Remembering Sanjeev Kumar, one of Hindi cinema’s most versatile actors, on his 80th birth anniversary.

The sheer versatility of Sanjeev Kumar outpaces his contemporaries. His repertoire of roles includes everything from young to the old, sensitive to comic.

It was for his role as Thakur Baldev Singh in Sholay (1975) that Sanjeev Kumar is best remembered for. In Sholay, Sanjeev Kumar exemplifies his talent with his dialogue delivery, intensity, and dignity in the role of a disciplined, honorable and revenge seeking Thakur Baldev Singh.

Playing a character who does not have his arms from shoulder down and stays draped in a long shawl, Sanjeev Kumar used his piercing eyes and power-packed dialogues to deliver the punches he could not use his hands for. In the role of Thakur Baldev Singh, Sanjeev Kumar made this character iconic, raising standards, which till today are insurmountable.