Iftekhar

Iftekhar Ahmed Sharif, credited as Iftekhar or Iftikhar, was an Indian actor who mainly worked in Hindi cinema. 

Iftekhar was born February 22, 1920 in Jalandhar and was the eldest among four brothers and a sister. After completing his matriculation, Iftekhar did a diploma course in painting from Lucknow College Of Arts. Iftekhar had a passion for singing and was impressed with the famous singer Kundanlal Sehgal. In his 20s, Iftekhar travelled to Calcutta for an audition conducted by the music composer Kamal Dasgupta, who was then serving for His Master's Voice. Dasgupta was so impressed by Iftekhar's personality that he recommended his name to M. P. Productions as an actor.

Iftekhar made his debut in the 1944 film Taqraar, which was made under the banner of Art Films-Kolkata.

Many of Iftekhar's close relatives, including his parents and siblings, migrated to Pakistan during the partition. He would have preferred to stay in Calcutta, but rioting forced him to leave Calcutta. Along with his wife and daughters, he moved to Bombay, where they struggled to make ends meet. Iftekhar had been introduced to actor Ashok Kumar during his time in Calcutta and contacted him in Bombay, gaining a role in the Bombay Talkies movie Muqaddar (1950). Iftekhar acted in over 400 films in a career that spanned from the 1940s through to the early 1990s.

His brother, Imtiaz Ahmed, was a famous TV character actor of PTV (Pakistan Television), especially Afshan and Tanhaiyan. Like many of the older character actors who populated the Bollywood universe of the 1960s and 1970s, Iftekhar had been a lead actor in his youth during the "golden age" of Bollywood, in the 1940s and 1950s. His roles ranged from father, uncle, great-uncle, grandfather, police officer, police commissioner, courtroom judge and doctor. He also did negative roles in Bandini, Sawan Bhadon, Call Girl, Khel Khel Mein and Agent Vinod.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Iftekhar graduated to playing uncle, father, and what came to be his speciality: police inspector roles, doctor or senior advocate. Generally he played "sympathetic" characters but, on occasion, he played the heavy. One of his most memorable roles as a heavy was as Amitabh Bachchan's corrupt industrialist mentor in Yash Chopra's classic Deewaar (1975). Another of Iftekhar's classic roles was as the police inspector in Prakash Mehra's Zanjeer. It was a small part, but the scene where Iftekhar reprimands the near-hysteric Amitabh Bachchan for taking the law into his own hands is incredibly powerful. Another important role as a police officer was played by him in the 1978 hit film Don. Some of his major roles came in Rajesh Khanna films such as Joroo Ka Ghulam, Mehboob Ki Mehndi, The Train, Khamoshi, Safar, Raja Rani, Ittefaq, Rajput and Awam.

Besides Deewaar and Zanjeer, Iftekar had character roles in many of the classics of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s Bollywood cinema: Bimal Roy's Bandini, Raj Kapoor's Sangam, Manoj Kumar's Shaheed, Teesri Manzil, Teesri Kasam, Johny Mera Naam, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Don, The Gambler (1971 film), Ankhiyon Ke Jharokhon Se (1978) and Sholay, to name but a few.

Apart from Hindi films, he appeared in two episodes of the American TV series Maya in 1967 as well the English language films Bombay Talkie (1970) and City of Joy (1992).

Iftekhar married Hannah Joseph, from Calcutta, who changed her religion and name to Hina Ahmed. They had two daughters; Salma and Sayeda.

Iftekhar died on March 4, 1995 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

Sanjeev Kumar

Sanjeev Kumar was an Indian actor. 

He won several major awards, including two National Film Awards for Best Actor for his performances in the movies Dastak (1970) and Koshish (1972). Unlike his peers, Kumar did not mind playing roles that were non-glamorous, such as characters well beyond his age. Movies such as iconic character Thakur in Sholay (1975) Arjun Pandit (1976) and Trishul (1978), along with the remakes of Tamil films into Hindi such as Khilona (1970), Naya Din Nai Raat (1974), Yehi Hai Zindagi (1977), Devata (1978) and Ram Tere Kitne Naam (1985) exemplify his versatility. He also did suspense-thriller films such as Shikar (1968), Uljhan (1975) and Trishna (1978) and Qatl (1986), Kumar also proved himself to do comedy in films such as Manchali (1973), Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978), Biwi-O-Biwi (1981) Angoor (1982) and Hero (1983).

Sanjeev Kumar was born as Harihar Jethalal Jariwala on July 9, 1938 in Surat into a Gujarati family. He came to Bombay when he was very young. A stint in a film school led him to Bollywood, where he eventually became an accomplished actor. He is widely acclaimed by the critics and general public alike to be one of the all-time greatest actors of Indian cinema.

Kumar started his acting career as a stage actor, starting with IPTA in Bombay and later joining the Indian National Theatre. Even as a stage actor, he had a penchant for playing older roles; at age 22, he played an old man in an adaptation of Arthur Miller's All My Sons. In the following year, in the play Damru directed by A.K. Hangal, he again played the role of a 60-year-old with six children.

He made his film debut with a small role in Hum Hindustani in 1960. His first film as a protagonist was in Nishan (1965). In 1968, he acted alongside Dilip Kumar in Sunghursh. He also starred opposite Shammi Kapoor and Sadhana in the hit film Sachaai (1969).

He starred in the 1966 Gujarati film Kalapi, which was based on the poet Kalapi's life, with him playing the title role, Padmarani playing the role of his wife, Rama and Aruna Irani as the love interest. The film was directed by Manhar Raskapur. Later Aruna Irani worked with him in another Gujarati film, Mare Javun Pele Par (1968).

In 1970, the movie Khilona, which was the remake of Gujarati film Mare Javun Pele Paar (1968), brought Kumar national recognition. In 1972, he played in an Indo-Iranian film, Subah-O-Shaam. This was when the director Gulzar first spotted him. Later he cast Kumar in the roles of older men in 4 films Parichay (1972), Koshish (1973), Aandhi (1975) and Mausam (1975). Gulzar cast Kumar in the roles of younger men in the films Angoor (1981) and Namkeen (1982). He won the BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) for his portrayal of a deaf and mute person in Koshish opposite Jaya Bhaduri. He reached to his success when he starred in the box office hits Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Manchali (1973) and Aap Ki Kasam (1974). In 1973, he made a guest appearance during a song in a Tamil movie, Bharatha Vilas (1973). He performed in nine movies directed by Gulzar. Hrishikesh Mukherjee directed him in Arjun Pandit, for which he won the Filmfare Best Actor Award.

He did three films opposite famous Tamil actress L. Vijayalakshmi, including Husn Aur Ishq and Badal which became hits. Their first film was Alibaba Aur 40 Chor which was unsuccessful. His Raja Aur Runk, released in 1968, was a great success. He did Kangan, Rivaaj, Zindagi, Be-Reham, Archana and Do Ladkiyan opposite Mala Sinha. He did Priya, Anubhav, Gustaaki Maaf, Bachpan and Khud-Daar with Tanuja. He was paired with Raakhee in Angaare, Paras, Trishna, Shriman Shrimati and Hamare Tumhare. His hits with Leena Chandavarkar included Apne Rang Hazar, Manchali and Anhonee. He was paired regularly with Sulakshana Pandit in films such as Uljhan and Waqt Ki Deewar and with Moushumi Chatterjee in Itni Si Baat and Daasi.

The producers and directors of the South wanted to remake their Tamil and Telugu films in Hindi with either Kumar or Rajesh Khanna in lead. It was these Hindi film remakes which elevated the success in his career. Khilona and its Tamil version Engirundho Vandhaal were made simultaneously. Navarathri was remade as Naya Din Nai Raat. Kumar reprised the role played by Thengai Srinivasan in Yehi Hai Zindagi which was a remake of Kaliyuga Kannan. He starred as the lead Shaandaar (1974) which was a remake of Kasturi Nivasa with Kannada actor Dr. Rajkumar in the lead. Kumar enacted the role played by AVM Rajan in Anadhai Aanandhan, in its Hindi version Chanda Aur Bijli. Gnana Oli was remade as Devata in 1978 with Kumar reprising the role originally played by Sivaji Ganesan. He also acted in Swarg Narak (1978) the remake of Swargam Narakam. He played the role which N.T. Rama Rao did originally in Devina Chesina Manushulu, in its Hindi version Takkar in 1980. Tayaramma Bangarayya was remade as Shriman Shrimati in 1982, Raman Ethanai Ramanadi was remade as Raam Kitne Tere Naam in 1985. Kumar reprised the role played by R.Muthuraman in Alukuoru Aasai in its Hindi remake Itni Si Baat in 1981. Sivaji Ganesan gave Kumar a role in his own home production Gauri (1968), which was a remake of Shanti (1965). The role played by S.S. Rajendran in Shanti was re-enacted by Kumar in Gauri.

Northern Indian producers and directors cast Kumar primarily in supporting roles in films like Khud-Daar, Sawaal, Zabardast, Hero, and Silsila. Sanjeev Kumar's excellent comic timing entertained audiences in films such as Seeta Aur Geeta, Biwi O Biwi (1981), Pati, Patni Aur Woh, Angoor (1982) and Hero (1983).

His performances in films such as Charitraheen, Grihapravesh, Chehre Pe Chehra, Suraag, Sawaal and Yaadgaar were appreciated by critics. Kumar always demonstrated a willingness to take on unconventional roles that challenged him as an actor. His role as Mirza Sajjad Ali,[12] a chess-obsessed Lucknowi (citizen of Lucknow), in Satyajit Ray's classic Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977) exemplified that aspect. His best-remembered roles were in the blockbuster films Sholay (1975) and Trishul (1978). His portrayal of the character Thakur, from Sholay was regarded as one of his stellar performances. In Naya Din Nayi Raat (1974), Kumar reprised nine-roles. This film enhanced his status and reputation as a serious actor in Bollywood. He stood his ground against leading superstars such as Rajesh Khanna in Aap Ki Kasam; Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor in the Yash Chopra multi-star cast film Trishul (1978) and Dilip Kumar in Sangharsh and Vidhaata (1982).

He did many regional films in different languages including Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Sindhi and his mother tongue Gujarati. In 1980, he starred in the Punjabi movie Fauji Chacha. He also made guest appearances in two Tamil films, Bharata Vilas and Uyarndhavargal (a remake of Koshish).

Pandit chose to remain unmarried.

After his first heart attack, he underwent a bypass surgery in the U.S. However, on November  6, 1985, at the age of 47, he suffered a massive heart attack, which resulted in his death.

More than ten of Kumar's films were released after his death with the last one, Professor Ki Padosan, released in December 1993. At the time of his death, only 75% of the film was complete and it was eventually decided to alter the storyline in the second half to explain the absence of Kumar's character.