# Kumar (actor)

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**Kumar** (born **Syed Ali Hasan Zaidi**; 23 September 1903[2] – 4 June 1982), alternatively known as **M. Kumar**, was an Indian film producer and actor, who played character roles in Hindi cinema from early 1930s to early 1960s. He migrated to Pakistan in 1963.

## Personal life

Kumar was born in an affluent family of Lucknow on 23 September 1903 and was fondly called "Mir Mujjan" at home.[3] In 1939, Kumar married Jewish actress [Esther Victoria Abraham](/source/Esther_Victoria_Abraham) popularly known as Pramila, who later went on to become the first [Miss India](/source/Femina_Miss_India) in 1947. Before marrying her, Kumar already had a wife and children in [Lucknow](/source/Lucknow). In 1963, on the insistence of his extended family, Kumar left for [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan), much to the displeasure of his second wife, who decided to stay back in [India](/source/India). Like his wife, his daughter Naqi Jahan also became [Miss India](/source/Femina_Miss_India) in 1967. Not much is known about the final decade of his life. Kumar died on 4 June 1982 aged 78.

## Career

Kumar began his acting career in the early 1930s. Until 1933, Kumar used the name "Ali Meer" for working in films. Some of his earliest works include *[Zinda Lash](/source/Zinda_Lash)* and *[Subah Ka Sitara](/source/Subah_Ka_Sitara)* both of which released in 1932 and starred [K. L. Saigal](/source/K._L._Saigal) in lead role. In 1933, director [Debaki Bose](/source/Debaki_Bose) of [New Theatres](/source/New_Theatres) made the film *[Puran Bhagat](/source/Puran_Bhagat_(film))* which starred Kumar as the leading man. The film was based on a popular Punjabi devotional story of [Puran Bhagat](/source/Puran_Bhagat). Following the riots of 1933[4] which was due to a dispute between Sikhs and Muslims at the [Shaheed Ganj Mosque](/source/Shaheed_Ganj_Mosque) in [Lahore](/source/Lahore), Bose rechristined Ali Meer as **Kumar**, as he feared of backlash the film might receive with the leading man, who's actually a [Muslim](/source/Muslim), playing a [Sikh](/source/Sikh) character. Nevertheless, the film received critical and commercial success and established Kumar.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Kumar continued to appear in a string of films which included *[Yahudi Ki Ladki](/source/Yahudi_Ki_Ladki_(1933_film))* (1933), *Dharam Patni* (1935), *[Al Hilal](/source/Al_Hilal_(film))* (1935), *Humari Betiyan* (1936), *[Watan](/source/Watan_(film))* (1938), *Nadi Kinare* (1939), *[Taj Mahal](/source/Taj_Mahal_(1941_film))* (1941),[5] *Sohagan* (1942),[6] *Naseeb* (1945),[7] *[Duhai](/source/Duhai)* (1943),[8] *Dasi Aur Ma* (1945), *Dharma* (1945),[9] *Bairam Khan* (1945)[10] and *[Nek Pervin](/source/Nek_Pervin)* (1946).[11] While reviewing *Nek Pervin* editor [Baburao Patel](/source/Baburao_Patel) of *[Filmindia](/source/Filmindia)* complimented Kumar's acting prowess and diction.[12] Kumar also gave music for the film *Hatimtai* (1946).[13]

In 1942, Kumar in partnership with [Chandra Mohan](/source/Chandra_Mohan_(Hindi_actor)) founded his production house – Silver Films. Some of the films produced included *Jhankar* (1942), *Bhalai* (1943), *Bade Nawab Saheb* (1944), *Naseeb* (1945) and *Devar* (1946). In addition to that, he even directed a few films like *[Dhoon](/source/Dhoon)* which starred [Raj Kapoor](/source/Raj_Kapoor) and [Nargis](/source/Nargis) and *[Bahana](/source/Bahana_(1960_film))* (that he also produced) which starred [Meena Kumari](/source/Meena_Kumari) in lead roles.[14]

Throughout the late 1940s to early 1960s, he continued having sporadic appearances in films like *[Mahal](/source/Mahal_(1949_film))* (1949), *[Tarana](/source/Tarana)* (1951), *[Shree 420](/source/Shree_420)* (1955), *[Sohni Mahiwal](/source/Sohni_Mahiwal_(1958_film))* (1958), *[Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai](/source/Dil_Apna_Aur_Preet_Parai)* (1960) and *[Jhumroo](/source/Jhumroo)* (1961). His most memorable performance came with *[Mughal-e-Azam](/source/Mughal-e-Azam)* (1960), in which he essayed the role of Sangtarash, a sculptor who acts as a catalyst in bringing *Salim* and *Anarkali* closer. The song *"Ae Mohobbat Zindabad"* from the film, was picturized on Kumar.

After migrating to [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan) in 1963, Kumar continued his career with films like *Tauba* (1964), which became a grand success, *Head Constable* (1964), *Azad*, *Shabnam*, *Naela*, *Saiqa*, *Sajda* (his own film), *Hum Dono*, *Nadya Ke Paar*, *Ik Musafir Ek Hasina*, *Baalam* and *Pakeeza* (1968) before retiring from films.

## Selected filmography

- *[Zinda Lash](/source/Zinda_Lash)*
- *[Subah Ka Sitara](/source/Subah_Ka_Sitara)*
- *[Puran Bhagat](/source/Puran_Bhagat_(film))*
- *[Yahudi Ki Ladki](/source/Yahudi_Ki_Ladki_(1933_film))*
- *Dharam Patni*
- *[Al Hilal](/source/Al_Hilal_(film))*
- *Humari Betiyan*
- *[Watan](/source/Watan_(film))*
- *Nadi Kinare*
- *[Taj Mahal](/source/Taj_Mahal_(1941_film))*
- *Sohagan*
- *Naseeb*
- *[Duhai](/source/Duhai)*
- *Dasi Aur Ma*
- *Dharma*
- *Bairam Khan*
- *[Nek Pervin](/source/Nek_Pervin)*
- *Anokhi Mohabbat*
- *Shehar Ka Jadoo*
- *Sachcha Sapna*
- *Maan*
- *Suhaag*
- *[Shree 420](/source/Shree_420)*
- *[Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai](/source/Dil_Apna_Aur_Preet_Parai)*
- *[Jhumroo](/source/Jhumroo)*
- *Chhoti Chhoti Baatein*
- *Sarala*
- *Doosri Shaadi*
- *Devar*
- *Najma*
- *Thokar*
- *Abhilasha*
- *Gul Bahar*
- *Majboori*
- *Abidah*
- *[Daaera](/source/Daaera)*
- *[Tarana](/source/Tarana)*
- *Badal Aur Bijli*
- *Qaidi*
- *Malik*
- *Mehndi*
- *Hum Bhi Insaan Hain*
- *Kya Ye Bombai Hai*
- *Lal Quila*
- *[Sohni Mahiwal](/source/Sohni_Mahiwal_(1958_film))*
- *[Mughal-e-Azam](/source/Mughal-e-Azam)*
- *Tauba*
- *Head Constable*
- *Azad*
- *Shabnam*
- *Naela*
- *Saiqa*
- *Sajda*
- *Hum Dono*
- *Nadya Ke Paar*
- *Ik Musafir Ek Hasina*
- *Baalam*
- *Pakeeza*
- *[Dhoon](/source/Dhoon)*
- *[Bahana](/source/Bahana_(1960_film))*

## References

1. ["Kumar"](https://www.cinemaazi.com/people/kumar-actor). Cinemaazi. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Kumar"](https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0474828/bio/). IMDB. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Kumar - Biography"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gecuBSJrDEY). 7 September 2021. pp. 1:33. Retrieved 6 June 2023. – via YouTube.

1. Ambedkar, B.R. (1945), ["Pakistan, or the partition of India."](http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ambedkar/ambedkar_partition/307c.html#part_4)

1. ["Taj Mahal"](https://archive.org/details/filmindiafeb19420000unse/page/26/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Sohagan"](https://archive.org/details/filmindiajun19420000unse/page/42/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Naseeb"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194511unse/page/n10/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Duhai"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194511unse/page/n11/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Dasi Aur Ma Dharma"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194511unse/page/n109/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Bairam Khan"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194511unse/page/n133/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Nek Pervin"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194814unse/page/n221/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Nek Parvin"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194814unse/page/n598/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Hatimtai"](https://archive.org/details/filmindia194814unse/page/n688/mode/1up?q=Kumar). FilmIndia. Retrieved 6 June 2023.

1. ["Kumar - Biography"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2qBkZ6-dPU). 27 May 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023. – via YouTube.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kumar (actor)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumar_(actor)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumar_(actor)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.