VK had done more sword-fighting movies! And yes, a list of 10 most beautiful actresses from any decade would be impossible to compile – you have to make it 10 favorite actresses, instead. I cant recall any less-than-attractive looking actresses at any time in Bollywood, though there were plenty of irritating ones and ones who couldnt act!
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Yes, Inkaar is awesome! I like the story, the interesting police procedure bit, and the entire way the film’s put together: very good. And Vinod Khanna is absolutely delicious! Thank you for the Raaj Mahal tipoff: I haven’t seen that one, but a swashbuckler with Vinod Khanna in it? Any day!
You’re right; I’m going to have to specify, whenever I do my Bollywood beauties post, that these are my favourite actresses, not necessarily the most beautiful… I can’t think of any plain women in Hindi cinema ever! Even the supremely wooden Vimmi, though she couldn’t act to save her life, was pretty enough.
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I read somewhere in the net, that Inkaar was nearly frame to frame rip off of a Kurosawa film.
Jeetendra gets so much on my nerves, I forget to look at his face.
bollyviewer: Dilip Kumar was hot wasn’t he?
And I agree completely with you, that Raj Kapoor and Balraj Sahni ar eno hunks but do we have really hunks in hindi cinema of the 50s and 60s? maybe Premnath, but he hardly covers the meaning of the word. Well, when I say hunk, then someone like Hrithik Roshan springs in my mind!
*Raj Kapoor … looked like a very lecherous Uncle*
:-O
but in his earlier movies like Baanwre Nain and Awara he had something, but hten he had to go and take up this chaplinesque image.
As for Raaj Kumar, have you seen him in Dil Apna aur Preet Parai, he is subdued and looks so hurt all the time. And for e.g., Dil Ek Mandir as well. I would also have preferred him to Rajendra Kumar if I were Meena Kumari. But agian he had ot develop this jaani mannerisms. Andhe was well built. There is this very sexistic song with Leena Chandavarkar in ‘Dil ka Raja’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wGy1O-v52s) Check it. Not the song but Raaj Kumar, but be sure to turn of the awful song (Unfortunately, Pancham had his awful moments as well)
dustedoff: the flower is beautiful, looks likes an anemome or a poppy.
To choose 10 favorite actresses is a hard task as well. Shashi Kapoor listed in a mid 80s the Illustrated Weekly of India his list of beautiful indian actresses. Unfortunately I lost the copy, when I left India. My parents threw it away
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Yes, I read that about Inkaar too. Never mind; it’s still worth a watch!
I’m okay with Jeetendra in some of his early films, like Ek Naari Ek Brahmachari or Farz, but by the 70’s (except in Parichay, he’d started to get on my nerves!
Okay, conceded: Raaj Kumar does look good in some films. And in Dil ek Mandir he’s definitely much better than Rajinder Kumar (frankly, anybody would be!), but still… not my idea of a hunk. I so agree with you: hunk is sort of synonymous with Hritihik Roshan!! ;-)
Yep, I think the flower is an anemone of some sort. I’m pretty sure it isn’t a poppy; the leaves weren’t poppy-like, and it wasn’t a tall plant.
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I had to go off and think about this one for a while :-) Naturally Shammi is at the top of MY list too (but harvey I don’t mind if you don’t agree cause it’s just more of him for ME). And Dharmendra has to be number two!
But I have to admit I would definitely put Feroz there instead of Sanjay—I just find Sanjay creepy, but Feroz…now he’s a MAN! :-) And the Mukherjee boys never do much for me, and I cannot abide Manoj K :-))) I would probably have put Guru Dutt and Ashok Kumar in there instead. Totally on board with Rajesh, Shashi, Sanjeev K., Sunil Dutt and Premnath though! Dev Anand leaves me sitting on the fence. Not comfy.
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Pushed submit too soon!—but only need to add that I haven’t seen Parikshat Sahni in anything yet, and need to remedy that.
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Ah, well – let’s agree to disagree! I can’t bear Feroz Khan (he’s just too louche and somehow creepy for me), and Ashok Kumar isn’t a hunk in my lexicon, so… but you’ve got to see Parikshit Sahni: too bad he did so few films in his slim and handsome days.
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You know who fits into the definition of “hunk” in the 60s more than anyone? Dara Singh! His acting and dialogue-delivery may leave a lot to be desired, but physically at least he could be in the Hrithik-hunk category!
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Yes, Dara Singh’s hard to beat when it comes to physique, but somehow the face doesn’t make me drool. ;-)
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I am definitely a Raaj Kumar fan too!
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Good, you’ve got harvey for company!! ;-) Frankly, I don’t care for Raj Kumar at all, though he’s fairly attractive in films like Dil Ek Mandir.
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I love that the Kumars – Manoj and Sanjeev – made your list! Most people would not agree, so I’m glad to find I’m not the only one who thinks they were very attractive on their best days! Another Kumar, Ashok, would make my list – I think he was very good-looking in his prime. Oh and yet another Kumar, Dilip, I also find extremely attractive.
Dharmendra would definitely be my hands-down pick for the prime position, though! He did look wonderful in the 60s, but sometimes a little ‘too’ overwhelmingly beautiful for me (LOL)… I personally like his looks from when he was a little more mature and more comfortable in his skin… for me he was at his best in the early to mid 70s.
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I’m so glad you agree with Sanjeev Kumar and Manoj Kumar being on this list! I put Manoj Kumar in with much trepidation, but then thought: “Hey, this is my blog!” He does look fabulous in some of his pre-patriot films: I adored him in Woh Kaun Thi and Nakli Nawab, for instance.
Overwhelmingly beautiful? Hmmm… I’ll have to think about that! ;-). I don’t much care for Dharmendra in his first couple of films (Shola aur Shabnam, Shaadi, etc), but I do like him in the bunch he did opposite actresses like Asha Parekh and Saira Banu. And he’s awesome in Tum Haseen Main Jawaan! I could go on drooling at him in dress uniform: he’s just sooo yum.
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My choice. (not in any particular order)
-I belong to the group of Raaj Kumar lovers. :-D
-Guru Dutt. He does something to me whenever he moves his brow :-/
-Dilip Kumar. In Aan he was unbelievably sexy. That wicked smile when he modestly turns his back on Nadira running around with her blouse ripping off, and gets caught on something – he has that slight smile, as he sets it free. *I’ve melted into a puddle*
-Rajendra Kumar *blush*
How could I not find him not attractive after Mere Mehboob?
– Manoj Kumar *blush* *blush*
I liked him when he wasn’t being patriotic. Even in Himalay ki godmein.
-Rehman. Can’t really say why. There is an aura of sex appeal somewhere there. In his entire personality, perhaps? I just can’t lay my finger on the exact spot.
-Shammi Kaoor (not because I want to stay in the good books of dustedoff and memsaab ;-), but really really.
-Parkshit Sahni – yesss! I wonder why he didn’t succeed :-(
-Sunil Dutt. He was that gentle sexy kind. Very attractive.
-In some films like Mere Mehboob, Ashok Kumar looked sooooo good. Sometimes Rajesh Khanna too.
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Please ignore the second *not* in the description of Rajender Kumar.
It should read;
How could I not find him attractive after Mere Mehboob?
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Ignored ;-)
Yes, maybe I’d stretch it for Rajender Kumar in Mere Mehboob, but then I don’t know… I’ve always held that just about anyone can look good in an achkan!
Guru Dutt? I thought he was fabulous in Udhar tum haseen ho from Mr and Mrs 55, but otherwise somehow all that angst and pain didn’t go towards making him one of the hunks.
And hey, I agree with you about Rehman – but only in places. Have you seen Chhalia? In the first scene where he meets Nutan, he looks so good I could hardly believe it was him! But yes, he sort of went down the drain rapidly after that in other films…
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I haven’t seen Chhalia. I’m thrilled to find out there is an interesting film of Rehman out there. :-)
Will get it as soon as possible. Thanks.
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Warning: Chhalia is not recommended if you’re not a Raj Kapoor fan! And Rehman’s character isn’t very likeable, even though he isn’t a villain or anything of the sort. But if you just want to feast your eyes on him looking really good, then this is the film for you! :-)
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Oh, I’m completely neutral about Raj Kapoor, when he’s not doing the ‘smiling when sad’ type of roles.
Though I prefer watching films where he’s not.
But this one, I have put on my list. :-)
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Oh dear! ;-) Chhalia has RK playing the `smiling when sad’ role to the hilt. But never mind, Rehman looks awesome, Nutan is lovely, and the songs are pretty good.
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Thanks for the warning. :-D
I will watch it just for Nutan and Rehman!!
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Naturally Shammi would have topped my list too followed by Dharmendra, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Manoj Kumar, Joy Mukherjee, Sunil Dutt and Ashok Kumar.
I really liked Manoj in his early non-patriotic movies. Joy Mukherjee, though not in many great movies, I felt got some most romantic songs to feature in (and same for Biswajeet) and he was very handsome, especially in Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon and Shagird.
Ashok Kumar was not a hunk, but I still find him very good looking. And Parikshit Sahni, I haven’t seen any of his movies of his early days, but I really like him. I feel he looks great even now.
I just realized that I’ve spent my Valentines eve drooling over the men (Hollywood and Bollywood) whom I truly adore. Thanks for giving that link to Eye Candy list in your latest post! ;-)
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I’m glad you’ve spent Valentine’s Eve profitably! I’ve spent it in a similar way too – watching Tyrone Power play the role of Juan Gallardo in Blood and Sand. He looks absolutely, totally awesome in that. If for nothing else, the film’s worth watching for anybody who wants an eyeful of Power. He’s drop-dead gorgeous in it. :-)
Biswajit I find a little too feminine – but he certainly had some fabulous songs picturised on him!
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Good list, but what do you think of Dilip Kumar in his early years ? I mean, in Mehboob Khan’s ‘Andaz’ (1949) he is just gorgeous ! And as you included the dashing Prem Nath (here, just great : http://picasaweb.google.com/shift431/Villians#5217410288549435922), I also think that another to-be villain was not ‘so bad’ … Prem Chopra (he debuted in the 60’s.) Look at this : http://picasaweb.google.com/shift431/Villians#5217409247280467346 & http://picasaweb.google.com/shift431/Villians#5437110033636442306.
And as we talked of some Bengali actors (the handsome Joy Mukherjee & the legendary Uttam Kumar), I can propose you another name : actual ‘Bengali SRK’ Prasenjit Chatterjee’s father, Biswajit Chatterjee (look : http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BVDkeT5FLmQ/SjPQVurumrI/AAAAAAAAAuU/jaIIP0haT3s/s400/yrpna_biswajeet.jpg)
So a good list, even If Feroz Khan, Dilip Kumar or – in some movies – Rajendra Kumar can be included.
By the way, nice blog.
From France with love.
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Thank you for dropping by, AA – and for your kind words! Do come again.
I do like Dilip Kumar, but somehow the decidedly tragic feel of so many of his films (Andaaz included) puts me off. I can appreciate a tragic hero for his acting (and Dilip Kumar’s acting is faultless, mostly) – but somehow I find it difficult to admire their looks when covered over with a three-day beard and droopy eyes!! But yes, he did look great in Aan, especially when he smiles – mmmm.
That Prem Chopra photo is great, too, though Biswajeet doesn’t appeal to me (too feminine) and neither does Feroze Khan (I’ve never liked him; there’s something too louche about him). Rajendra Kumar is another no-no for me!
But hey, everybody’s entitled to their own opinion. I have plenty of friends who don’t agree at all with my list!
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hey,,,where is amitji guys??? that 6 and half , dark haired , square jawed, oiled, absolutely well dressed, doon schooled,all rounder…maybe he is also nowadays seen in small time ventures….but i dont think that anyone comes even half of the way the praise and fame he has enjoyed throughout his life….sorry if i sound stupid…but its a fact ….ummmm isnt it???
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Well, Salim Khan: the reason why Amitabh Bachchan isn’t listed here is that this blog restricts itself to films upto the 60’s – not beyond. True, some of the men listed here did appear in the 70’s (Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra, for example), but I think they were at their best in the 60’s. Bachchan Sahib, as far as I know, made only two films in the 60’s but came into the limelight only in the 70’s, so if he were to be included in an eye candy list, it would have to be a 70’s (or after) one.
Somehow, though, I wouldn’t classify Amitabh Bachchan as handsome: his screen presence is undeniable, but I’d say his looks are striking without being exactly drop-dead gorgeous.
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About Dilip Kumar, I think that he gained years very badly … he has always been handsome, but the young Pathan is more goodly presented in his first hit-movie ‘Jugnu’ (1947), for instance ; he is just gorgeous !
But I totally agree about Big B … in fact, I think that from the 70′, because of the political turnoil at the moment, the hero changed from the ‘romantic-heartrob’ to the ‘angy young men’ ; and, in this transition, Amithab Bachchan gained a lot with his tall & unusual looks (and poor Rajesh Khanna lost all !.) This trend is even perceptible in Hollywood with Sylverster Stallone, and in both cases, it is more the whole ‘attitude’ than the good-looks which are appreciated by the masses. But, of course, it do not means that Big B is ‘ugly’ ; he can be very handsome (I like him in ‘Zanjeer’ personally) but he is not a ‘hunk’, for sure.
You also mentionned the early years where there were not so many hunks in Bollywood compared to Hollywood, and I agree, because cinema was just less recent, and because of cultural values, it was very hard to go into cinema … do not forget that even Vinod Khanna, who came later, had a father who wanted to kill him if he joined movies … the only exception was Prithviraj Kapoor, the ‘tall, dark & handsome’ man can be – without shame – compard to Errol Flynn or Clark Gable (<3) But, yes, K.L. Saigal, Motilal or Sohrab Modi are certainly not in the 'hunks' category … ^^"
N.B. : Sorry, I had a lot to say. :o) Thanks for the reading !
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Don’t be sorry for that long comment – I enjoyed reading it! And I agree with you on just about everything, from Bachchan not being ugly, but not a hunk – to the sheer handsomeness of Prithviraj Kapoor. I remember seeing a very brief clip of Sikandar years ago, and being completely bowled over! He was gorgeous.
I didn’t know Vinod Khanna’s father was so opposed to him joining films. Thank heavens Vinod Khanna persevered! Through the 70’s, he remained one of my favourite actors – and an indubitable hunk.
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Salâam-Namaste!
About Vinod Khanna, the man concerned will be more ‘eloquent’ (from ‘The uncensored Vinod Khanna’, Times of India) : “… I was game but my father held a gun to my head and said he would shoot me if I ever entered Bollywood. Finally, my mother convinced him to allow me to join the industry …” And keep in mind that even Abhay Deol (Greek god’s nephew, and himself not so bad) and Mukesh’s handsome grandson Neil Nitin Mukesh were not able to stay outside at nigh … do not even argue about having a girlfriend ! And these guys are from filmi family, which we would think as a bit more ‘liberal’ !
But I personally think that this attitude is more apparent in North India, especially amongst the Punjabis, who ironically gived the most illustrous actors (on your list, apart from n. 6,7 & 9, they are all from the Punjab), because British modernism has not fully penetrated the region as it has with, for instance, the Bengal (Calcutta) or the Maharashtra (Bombay.)
Returning to the list, I’m also glad that you included Manoj Kumar (a Rock Hudson-like charisma !) and Sanjeev Kumar, who looked divine in their youth ! But the second, as Shammi said of his own family, had the bad habit of eating like a Pathan ! And to continue about the Kapoors, I ‘discovered’ that Prithviraj had a brother but – more interestingly – he was an actor who played in over hundred movies, and in many as a hero : Trilok Kapoor. I have not seen a single photo. of the guy, but if beauty is really hereditary amongst the Kapoors (male ? :p), perhaps we’ve got another hunk of the 30’s ? ^^’
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Thank you for all that trivia, AA! And very especially for that information on Trilok Kapoor – this was the first time I’d heard of him, but if he had the Kapoor genes, he probably had the looks too. ;-) Now I’ve got to go search him out! The imdb page on him lists a lot of films in which he acted, though through most of the 50’s and 60’s, he seems to have specialised in B grade mythologicals.
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Good hero.
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For me looks is important but also the good qualities. For me, sunil dutt tops the list because i can sense goodness in him. the others are “raaj kumar (young)”, sanjeev kumar (young) , bharat bhushan (young) manoj kumar (young)
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What about Shyam-the actor from the 40s movies who died a tragically early death? I believe he was cast alongside Suraiyya in a very hit movie..He was definitely handsome in my books…
I agree Raj Kumar was more charismatic than good looking..
My list would echo yours for the most part-I’d include a very young Premnath, Prem Chopra, Rehman, the aforementioned Shyam, Balraj Sahni, even a young Motilal…but definitely young Dilip Kumar..In fact, of all the 3 main stars of that generation (Raj, Dilip and Dev), Dilip Kumar holds a special place for me…esp in movies where he’s very young and very fun….It pained me to see him die so horribly in Andaz…and I loved him in his early scenes flirting with Nargis…(Sigh!)…
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Wasn’t Shyam the same person who acted in Samadhi? If that’s the one you mean, then yes: he was certainly very good-looking. I think I read (perhaps on another blog) that he died fairly young, or at least after having ruined his looks drinking. Don’t remember now exactly what the circumstances were…
Oh, yes – Dilip Kumar is definitely one of the best-looking stars of his era. Certainly better than Raj Kapoor, at any rate (I still can’t imagine how Nargis’s character chose Raj Kapoor’s over Dilip Kumar’s in Andaz!) ;-)
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Came to this post only because I saw you had commented on it in ‘Recent Comments’ – boy! am I glad I did! So much eye-candy!
My preference would be:
1.Shammi Kapoor
2. Dilip Kumar
3. Dev Anand
4. Raj Kapoor (Don’t shoot me!)
5. Shashi Kapoor
6. Sanjeev Kumar
7. Rajesh Khanna
8. Balraj Sahni
9. Sanjay Khan
10. Parikshit Sahni
And Madhu, the reason that Dev Anand had that silly puff was because he was in love with Suraiyya and she had a crush on Gregory Peck. (In fact, Peck, when he came to India, had a midnight rendezvous with her – when he learnt that India’s biggest singing star had a soft spot for him – all very innocent, actually, since she was chaperoned by her grandmother and manager and…. :) Anyway, young Dev was supposed to resemble Gregory Peck (the resemblance is quite marked, if you ask me) and he decided to style his hair the same way so he would be even more appealing to a woman who was already in love with him. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. Unfortunately, her family objected, and she did not have the courage to leave them and go with him. Of course, she also never married.
:( Sad end to a really decent love story!
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Yes, my parents had pointed out the Dev Anand-Gregory Peck resemblance to me when I was quite small. I think probably before I had ever even seen a Peck film, though I had seen CID. I remember them showing me a magazine that had photos of them, shot from similar angles… startlingly alike. But Peck’s hairstyle somehow manages to give him a rakeish look, not this contrived puff that Dev Anand adopted. :-(
Heh. I don’t mind Raj Kapoor’s looks, actually – I actually think he’s quite good-looking in films like Shree 420 (in that tux!), or Sangam, for instance. What I don’t like is his ‘lovable tramp’ persona and the mannerisms associated with that. It irritates the hell out of me.
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Manoj Kumar’s extremely talented and 1 of the good looking personalities of that time….
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mm… Sanjay Khan. What a pity that the web has such a paucity of pictures of him in his prime. The ONLY thing I remember from the picturization of the Rafi classic “mai.n ye sochakar usake dar se uThaa thaa” from Haqeeqat is that Sanjay Khan is in the frame (he’s not the one the song is picturized on, just hanging around). Drop-dead gorgeous, a complete dreamboat.
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I am so happy to have found a kindred spirit who thinks Sanjay Khan is a dreamboat! ;-)
So here you go; feast your eyes on the screen caps in these:
(My favourite of the films I’ve reviewed that starred Sanjay Khan):
https://dustedoff.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/dillagi-1966/
Haqeeqat, of course:
https://dustedoff.wordpress.com/2009/07/15/haqeeqat-1964/
Two other films that I didn’t like so much, but he looked great:
https://dustedoff.wordpress.com/2009/03/03/beti-1969/
https://dustedoff.wordpress.com/2009/02/10/ek-phool-do-maali-1969/
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I also think that Guru Dutt should be on the list…he’s not much of a “hunk” as such (Lack of muscles), but in the roles like Mr. And Mrs. ’55, 12 O’ Clock, and Aar Paar, you have to admit, there’s just this aura about him. The way his eyes move, just…
Perhaps he shouldn’t be included on the hunk list, but definitely one of the handsomest actors I’ve seen.
And I’m glad Shashi and Shammi are on that list :)
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Guru Dutt was on my shortlist, but eventually got edged out by the others. :-) But I agree with you about there being an aura about him – he can be very attractive. In all the films you’ve mentioned, and (for me) very specially in Udhar tum haseen ho idhar dil jawaan hai. For a man to be so mesmerising while sharing screen space with Madhubala is quite an achievement!
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On this sad day of Rajesh Khanna’s demise, millions of his fans like me are dumbstruck with grief.
His songs sung mostly by the evergreen Kishoreda are permanently etched in every film goers mind..
Please do a good tribute post to the superstar of the 70s when Music was the food of love,,
Regards
Nagesh
Chennai
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I learnt about his death after I’d published my latest post… will certainly post a tribute, probably later today.
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-hides self behind table-
I’m gonna get beaten up for this, but I think Raaj Kumar was VERY handsome in Hamraaz. The scene where Sunil Dutt finds him in the hotel room! :D
But Dev will top my list anyday. So. Handsome. He makes my legs turn to jelly.
Shammi will figure no matter what. Loved him in the early 60’s and late fifties. And Joy Mukherjee is very handsome. :D I think Manoj was awesome in Woh Kaun Thi, and thank God I haven’t seen his patriotic stuff.
Rajesh Khanna, OF COURSE. Gorgeous. And okay, don’t kill me, but I watched Mere Mehboob (a bit) and Rajendra is handsome. :B Sanjay Khan is quite good-looking too! Shashi as well! And Dharmendra too!
I’d say Dilip when he was young, and Raj Kapoor in Shree 420. :D Will you hit me if I say Guru Dutt is kind of handsome too?
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Raaj Kumar has never appealed to me, but I did think he looked all right in films like Dil Ek Mandir and Ardhangini. And yes, Dilip Kumar in his early films (Kohinoor, for example; or Aan). Raj Kapoor, I think I like in some avatars, and definitely not the ‘lovable tramp’ ones. I thought he looked great in a tux in Shree 420, and I liked him through all of Chori Chori. It’s a wonder what a smile can do to make people look better! :-)
Guru Dutt? No, I won’t hit you. I don’t usually think of him as outright handsome, but he does have a certain attractiveness that can make him awesome at times. Here, for instance, in Udhar tum haseen ho (where, in addition to looking great, he also has fantastic chemistry with Madhubala):
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According to me, Manoj Kumar was way too handsome in Woh Kaun thi and Pathar ke sanam and some other movies . He looked very attractive to me. And yes I remember Sanjay khan’s Ek phool do mali. He was good in that. But Manoj kumar is my favourite. I don’t know why but i don’t find him constipated thats an insult. I would say Thats his style. I simply love Manoj Kumar. *sigh* I wish I could meet him.No matter he his old. He was once handsome. My respect to Manoj Sir.
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Chill. Everybody has their own opinions, and there’s no point getting het up if somebody’s opinion doesn’t match yours. I agree that Manoj Kumar looked great in films like Shaadi or Gumnaam or Woh Kaun Thi?, but I do draw the line at stuff like Shor.
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i am sharing a link. that shows hair loss of manoj ji most from right side. he already looks on the way of desh bhakti. i think he aged very quickly even he is a tee toller unlike other heroes. i will be honest he looked so different in old age that one cannot identify that he is same manoj ji . popular heroes of 60s. http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/manoj-kumar-to-be-awarded-with-dada-saheb-phalke-award/
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Yes, he hasn’t aged well…
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Hm, I agree with some of your list but not most of it. The language is somewhat quaint. Please don’t take offense. It is a generational and cultural difference, I think. It just reminds me of how much differently we modern young women discuss men. I have never heard any young woman use the word ‘handsome’ or ‘hunk’ – the way we talk about men is much more sex-oriented. The word ‘handsome’ sounds so clinical to my ears!
Here are some of mine to add:
Dilip Kumar – I am surprised and I admit a little disappointed to see his absence. Very, very sexy man, my favourite of the whole lot. Not very classically handsome I admit but something about the melancholy, the brooding presence, the crooked smile, but also the fact that he seems so *proper* most of the time, that you want to bring out the animal in him. Yum.
Guru Dutt – Again, not very classically handsome, and the tragic artist type bothers some people. But he had a brooding sensuality that was just irresistable. And he made beautiful films.
Raj Kapoor – I understand that he is super unpopular on the female blogosphere, for some or other reason. Understandable when it comes to his post-’50s appearance…but not before that. *That* man was beautiful to look at. An “homme fatale” as someone put it…there was something fey about those grey eyes (like in Aag) but then there was also this seething sexuality. And, not to put too fine a point on it, but he seemed like the kind of man who would pull your hair, spank you and throw you on the bed. Insanely appealing, if you like that sort of thing.
Raaj Kumar – Gosh, Raaj Kumar in Waqt. I don’t understand how Sadhana could pick Sunil Dutt over Raaj Kumar, and I actually find Dutt attractive. But that intensity…and those cheekbones could cut glass.
Bharat Bhushan – I haven’t found out if this man could act, but by gosh, he was beautiful!
Now from your list I can agree with Shashi Kapoor (boy, and *do* I agree…hubba hubba), Dev Anand (oh yes), Dharmendra (too much he-man for my taste but yes he was good-looking), Sanjeev Kumar (oh god, he was just too attractive) and Sunil Dutt.
I’d strike off everybody else, though. In the category ‘wet blankets’ are Manoj Kumar and Joy Mukherjee. Didn’t Sanjay Khan beat up Zeenat Aman? I can forget asshattery to a certain extent but not domestic violence. What a creep. Premnath’s look is rather…ape-like to me. Not appealing and all.
And you’re going to ban me from your blog for this, but I don’t understand the appeal of Shammi Kapoor at all outside of the teenage girl demographic. :-) He was very handsome in his late 1950s avatar, as a young rocker (but more Frankie Avalon than Elvis IMO!). But the energy he exuded was IMO very youthful, *too* youthful for me…and in the 1960s he just looked bloated, but with the same youthful energy, which rather gave off the impression of an overgrown baby, IMO.
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Ah, well. To each their own. As they say, beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Of your list, a yougn Dilip Kumar appeals to me – the type in Aan. By the time Aadmi or Ram aur Shyam came around, he was just looking too tired. RK, in a couple of places – especially in a suit – does look good, but on the whole, I’m not a fan of him, whether of his acting or his looks. Raaj Kumar is bearable in early films like Ardhangini or Dil Ek Mandir, as long as he keeps his mouth shut.
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Yes Dilip looked too old and tired by 1958 already. I would not even go so far as ‘Ram Aur Shyam’! :-) But in the late ’40s and early ’50s he was perfect.
I just realised I forgot Rajesh Khanna. I can agree with you that he looked very good at a certain stage, mostly the late ’60s and early ’70s (especially ‘Amar Prem’). But when he married Dimple, that just catapulted him to ‘creepster’ for me. A man in his 30s marrying a 16-year-old? Just no. And he looked like a sleazeball by the mid ’70s. In my opinion the 1970s were good to nobody.
Most of the Bollywood men aged horribly IMO. The only one who who looked very good for a long time was Shashi Kapoor.
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Another man, I think, who managed to look pretty good for quite a while was Vinod Khanna. I’ve always liked him – and he acted in some really good movies.
Rajesh Khanna had a very short period of time in which he looked good, no? He came in at the fag end of the 60s, and a decade later, was already looking pretty over the hill. And his marriage to Dimple – oh, I agree with you. Cradle-snatching, almost!
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i was parsing vindod khanna but my mother said not more than dharmendar. this man is every body favourite. acc to me vinod ji and laxmi chaayab outshone dharam ji and aasha ji. my favourite role of vinod ji. handsome daku. rustic beauty. haai !
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i just love mera gao mera desh just due to him. jabbar daku !
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I think Vinod Khanna was really gorgeous. I like Dharmendra too – a lot – but in the 70s, Vinod Khanna definitely outshone Dharmendra. :-)
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I wonder why Jeetendra does not get a mention here, with looks to die for. He looked so hot opposite Rajshree, Babita and Asha Parekh back then. My mates and I had a massive crush on him during our childhood and would religiously read the Filmfare mag to stay current on all the goss to do with him!
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Thank God Raj Kapoor is not here, I always wonder why people call him Showman, in my sight he is irritating but I feel sorry for Manoj Kumar, infact he is one of the most handsome hero of all time, atleast for me.
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Hehe! Where were you when RK fans were lambasting me on my Shashi Kapoor songs post?! Seriously, I cannot stomach that man either. I have really liked him only in one film – Chori-Chori (though there are a couple of other RK films – like Teesri Kasam and Shree 420 – which I also like, even if he personally doesn’t appeal to me very much). I cannot understand this fascination for him. But to each his/her own, I suppose.
I think Manoj Kumar was really good-looking in the early to middle 60s. Then his hairstyle began to get really weird, and those mannerisms got exaggerated,,, but in films like Nakli Nawab, Shaadi or Woh Kaun Thi?, he’s delectable.
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hey! same is the case here.I also don’t like Raj Kapoor, infact I don’t like the Kapoors, with the exception of Shammi Kapoor (he is one of my fvrt).
Manoj Kumar was good looking but when he makes that constipated type look, it annoys me :D
BTW its a good list and I am happy to see Shammi and Dharemdra at the top.
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Thank you! Glad you agree with me, Rupali. :-D
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According to me and my mother sunil dutt and rajender kumar ji were gentlemen. sober, well mannered and soft spoken in their movies. and they were favourites of sadhna ji too. i love both of them. joy mukherjee i liked him in his rom com movies.
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Great post! I was really an interesting topic.
I think my list would have the following actors-
(I really could not decide who was better from 1 to 5 thus there is no order amongst them)
1.Manoj Kumar
2.Dharmendra
3.Dev Anand
4.Shammi Kapoor
5.Rajesh Khanna
6.Guru Dutt
7.Sanjeev Kumar
8.Shashi Kapoor
9.Dilip Kumar
10.Sunil Dutt
3 Actors which I wouldn’t have kept even making a list of top 100 also –
1.Raj Kumar ji occupies the first position for this category.I don’t know when he did he look young nor I was fascinated by his acting.Honestly speaking he was not a Hero material.
2.Rajendra Kumar- राजेंद्र कुमार जी ने इस श्रेणी में दूसरा स्थान प्राप्त किया है।उनकी ख़ूबसूरती मुझे कुछ ज़्यादा ही विचलित करती है।वे इस उपलब्धि के योग्य हैं।
His looks irritates me a lot specially when he smiles.I really do not find him smart from any angle.
3.Ashok Kumar – Though I am okay with him as an actor but not with his looks.Still he was better than Rajendra and Raj Kumar.
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Heh. I completely agree re: Raj Kumar (though, to my own surprise, I actually liked him in Godaan – not looks-wise, but as an actor). And Rajendra Kumar as well as Ashok Kumar (about the latter, Mukul Kesavan, writing an essay on the looks of Hindi film actors, remarked that he looked like a ‘cupboard in a dressing gown’). He had this avuncular sort of look which makes him fairly likable, but not really the ‘handsome’ sort when it comes to my definition of what’s handsome.
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and as we seen so many eye candy didn’t age well. so ashok kumar ji, balraji ji, K.N.Singh saheb , Tarun bose ji , Pran saheb, prem chopra . these all are evergreen. i think rajendar nath ji didn’t work much from 70s. i find him handsome too. funny kind of. and omprakash ji. loved this man with rounded face.
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I suppose if you’ve always been very aware of your looks, you try especially hard to maintain them, to some extent – and that means you end up not ageing gracefully. Frankly speaking, while everybody refers to Dev Anand as ‘evergreen’, but I find him hard to stomach after about Jewel Thief, because he’s trying so desperately to look far younger than he is – and he fails miserably. The men you’ve listed – Ashok Kumar, Balraj Sahni, etc – were known for their acting more than their looks – so perhaps they weren’t so bothered. Ironic.
Who knows!
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agreed cannot tolerate dev saheb after guide cause he was trying to hard to look young . and Rajesh khanna looked handsome in handful of movies like Raaj , aakhri khat and maximum amar prem . he didn’t had height and was broad hip if we compare to his height built.
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I agree here about Dev Anand. I know that people call him evergreen & ever romantic but it’s true that Dev Anand’s age definitely started showing after like Guide & Teen Deviyan (he was at the peak of his looks in TD). And I know that many people here are against Dev’s puff hairstyle…I must say that it was that “puff” which made Dev Anand the extremely good looking and desirable man that he was among the ladies. Sans the puff, Dev was least charming tbh & that was quite evident from Jewel Thief onwards! The puff was his original charm. Oh well everyone has their opinion and I respect that. But this is what I felt. Dev of the mid 50s to mid 60s was the OG charmer among the men!
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Such a nice list! Well done!
I am glad to see that you have an open mind about these choices – and react so reasonably even with those who do not necessarily agree with your preferences. Indeed, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder – and after reading all the comments I am only more reassured of this point.
I will not introduce my own list since my choice of the Ultimate Eye Candy has no rivals or competitors – it can only be SANJEEV KUMAR! I am very glad and thankful that you recognized his as being very handsome but, frankly, I am puzzled at some of the comments which display a doubt in his good looks. In fact, I often feel irritated and even angry when I read articles about Sanjeev that describe his looks as ordinary and common. WHAT?!!
Your regular he-men and lover boys Rajesh and Dharam are not bad-looking men, of course, but theIR looks I call average and plain. All that machismo is a little heavy for me; too much testosterone is a turn off. When it comes to SANJEEV, I am simply awestruck – he is truly beautiful (not just cute, or hot, or attractive), perfectly handsome! And so much manly charisma that leaves others in dust.
I know some of you agree with me, especially, when you think of his earlier years. But for me, he was always handsome, weight and wigs not-withstanding. I loved his looks in AANDHI, ULJHAN, VISHWASGHAAT. And, of course, I love his earlier movies and looks – just pick any: Pati Patni, Badal, Ali Baba, Paras, Dastak, Anubhav, etc. He had the most beautiful profile in the world (his nose alone deserves a depiction by the likes of Michaelangelo and Da Vinci); he had such expressive eyebrows and eyes – and don’t get me started on his mouth :)
Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to help people see how gorgeous SANJEEV KUMAR really was – as a man and as an actor!
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Hi there!
I just wrote a long post – hopefully, it will appear later :)
In a nutshell, my list only consists of one name, it’s SANJEEV KUMAR – who is, to me, absolutely without any competition when it comes to looks (and everything else, by the way); he’s simply THE MOST BEAUTIFUL man ever as can be witnessed in many films!
With your permission, here’s one of my favorite scenes and songs from 1966 HUSN AUR ISHQ (I love all those Aspi’s movies!):
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Yes, your earlier comment (like this one, too) had gone into moderation – that always happens the first time a user comments. :-)
Thank you for your appreciation, and especially for your appreciation for Sanjeev Kumar! I find it hard to believe that people remember him primarily as being an excellent actor (which of course he was), and not as being an extremely good-looking actor. I find myself goggling at him in a lot of films – though I must admit that usually happens in his earlier films. Oh, and Manchali, which is one of my absolutely favourite Sanjeev Kumar films.
And, importantly, a big thank you to you for that scene and song from Husn aur Ishq. I’ve heard of the film, of course, but have never seen it. Now I must! He looks knee-weakeningly good in it.
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Many thanks for your reply!
You have pointed out precisely what I mean: I am very glad when people remember Sanjeev as one of the greatest actors (to me, again, no competition – he’s the best!) but it frustrates me to no end that some would diminish his looks and even go as far as say that he couldn’t play heroes because he didn’t have enough physical appeal. Utter nonsense! Not only he played heroes in many films with much success, often times it was his choice to opt for a character role as he saw it to be more challenging, thus, more interesting and fulfilling.
If it is his earlier movies that you are fond of, may I be so bold as to recommend you to visit my YouTube channel where I have posted quite a few of his rare movies and appearances?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChK4g1acODwft8hxR-YO6ZA
And since you were so favorable of my choice of a scene and a movie, I will give you another one of my favorite scenes and a song from INSAAN AUR CHAITAN – have you seen it?
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I don’t remember having even heard of this film, and I certainly haven’t heard this song before. That scene preceding it was so much fun, and so is the song – I love the fact that so much is happening in the course of the song!
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INSAAN AUR SHAITAN is 1970 film made by Aspi. I can’t even explain why I love those Apsi Irani movies so much (almost all of them, I should say). Well, aside from the fact that Sanjeev is absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous in them, some of them are actually quite fun and entertaining. If you haven’t done so yet, do check out BADAL (one of my absolute favorites) along with ALI BABA and HUSN AUR ISHQ – and get ready to be delighted :) I watch these movies all the time – they never fail to pick me up and brighten my day.
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I haven’t seen any of those films! Thank you for the recommendations – I intend to spend my Sunday evening watching one of them. :-)
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Wonderful! I’d be very curious, indeed, to know your opinion.
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I ended up watching Gunehgaar. Which was ho-hum. It started off promisingly enough, but got so complicated and unnecessarily convoluted that soon I was watching it just to feast my eyes on Sanjeev Kumar! Intend to watch Insaan aur Shaitan next… don’t know when I’ll get the time, though!
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I agree totally! GUNEHGAAR has some nice scenes between Sanjeev and Kumkum (and gorgeous he is!) but the rest of it is a bit hard to endure :) Kudos to you for sticking to it!
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Oh, and P.S. Thank you for pointing me to your Youtube channel! I just clicked into it, and you won me over with the very first still I saw. Richard Armitage. :-) Anybody who loves Richard Armitage that much is a friend of mine. Now my weekend is made! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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Ahh, Richard Armitage… I do have a weakness for British guys: Colin Firth (he was first, indeed), Richard (thud), Gerard Butler (swoon!), Benedict Cumberbatch (that Sherlock) :)
I first saw RA in NORTH AND SOUTH – need I say more? I was hooked! I now have almost all of his early shows and movies ( COLD FEET and BETWEEN THE SHEETS among them). I loved LOVED him as Guy of Gisbourne (stupid Marian – what did she ever see in that Robin Hood?) and Harry from VICAR OF DIBLEY (that was a fun role!). I am glad to see his career took off well.
Other guys are also old favorites – but I have to admit I don’t follow their work as fanatically as I used to; in fact, I prefer to watch their old shows and movies.
My full attention is now devoted to dear SK – he’s my baby now :)
P.S. THANK YOU very much for checking out my YT channel – and your words really made my weekend! Feel free to drop me a message or comment! Have a great weekend!
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Colin Firth was first for me, too. So delicious, especially in Pride and Prejudice. I remember buying the VCD of that (DVDs had still not arrived in India) and going on rewatching his scenes again and again. :-) And Richard Armitage was discovered through North and South too: he ruled that mini series. So brilliant. I haven’t seen too much of his other work, besides Sparkhouse, MacBeth, Captain America and The Hobbit trilogy, but he’s a favourite, always.
I am thinking of watching a Sanjeev Kumar film later today. :-) You have inspired me.
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But, of course, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE! I was still living in Russia when I first saw it – and the whole country went wild for Mr. Darcy! When I came to the States, the first thing I did was buying a DVD – and to my utter shock, I realized I didn’t understand anything. I actually used P&P to master my English :)
I think, part of the reason I liked Richard in N&S was because he reminded me of Mr. Darcy – well, the comparisons were inevitable. But he did such a great job playing John that I soon stopped comparing them and just enjoyed it :)
I used to have all the seasons of ROBIN HOOD on my channel (I still have quite a few of RA’s other shows – if you go way back in my Videos) but I had to remove it, of course. If you do get a chance, do give it a try – Richard is so gorgeous, dark, and complex as Guy of Gisbourne; you’ll find yourself rooting for him rather than the good guys soon enough!
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I have watched bits of pieces of Robin Hood on Youtube, but a friend (the same one who recommended North & South) warned me that he looks fairly greasy in it… and worse, doesn’t get the girl. :-( So that put me off watching it. Maybe, someday… but I can watch him as John Thornton, again and again, and again! So mesmerizing. He just comes into a frame, and I stop noticing the other people in it.
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And I am very excited and happy that I brought you back to Sanjeev :) He never fails to brighten my day – in fact, I watch his movie or songs every day, I need it. Just yesterday I re-watched KANGAN – oh, my, I almost forgot how GORGEOUS he looks in it! And it’s a very nice movie with Mala Sinha and Ashok Kumar – and great songs!
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Arrghh! And I’ve never watched Kangan. Another to add to my list!
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It is a nice movie, I think, you’ll like it :)
I always liked Sanjeev and Mala together, they share a great chemistry!
RIVAAJ (1972) has one of my favorite songs in it; the movie is very sweet and heart-warming. And I also loved them in ARCHANA (1974): they both are so beautiful and sexy; there’s a lot of certain intimacy between their characters that totally works for me – and, again, it has some of my favorite songs in it!
Have you heard this one?
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i agree with what alisa is saying. i will call him beautiful. kind of shaalin. zahin and all. his beauty was artistic. his face reflected serenity. i am smiling.
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So am I. Just looking at that smile of his makes my face light up, too. :-)
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Every. Single. Time.
I read in an interview about DAASI that the director of the film was so helpless before Sanjeev that he could never reprimand him for being late. All SK had to do is just smile his disarming smile, and the director would forgive him. Now, that I can understand.
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Hehe! I love that anecdote. :-)
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Me, too!
In fact, I read this in an interview with the director himself – so this is an absolutely true story. I am sure there were many instances where SK’s smile won him many arguments and favors (not the least with girls!) :)
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Beautifully put, indeed!
I smile every time I look at him – or even think about him :)
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one problem was that he didn’t bother much about his looks, weight and all. no dieting. no botheration about hair loss. second his back problem which he has from shaheed days. ok now some are saying that biswajeet was feminine. so i will describe all on different basis. complete man – Dharamendar. acc to me he is man. enough manly. dedicating this line to dharam ji. jiya le guyo ji mora saaveria. complete feminine is biswajeet and joy mukherjee saheb. i don’t find them manly. now between manly and femininity sunil dutt saheb. middle of both . i don’t find dev saheb handsome. i don’t think he looked handsome without puff. yes i agree with who is saying all his looks were in that Puff. more on man side but has femininity too. parikshit sahani ji. gentle man. artistic type of. now sanjay khan saheb. he looks like a rich brat. khandani ameer. i found him royal. wonder why he didn’t succeed much. he had looks. i am happy that he found his forte in door darshan. i found jai hanuman very researched and he is very good man. he came on radio and whatever he talk reflected his greatness. real name abbas. his first line was humarey ghar mai chaalis naukar thay. also he suffered so much got so many surgeries but still has zeal. zeenat episode is yes a blot on him. now sanjeev kumar more on femininity than in manliness. gentle man. now shammi ji i think moustache looked good on him. i remember my elder acquaintance saying aisa lagta hai na chehrey pay khamir hai permanent referring to his double chin. i find shashi ji handsome most in sharmilee. i think i have noticed one thing kapoor men don’t have good lips. whether it is Raj, shammi or shashi. i have fuller lips than them , i also observe that raj ji didn’t had moustache from one side or lighter from other side. now manoj ji. yeah i think he had rock hudson kind of charisma. and i think to describe him as a boy who has entered youth . coming of age. i really liked him in maa beta. some body called him rock hudson. maatr ek sanyog even mehboob saab called him the same. sharing the link. http://www.mumbaimirror.com/entertainment/bollywood/Mr-Bharats-Rock-Hudson-act/articleshow/45529284.cms. also i am shocked that biswajeet ji looks so weak. sharing the link of the legend. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biswajit_Chatterjee
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Now I really must watch Maa Beta soon! :-)
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A very intellectual comments especially when you write about dharmendar, feroz khan, shashi kapoor, manoj kumar most handsome person in Bollywood, I think manoj kumar is at top but he lost his handsome face day by day in very early years but with 6.1″heigt and cute face in the movie adhmi he off course Cross the Hollywood actor but after few how he changed so much, its really very very sad pls watch the movie adhmi to confirm, you find manoj kumar even more handsome than Salman khan
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yeah sanjeev kumar had habit of reporting late on sets. once one heroine was saying this but he was forgiven by gulzaar saheb cause he was good actor and used to give shots in maximum one or two .
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Yes, he was the Late Latiff :) But his professionalism and talent more than made up for his tardiness. Gulzar, the punctuality personified, used to reprimand everybody else, except Sanjeev – although, it became a sort of tradition for him to “fire” Sanjeev at least once during the filming of each of their films. It was also a tradition for these two to watch Disney cartoons at the end of each shooting, particularly, Dumbo. They would eat, drink, watch the movie – and cry every time at Dumbo’s ordeals :)
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That sounds so cute! Really made me laugh. :-)
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i want to sing for eye candies that maan mera ehsaan aray nadaan ki mainey tujhsay kiya hai pyaar. ki mainey tujhsay kiya hai pyaar. to shammi kapoor ehsaan tera hoga mujh par dil chahta hai mujhey kehndey do. mujhey tumsey mohbhat ho guyi hai. muhey palko ki chao mein rehney do.
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:-D
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http://indianexpress.com/photos/entertainment-gallery/yesteryear-actress-nanda-passes-away-at-75/6/ sharing a rare pic . wonder offscreen or on screen.
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Looking sultry. Nice photo, thanks.
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i wish you watch maa beta soon. i genuinely like that movie. and wondered too about less melo drama even being made in 60s.
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Will do. Sometime; right now, I’ve got a Sanjeev Kumar movie lined up to watch.
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I am so curious to find out what movie of SK you watched – and what you thought of it! Maybe, you can even write a review! :)
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I did, actually. I published my review of Priya last Friday. :-)
https://madhulikaliddle.com/2016/06/10/priya-1970/
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wow ! do watch it as soon as possible ! sanjeev kumar my favourites along with balraj sahni, om prakash , K.N.singh, iftekaar and ashok kumar. i don’t know but why i feel that character actors are better actors than main hero heroines and they have more substance to do in the movies. not running around trees, do phool do chidya.
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… and, somehow, even when Sanjeev Kumar does run around trees (in Manchali, for example), he is still more watchable than a lot of others. He’s just generally such a good actor – and so versatile – it’s a pleasure to watch him any time.
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How right you are!
I ran into some comments and articles saying that SK couldn’t really pull off dancing numbers – I am no expert but I can not agree with that! I love how he moves – and he also manages to ACT while dancing and singing, and that’s fascinating to watch! I mean, he’s no Jumping Jack Jeetendra (although, if you saw him in GAURI singing Shadi Ke Liye Razamand, you’d disagree :) – and there were some others, as well) but I wouldn’t want him to be! He’s unique in his acting, and that includes his singing and dancing numbers!
And, just like you said, he’s ALWAYS a pleasure to watch!
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Absolutely! He is a lot of fun to watch. And his dancing isn’t outright bad, as Dharmendra’s was. Just maybe not a natural like Shammi Kapoor. :-)
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:)
I will have to take your word for it because I haven’t seen many of Shammi’s movies – just the ones with Sanjeev, like SACHAAI and MANORAJAN (the latter one I love! I was shocked to hear it didn’t do well – it’s a fantastic movie!). But I just like all the older Kapoors (Raj Kapoor was the very first Indian actor I’ve heard about, he was SO famous in Soviet Union which he visited several times, as did Shashi – not sure about Shammi), so they all are favorites – after Sanjeev, of course :)
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Yes, Raj Kapoor was immensely popular in the USSR, wasn’t he? (and, I just discovered, in Greece – apparently, in the 1950s, several of his films were released there and were such major hits that their songs inspired Greek remixes aplenty). I don’t like RK much, but I love Shammi Kapoorm and I like Shashi Kapoor a good bit. My favourite Shammi Kapoor films are from the late 1950s and the very early 1960s: Professor, Junglee, China Town, Dil Deke Dekho, Tumsa Nahin Dekha, and – from much later – Teesri Manzil. He wasn’t a great actor, but he could really ooze romance in his heyday, and I have rarely come across a Shammi Kapoor film that wasn’t entertaining, or didn’t have great music.
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shammi kapoor advantage was he could dance. and was full of energy. comparing both geeta bali and shammi ji. i think geeta ji was great performer than shammi ji. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgwfvDh7cPc sharing the link of tadbeer sey bigdi. the way she moves her eyes.
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Shammi does seem like a fun and kind-hearted guy! It’s curious that he and Sanjeev were friends seeing how different their personalities were :) I will take note of the films you mentioned and will try to watch some of them. I saw some bits with young Shammi – he looked very handsome!
Raj Kapoor was a huge favorite in Russia, especially, after AWARA and SHRI 420 (the streets were empty when these movies were on TV!). Actually, I only like his early movies, not surprisingly, perhaps, the ones he made with Nargis. The way he behaved with her and the things he said – that didn’t endear him to me. His later movies were not so great, to say the least. But the power of his early persona will always be dominant for me.
Shashi seems like a nice guy; he and Sanjeev were in many movies together and were also friends. Although, I am not terribly impressed with his acting, I usually enjoyed watching him on screen. Of course, it’s an impossible task for me to assess anybody else’s talent when I compare them to dear Sanjeev – he’s always on the top!
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Yes, do please watch Shammi’s early films (not too early – though he looked good even then – because most of them were not the frothy, peppy films he became known for). But the ones I’ve mentioned are all great.
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Will do! THANK YOU!
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I’ll look forward to your opinion of them, whenever you do. :-)
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I finally saw two Shammi movies this weekend: JUNGLEE and PROFESSOR (after your courageous and dedicated effort to watch some of Sanjeev’s movies, I can only reply in the same fashion!). Needless to say, they were very enjoyable!
Now, I am not by any means an expert on Shammi (and my not understanding Hindi may have marred the experience a bit) but here’s my (very)humble opinion of these movies. I enjoyed the lighthearted moments in both of these films a great deal (I think, PROFESSOR is my favorite, though – I loved the scene when Nina looses her scarf and he just stands there waiting for her to notice him wearing it); the songs and dances (quite a few of them in PROFESSOR!); Shammi’s brow action (like Sanjeev’s, his eyebrows have a life of their own, I think – it’s mesmerizing to watch, and I loved it!) – but I really really loved the scenes where he was serious and poignant, even poised (and this may have to do with my proclivity towards said emotions in real life and in movies). There was suddenly a certain depth in his eyes (not too deep, though), his voice vibrated differently – he looked like a completely different hero in those moments. To me, he seemed more romantic and tender when he was quieter – that is not to say that I didn’t like him shouting from the top of his lungs in JUNGLEE! :) And Saira Banu looked so lovely and so very young (did you know she co-starred with Sanjeev in his first major movie AAO PYAR KAREN (1964) with Joy Mukherjee? And they were very friendly till the end – since she’s married to Dillip, and the latter was a great admirer and friend to SK).
I actually really liked Shammi’s role in MANORAJAN (I was lucky to find a dubbed version of it!) – he was hilarious and mischievous and had a great chemistry with Sanjeev! The scene where he teaches SK how to speak Urdu had me in splits :)
Like you said, Shammi may not have been a great actor, but, I guess, he had learned tricks of trade quite well. I intend to watch more movies from your list! THANK YOU!
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Thank you, Alisa! That’s a big compliment to me, that you thought my recommendations worth trying out. I have to admit that for me, the main attraction in Junglee isn’t Shammi Kapoor’s acting (though he looks gorgeous through most of it) – it’s the prettiness of the film, the good songs, the fact that the end is not prolonged and stretched out unnecessarily. And, Saira Banu’s character is so delightfully refreshing. She’s feminine and mischievous, spunky and feisty and has a sense of humour – and she doesn’t let people ride roughshod over her. Not the typical Hindi film heroine, which is what I like about her.
Shammi Kapoor’s acting is definitely far better in Professor (I like that, even apart from the look, his entire demeanour – the way his eyes look, the way he talks – changes when he’s pretending to be the old man). He is for me definitely more romantic in his quieter style than when he’s whooping and jumping around. Ae gulbadan is a particular favourite of mine for that reason! And that scene you mention regarding the scarf.
Now I’m wanting to watch Professor again…
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:) I know the feeling…
Yes, I enjoyed Shammi’s take on the old man’s character, his gestures and posture fitting just right – I only wish the make up was a bit more elaborate. :) Anyone even with one eye could have recognize him in that garb, his eyes and brows especially – but that didn’t diminish his accomplishment, of course.
If you allow me another comparison with SK, I just can’t resist sharing with you how fantastic he was playing old men (not just mature, oldER guys). His theatrical career started with such roles; he played his first “oldie” at the age of 22! That’s when Pritviraj Kapoor went to the dressing rooms in search of the actor who, he thought, was a veteran theatre thespian – and to his shock and awe he discovered that it was a very young Sanjeev who played the role so convincingly. Interestingly, they later starred in several movies together, and Sanjeev always cherished Pritviraj’s compliments and encouragement.
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Wow. I hadn’t nown SK had first played an ‘old man’ at 22! That is quite a feat. I am very impressed. Even in later films, when he did play much older men (in Aandhi, for example) he’s so good, so believable.
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Well put, indeed!
Interestingly, there’s a famous story when Sanjeev asked A.K. Hangal (who directed him in plays early in his career), why he wasn’t given a hero role, Hangal replied (quote by memory): “If you play a hero, you’ll always be just a hero; if you want to become a real actor, you should play character roles.” Sanjeev often said that he started with character parts and enjoyed them a lot more; he often opted for a supporting character role instead of a hero because he thought it to be more challenging and interesting. He said: “When you play a hero, you just have to be yourself, there’s no challenge in it for an actor.”
So, I think, you made a right point: character actors are often more interesting and more talented than heroes!
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What a very wise and insightful comment by AK Hangal. And so true. Look at someone like Rajesh Khanna, for instance (or even Dev Anand), both of whom became so huge as heroes that they ended up never acting, really – just being themselves. Whereas Sanjeev Kumar manages to be so many different types of protagonists, from the outright hilarious in Angoor to the romantic-witty in Manchali to the sensitive in Aandhi… oh, and so many more roles. How amazingly versatile he was.
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Exactly!
I am not a fan of Rajesh, Bachchan, Dharmendra, or Dev Anand, and I haven’t seen many of their films – but those I have seen definitely attest to the truthfulness of your statement! Look at Khanna: he was so desperate to stay forever a lover boy, it resulted in some embarrassing (and I think I am being kind here) roles towards the end of his career. Dev Anand tried to cling on to his youth – again, to an embarrassing degree. Even Dillip takes a backseat to SK, in my humble view.
Sanjeev, on the other hand, was so confident in his talent, that he never had any qualms about playing older roles, unflattering roles, supporting roles – even in low-budget films or first-time directors’ films (when he often gave the money to directors and producers to finish shooting and didn’t even take any pay for himself – and yet they called him kanjoos! How mad that makes me!).
There’s a famous story when Rajesh got so infuriated at Salem Khan who said in an interview that Sanjeev is the best actor; Khanna demanded clarification and was dumb-founded when Salem Khan wouldn’t budge – so Rajesh had to retreat. Sanjeev was always known to give actors advice and help the young newcomers feel welcome – quite uncommon, I am sure, in the film world!
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I like Dharmendra (before the mid-70s), and a younger Dev Anand – in, say. CID, Paying Guest, Munimji, Tere Ghar ke Saamne or Solvaan Saal – is a joy. It’s the Dev Anand, all puffed up with his mannerisms, that I can’t stand. Actually, Dev Anand – along with Manoj Kumar – is one of those people about whom I have two very distinctly differing views: I like them a lot in their earlier films, and I find them intolerable in their later films.
The thought of comparing Rajesh Khanna to Sanjeev Kumar when it comes to acting is laughable. Apples to oranges! They’re nowhere in the same league, not even when Rajesh Khanna was at the start of his career and not overwhelmed by his SuperStar persona.
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Finally, a sensible assessment of Khanna’s talent! Thank you for that! I’ve been a part of many discussions comparing Rajesh with SK, and I have to say, I had to fight hard to prove the point you made so clearly. How glad that makes me!
I never understood RK’s appeal – as an actor and as a guy. I never saw anything attractive about him; his oversized ego and demanding behavior make a volatile mix. All this talk about him being a Super Star seems so shallow and pointless; and don’t get me started on his personal life. I mean, I am not saying he was a bad guy or a bad actor – but, like you said, comparing him to Sanjeev in any capacity seems entirely implausible!
Dharam, in fact, used to be a favorite of mine when I was growing up – after SEETA/GEETA and ALI BABA (which was partly filmed in Soviet Union with very prominent and famous Russian actors), everyone was extremely fond of him and Hema. I never saw his early movies until recently – and, again, I find myself agreeing with you :) He was kinda cute early one (but not my cup of tea, regardless), and he’s not a bad actor – but it has to be a testament to Sanjeev’s talent that in SHIKAR it was him and not Dharmendra who got an award (and how GORGEOUS he looks in that uniform!).
Not getting into a deep discussion, but the subject of Dharam and Hema is very sensitive to me when it comes to Sanjeev’s association with them (as you are likely aware, Sanjeev was in love with Hema and so was she – until Dharam got between them, but it was much more complicated than that, of course). So I have mixed feelings about Dharmendra. I can’t completely despise him, yet I am not too fond of him now :(
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“I’ve been a part of many discussions comparing Rajesh with SK, and I have to say, I had to fight hard to prove the point you made so clearly. ”
I’ve been a part of many discussions involving Rajesh Khanna (not even comparing him to anybody else, mind you – just me voicing my opinion that he wasn’t God’s gift to Hindi cinema), and I’ve had to face some truly vitriolic comments. The Rajesh Khanna fan club seems to be full of people who refuse to see another point of view and are also horribly rude. Which is why I’ve stopped reviewing his films – write one thing that his fan following doesn’t agree with, and they come down on you like a ton of bricks!
I have to admit, I am not at all interested in the personal lives of stars, so I make a deliberate effort to stay away from gossip about them. As a result, I know next to nothing of who had an affair with whom, or stuff like that… I base my liking (or not) for people almost wholly on the basis of what I see onscreen.
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Oh, my dear, I know just what you mean about RK’s fans! You’re precisely right! I tried to stay calm but some of them are so vicious and offensive that I’ve stopped posting all together! In the discussions about RK and Sanjeev, they seemed to have chosen a very dishonorable logic: if they put down Sanjeev and criticize him, somehow that would make Khanna look better in comparison! So childish and immature!
You’re very clever for not getting involved with personal lives of stars/actors that you like. As for me, sometimes I cannot help it; I start liking the actor so much it becomes almost a necessity to find out what he was like in real life, what made him tick – and I have to admit, that caused me a lot of grief sometimes :( It didn’t happen too often, frankly speaking, but in case with SK, I certainly take close to heart everything that concerned him, both professionally and personally… But, of course, what matters the most is his work, his roles, his talent!
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according to amju mahendru sanjeev rakhi sister. rajesh jit him hard in aap ki kasam in real to vent out his frustration.
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i tell the whole story that a . k hangal was servant in anubhav. and he makes wear sanjeev ji coat. tab sanjeev ji used to say hangal saheb mujhey aapko coat pehnana chahiye tha toh hangal saheb said aray yehi toh acting hain. hangal saheb on radio did tell this incident you are talking about.
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Oh, I wish I heard that radio show! I read this story in Hangal’s interiew; he always remembered Sanjeev with fondness and warmth. He said he cried for two days when SK passed away… They shared a wonderful friendship.
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fav sanjeev movies – angoor, parichay, pati patni aur woh , aandhi, he was most versatile along with of course one n only Ballraj sahani ji.
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I also like all the ones you mentioned – plus DASTAK, BADAL, ALI BABA, SEETA AUR GEETA, GRIHAPRAVESH, NAMKEEN, AYAASH, MAUSAM, ULJHAN, and some others :)
Do you know that Sanjeev was very good friend of Parikshit Sahni, Balraj’s son? Parikshit wrote a wonderful article on SK where he mentioned his father who was also very fond of Sanjeev and predicted him to be a very famous and great actor! I love SK with Balraj in SUNGHURSH; he also starred with Parikshit in his first movie – and one of Sanjeev’s best! – ANOKHI RAAT!
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I love Anokhi Raat – one of the first films I reviewed on this blog, and how gorgeous Parikshit Sahni looked in that! I had no idea he was a good friend of Sanjeev Kumar’s. Somehow, it gladdens my heart. :-)
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ANOKHI RAAT is a wonderful movie, indeed! Sanjeev, even being so young and new to the profession, showed his tremendous knack at playing complex and dark characters; even more so, he managed to portray the same person in two distinctly different circumstances and dynamics! Master!
I am also fond of Parikshit Sahni (did you know he studied direction in Soviet Union before starting as an actor in India? In fact, he felt so insecure during the filming of Anokhi Raat that he imagined his career to be over; he credited Sanjeev with helping him polish his pronunciation and teaching him how to deliver his lines with impact!). He may not be a very famous actor but as a person, he seems very nice and kind – and that counts for something in my book.
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yeh parikshit sahani is very nice person and like his father he has good voice.
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They both seem exceptionally nice and gentle. Did you ever see a movie SURAAG (1982) with Sanjeev and Parikshit? It’s wonderful, I just love it!
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Another one for my list! I’ve heard of Suraag but haven’t seen it. Will do!
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Yes, Parikshit Sahni does strike me as being very nice, much like his father. I’d no idea he’d trained in the USSR! Interesting. :-) I wonder if Balraj Sahni’s communist ideologies had rubbed off on his son, too…
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How interesting – I didn’t know Balraj Sahni was a communist… That may explain why he sent his son to study in the world’s biggest communist country ;) Regardless of their political views, they certainly make a very nice impression as people and actors.
Have you seen SURAAG? For a fan of Sanjeev and Parikshit, you might find yourself quite entertained! It has cameos by many famous actors, a nice story – and my personal favorite: Sanjeev speaks English in it with such lovely accent that it melts my heart!
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Oh, yes. Balraj Sahni was a pretty ardent communist. He was even jailed for it (ironically, he did much of his shooting for the film Jailor while he was in prison! – a pair of cops used to accompany him to the sets everyday). His autobiography, which is available free online, makes for interesting reading. There’s just about as much there about communism as there is about Hindi cinema.
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A man of principle – I can respect that!
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Same here! :-)
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http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/my-first-break-vinod-khanna/article2147966.ece sharing an article about vinod his aadarsh in acting was none other than dutt saheb. have sunil dutt smile on my face.
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Sunil Dutt is another actor and person that I like and respect a lot. Not surprisingly, he was also a very good friend of Sanjeev Kumar. They shared a great friendship and fondness for each other. It’s nice to see how all these wonderful people became friends with each other!
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read priya i shared about sanjeev ji.
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want to discuss about Rihana ji husband late B.R.Ishara he was bold personality in real life. his didn’t believe much in marriage and even gave an unique example for it. he said more than self guilt , people bother about log kya kahengey and gave example of his film where wife and her lover had to kill child cause he says he will tell his father about their affair. he was unhappy with indian televison saying that doordarshan wants women subject . ptaa nahi women ko khaa baithana chahtey hain. when announcer said aapney apna keemti waqt nikala. then he replied that mera waqt keemti nahi hain jab bulayengey aa jayunga .
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i got remembered that dharamendar appears in Piya ka ghar for some seconds when hero and his friend discuss how dharmendar passionately hugs heroines in his movies. he provides fun in sensitive film.
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Good choices. However don’t you think that most of the men picked here, look very European, with the exception of Mr. Dutt and Manoj Kumar.
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Possibly. I have no idea; I wasn’t thinking of whether or not they looked Indian or Western or whatever when I was compiling the list.
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Hi,
Came across this one today itself!
Can we think of Ajit.
He used to look handsome in 50s.
I always feel sorry for him, he was good looking ( no idea about his acting as a hero in those films)
He has so much gr8 songs picturised on him.
I’ll do a post on his songs, I’m planning the post.
Let’s see.
:-)
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Very true! I thought Ajit was extremely dashing in films like Dholak, Naya Daur and Nastik. It’s a pity his looks petered out so soon – somewhat like Premnath.
I’m looking forward to your post on his songs – that should be nice! I can think of several Ajit songs that I like a lot. :-)
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There is a more polite way of disagreeing.
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Really sorry, please delete my comment.
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One thing I realized about this post, was that Punjabis tend to produce some of the best-looking Indians in the country. This could be cause they are genetically from Siberia/Iran.
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I hadn’t realized that, but now that you mention it, very true.
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Just curious, I think you should make another list for Regional Indian Hunks & Beauties of that era too. Would love to see it
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That’s a great idea, but I wouldn’t be able to do it. :-( I haven’t seen enough regional language films to attempt it. Though, off the top of my head, I can think of a few people who would certainly feature on those lists – Uttam Kumar, Suchitra Sen, NTR in his younger days, and Soumitra Chatterjee.
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Is this the post which has had the most comments and the most entertaining ones too?
Also national and international :)
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Hehe! I think it probably holds the record when it comes to posts that weren’t song lists. :-)
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