Sanjeev Kumar Trivias : 9th July Born Actor played 9 roles in a single film 'Naya Din Nai Raat'

He was one of those few actors who never hesitated from playing an older character and proved his worth with blockbusters like Sholay, Aandhi, Trishul, and Arjun Pandit.

1. He had essayed nine roles in Naya Din Nai Raat and shared the record of playing maximum characters in a single film along with Sivaji Ganesan and Akkineni Nageswara Rao. The record was broken by Priyanka Chopra, who played 12 characters in What's Your Raashee? (2009)'
2. Before the actor became famous as Sanjeev Kumar, he had a different identity altogether. Sanjeev Kumar was born in a Gujarati family as Harihar Jethalal Jariwala and later changed to screen name Sanjeev Kumar. But, who gave Sanjeev Kumar this name? It was none other than filmmaker Saawan Kumar Tak, who is known for making films like Gomti Ke Kinare, Southern, Souten Ki Beti, Sanam Bewafa and Bewaffa Se Waffa. Saawan spotted Sanjeev in a play and went on to produce Naunhilal with him.
3. Sanjeev Kumar, who passed away at the age of 47 due to a massive heart attack, made his last silver screen appearance in Professor Ki Padosan, which was released eight years after his death. Professor Ki Padosan hit the screens in 1993 and featured Asha Parekh, Padmini Kolhapure, Shekhar Suman, Aruna Irani and Dalip Tahil in key roles. Amitabh Bachchan paid a tribute to Sanjeev Kumar as he turned narrator for the film and found a mention in the end credits.
4. Playing older characters came to him as duck takes to water – in Sholay, he actually played a grandfather (the youngest member of his family is also shot dead by Gabbar Singh), when he was only 37 years old. In Gulzar’s Aandhi, donning the grey hair came naturally to him just as singing duets with Suchitra Sen, in their younger avatar in the film in Kashmir, too were easy for him.
5. His love for the craft and experimentation took him to films made in languages other than Hindi or his native, Gujarati. He did Fauji Chacha in Punjabi and even did special appearances in Tamil films, Bharata Vilas and Uyarndhavargal (latter was remade as Koshish in Hindi).