Dec 14, 2003 08:45 PM
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(Updated Dec 14, 2003 08:45 PM)
When I refer to Bollywood actors, I am giving those actors who are not actually stars in the conventional sense. Some of them were just supporting actors, but they dominated the movie more than the hero and heroine eg: Ashok Kumar and Pran(Victoria 203), Paresh Rawal(Hera Pheri).So if you don’t see ur fav stars out here, I am sorry, coz there is a big difference between a star and an actor. So here are my favorite actors of Bollywood.
1) Ashok Kumar: Brilliant outstanding performer, be it is a hero, or the side role, or even a villian. Versatility is his middle name. Can any one forget his award winning role as the old man who yearns for his daughter in Hrishida’s Aashirwaad? Or the suave villian of Jewel Thief? The helpless father of a cancer stricken daughter in Mili? The husband of a philandering wife in Gumraah? Or the judge in Kanoon? Every movie, every role saw him try something different. He was the first Bollywood leading hero to do a negative role in Kismet. And he proved that he could be dashing Hollywood style detective in Howrah Bridge. Dadamoni was one of the all time great actors, and to his credit, never once did he indulge in over the top histrionics.
2) Balraj Sahni: Another great actor, who again made an effective impact with his subtle underplaying. He was the first of method actors in India, who prefer to get into the skin of the role. One of the greatest performances in Bollywood would be the role of the poor peasant who struggles in Calcutta in Bimal Roy’s neo realistic classic Do Bigha Zamin. Other brilliant roles like a reformist in Seema, the eponymous Kabuliwala, the officer who leads his men in Haqeeqat and a Muslim who tries to flee Partition in Garam Hawa. Even in rank commercial movies like Waqt, Jawaani Diwani, Do Raaste he put in real dignified portrayals and never once would you find him screaming and indulging in melodrama like some of his contemporaries.
3) Pran: He was the first of the great screen villians to hit Bollywood. Most of his villianous portrayals were simple, the nasty guy who tries to separate the hero and heroine and in the end gets bashed up by the hero. But he bought such an impact to his roles, that the audiences hated him when they saw him on screen. Mothers refused to name their kids after him, and when he appeared in public people would melt away. One of his best bad guy roles though was as the fearsome dacoit Raka in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hain, where he came up with the mannerism of drawing a line around his neck. Again it was Manoj Kumar’s Upkaar which again proved that he could be a strong character actor too, with his brilliant performance as the crippled Malang Chacha. Some of his other memorable roles are that of the loyal Pathan SherKhan in Zanzeer, his comic turn as a conman along with Ashok Kumar in Victoria 203(in fact the movie was a hit because of them), as the crippled circus acrobat JD in Don.
4) Dilip Kumar: A legend among actors. Much has been written and discussed about this tragedy king. It is said that he had to die so that his distributors could be happy. He was also one of the method actors in the line of Balraj Sahni. Apart from Devdas, he acted in a series of tragic movies like Arzoo, Jugnu, Daag, Babul. And yet he could do a complete out and out entertainer like Kohinoor where he played the swashbuckling prince. Some of his other memorable movies are Madhumati, Naya Daur, Aan. He could even do a complete madcap entertainer like Raam Aur Shyaam. After a brief hiatus, he came back in the 80’s with a series of movies like Kranti, Shakti, Karma to name a few. But for me his best performance would be in Ganga Jumna, as the rustic Ganga who becomes a dacoit, to avenge the injustice meted out to his family, Dillip Saab puts in one of the greatest performances. For 3 hours, you forget you are watching Dillip Kumar, but instead a rustic Bhojpuri speaking Ganga.
5) Sanjeev Kumar: Had Darwin done his research on human evolution, in Sanjeev’s time he would have concluded that this man must have been a descendant of the chameleon. He could slip into any role, and he was like Balraj Sahni and Motilal, a man who would get into the skin of the character. On the two occasions he clashed with Dilip Kumar in Sangarsh and Vidhata, he managed to hold his own against the thespian. Diverse were the roles he played a mentally retarded man in Khilona, a deaf and dumb person in Koshish, a separated husband in Aandhi, a philandering husband in Grihapravesh. And he was a brilliant comedian too, in movies like Angoor, Pati Patni Aur Voh, Naukri and Manoranjan. And of course can any one forget the 9 different roles in Nayi Din Nayi Raat. He had no qualms about playing senior roles to heroes of his age in movies like Sholay and Trishul. And he was as comfortable in out and out commercial stuff like Anamika, Manchali and Seeta Aur Geeta. One of the best actors.
6) Sunil Dutt: One of the most underrated actors of all times, Sunil Dutt, was one of the most versatile actors of his times. Unlike Dilip who was stuck with the Tragedy King label, while Raj Kapoor was always the good hearted tramp and Dev Anand the romantic rogue, Sunil Dutt exhibited his talent in a wide variety of roles.He shot into the limelight with his portrayal of the rebellious Birju in Mother India. Even in woman oriented movies like Sujata and Sadhana he made his own impact. He however gave his best for B.R.Chopra in movies like Gumraah as the guy who has an adulterous fling with a married woman, Humraaz where he played the understanding husband. He didn’t mind playing roles like that of a country bumpkin in Padosan, or a villian in Geeta Mera Naam , or the tough dacoit in Mujhe Jeene Do.
Due to lack of space im putting some in comments section.
