Sailesh Kumar

Sailesh Kumar Biography

Sailesh Kumar was a well-known Bollywood actor of classic 1960s he mostly played supporting roles. He also played lead roles in a few B-grade Hindi films. As a film actor he got only limited success. His real name was Shambhunath Purohit or simply Shambhu Purohit. He appeared in many suspense thrillers of 1960s, and as a lead actor earned recognition through the B-grade film Golden Eyes Secret Agent 077 opposite Mumtaz. Some of his noted main stream roles are Yeh Raat Phir Na Aaygi (1966) in a negative role, Aadi Raat Ke Baad (1965), Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan, Kaajal, Begaana, Nai Roshni etc. He has done around 28 movies. He was away from stream light since 1980s following his thyroid issues and passed away most recently on April 21, 2017 in his hometown Jodhpur aged 78. Sadly the news was not reported by major newspapers, except a few local ones.

Sailesh Kumar was born in Jodhpur. Six feet tall man with easy-on-the-eye looks that any model would die for, he well-suited the era of 1960s. Though he got many offers in the 1960s, both in lead and supporting roles, he never rose to the league of A-grade roles, and had to satisfy with B-grade lead roles, or sidekick or character roles in A-grade films. He essayed the lead role in a bunch of B- grade flicks such as Golden Eyes Secret Agent 077, Bekhabar, Oos Raat Ke Baad, Aadhi Raat ke Baad etc in the 1960s, and side hero roles in main league movies.

He made his debut with Nai Maa (1960), directed by PL Santoshi with Balraj Sahni in the lead. Sailesh made it to the cover of film magazines soon after a promising start in the early 1960s. But he faded away gradually. Perhaps ‘luck’ was a factor which ‘acted’ against him. Though he had good looks for a dashing hero of 1960s, he couldn’t make it big. Towards the end of his career in the second half of 1970s he did small roles in Hamrahi (1974), Sanyasi (1975), Charas (1976) and Ram Bharose (1977).

Phir woh bhooli si yaad aayi hai from Begana and Bahut haseen hain tumhari aankhein from Aadhi Raat Ke Baad were filmed on him. He played Meena Kumari’s brother-in-law in Bhabhi Ki Chudiyan. He did small roles in movies like Bekhabar and Oos Raat Ke Baad. He developed a thyroid problem, and had to take radiation frequently which made him tired easily. That forced him to quit the tinsel town and return to his ancestral home in Jodhpur in the late 1970s.

Published: December 11, 2018

Updated: December 11, 2018