Ashok Kumar was above to retire when Victoria No. 203 gave him new energy Ashok Kumar did a variety of roles but the role that made him immortal is arguably the role of Raja opposite Pran as Rana in the 70’s diamond heist comedy thriller Victoria No. 203 (1972). The irresistible combination of Ashok Kumar and Pran as Raja and Rana brought the house down by their hilarious antics. Ashok Kumar in an interview said, “In the 70’s I was about to quit and take retirement as there were no challenging roles that excited me. I wanted to do something out of box when filmmaker Brij narrated me the story of two old small time criminals who are after the hidden diamonds secretly placed in a Victoria.” He added, “While Rana is a serious man, my character had a lot of color as I am attracted to young girls and usually land in trouble. There were several punches and pranks. I really enjoyed and the film was a huge hit.” Death He died at the ripe age of 90 in Mumbai on 10 December 2001 due to heart failure.
Aspired to study filmmaking in Germany As a student Ashok Kumar was a bright student and like his father (Who was a famous Lawyer) he joined Law College and was pursuing Law but midway he fell in love with the art of filmmaking and runaway to Mumbai and persuaded his brother-in-law famous filmmaker S Mukherji, who was working at a top position in film company Bombay Talkies, to let him work in films. He started his career as laboratory assistant in Bombay Talkies as he aspired to go to Germany and study filmmaking course.
Married at young age Ashok Kumar was married to Shobha Devi at a young age. Though the two had big age difference yet the two had a successful marriage. Their only son Aroop Kumar Ganguly tried his luck in films as hero in Bezubaan (1962) but failed to succeed and took to corporate world. Eldest daughter, Bharati Patel is mother of actress Anuradha Patel, who is married to actor Kanwaljeet Singh. Rupa Verma, his second daughter is married to comedian Deven Verma. And this third daughter Preeti Ganguly was a comedienne of 70’s (Remember the fat girl). She expired in 2012 unmarried.
By the 1960s, Ashok Kumar switched over to character roles, variously playing the parent, uncle or grandparent, being careful never to be typecast. From a judge in Kanoon (1960), an aging freedom fighter in Bandini (1963), an aging priest in Chitralekha (1964), a vicious zamindar in Jawaab (1970) and a criminal in Victoria No. 203 (1971), he played a wide variety of roles.
Ashok Kumar played important roles in several landmark movies in the 1960s and 1970s, including Jewel Thief (1967), Aashirwad (1968) (for which he won a Filmfare Award as well as National Award in 1969), Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Pakeezah (1972), Mili (1975), Chhoti Si Baat (1975) and Khubsoorat (1980).
| # | Released Date | Type | Credited As | Movie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 Jul 2012 | Film | Supporting Actor | Billa 2 |
| 2 | 13 Jan 2012 | Film | Producer | Khokababu |
| 3 | 18 Nov 2005 | Film | Cinematography | Yaad Rakhenge Aap |
| 4 | 04 Nov 2005 | Film | Supporting Actor | Shubhodrishti |
| 5 | 03 Jun 2005 | Film | Story writerScreenplayDialogue | Mastaani Lost In A Crowd Of Two |
| 6 | 01 Jan 2005 | Film | Supporting Actor | Bazi |
| 7 | 13 Feb 2004 | Film | Supporting Actor | Rudraksh |
| 8 | 15 Nov 2002 | Film | Cinematography | Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar |
| 9 | 08 Dec 2001 | Film | Cinematography | Bawandar |
| 10 | 25 Aug 1999 | Film | Supporting Actor | Shasti Holo |
