By: Vidya S M

He was the most familiar face in forties and fifties. He was marked as the king of silent era. From a lab assistant to one of the legends in film industry he has gone a long way. Dada moni, as Ashok Kumar, is fondly called was a real winner in the true sense of words.

Born in Bhagalput in Bihar on October 11 1911, Ashok Kumar was the screen name of Kumudlal Kanjilal Ganguly who studied law Khandawa near Calcutta. He is the eldest of the Ganguly brothers, which includes the singing legend Kishore Kumar.

His film career began like any other story of a movie. When the lead man of the film JEEVAN NAIYA dumped the director Himanshu Raj he insisted on Ashok, who was working as the lab assistant for Bombay Talkies, to do the lead role. His sophisticated looks paved easy way of becoming the hero of the film.

"I never wanted to become an actor. I was prepared to settle down as a technical assistant, but then the director Himanshu insisted that I work for him. Both Devika Rani, the female lead of the film and Himanshu Rai groomed me and that's how landed up being an actor" is what this versatile actor got to say.

Ashok Kumar acted with Devika Rani in era of silent films and a number of other films like IZZAT, SAVITRI, NIRMALA in the late 1930s.His big break came in the movie ACHUT KANYA (1936), with the Devika Rani. And went on to show his prowess in what is called the first Indian blockbuster KISMET, which went on to run for almost three year in Calcutta,

The films like KANGAN (1939), BANDHAN (1940) and JHOOLA (1941) paired with Leela Chitnis, leading actress of the time, made a star of Ashok Kumar. Some of his most unforgettable accomplishment in the lead roles are in films like MAHAL, BANDINI, AARTI, GUMRAH, KANOON AND MAMTA.

After KISMET, which made Ashok a rage, with his stylish anti-hero persona, he set a new trend, with his cigarette flicking style; he was struck with the anti-hero image for some time. He acted in murder mystery movies like SANGRAM, INSPECTOR, HOWRAH BRIDGE and NIGHT CLUB. With CHALTI KA NAAM GAADI he showed the world that he was a good comedian too.

As it was the trend then, he sang his own songs like Main Ban ki Chidiya, Chal Chal re Naujawaan and Na Jaane Kidhar Aaj Meri Nao Chali Re, which became very popular too.

 Films like NAUBAHAR, PARINEETA, and EK Hi RAASTA, AARTI and GUMRAH held him well balanced from competing from the then star Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. He actually joined them in doing film s like BADBAAN, DEEDAR and BEWAFAA

Some where in sixties he started doing character role like father of MILI or the rapist in JAWAB or the aristocratic villain in JEWEL THIEF. Some of his most memorable roles are in that of KHOOBSORAT, VICTORIA NO 203, ASHIRVAD and CHOTI SI BAAT.

"I don't know when I started doing character roles. It doesn't matter if it is hero or not, what matters here is the role. But every role is a problem! Enacting them in a particular way to retain the naturalness. That's the fun of it " says Kumar when asked about his doing character roles.

With the last movie RETURN OF THIEF he ended his film career due his health problems.

With more that 300 movies to his credit he won most acclaimed Dada Saheb Phalke award in 1989. He came to small screen in 1980's with the most popular serial Hum Log.

The grand old man of the tinsel town died of heart failure when he was 90 on December 10, 2001. His matchless style and dialogue delivery for more than seven decades made his fan seeking for more.

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