‘Broke’ Sanjeev Kumar did C-grade films, gave Rs 96 lakh to friends who never repaid

Sanjeev Kumar, a once-celebrated Bollywood star, faced early struggles and was known for his roles in successful films like Sholay, Aandhi, and Trishul. Despite his early hardships, Hanif Zaveri, a veteran film journalist, revealed that the actor accepted C-grade films due to financial difficulties. His family struggled immensely, with his mother managing their failing business and Sanjeev himself only able to afford two sets of clothes.

Hanif recalled that Sanjeev was unaware that the films he was doing were of low quality. While his career improved, Sanjeev's personal life faced turbulence, and he had relationships with Hema Malini, Nutan, and Sulakshana Pandit, but never married due to a belief in a short lifespan. More shockingly, he reportedly lent Rs 96 lakh to friends who never repaid the loan.

Despite being labeled as a miser, Hanif debunked this claim, stating that Sanjeev generously helped others in need, including Shatrughan Sinha and Boney Kapoor, without expecting repayment. Sanjeev passed away at the young age of 47 in 1985.