![\"Sudesh](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-130724268,imgsize-499570,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/untitled-design-17.jpg\" "\\"<p>File")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSudesh Kumar, who played the protagonist of the tragic love story, \u2018Saranga\u2019 (1961), still remembered for its melancholic title track, who became a familiar face as supporting lead in money-spinning Southern productions like ‘Chhoti Bahen’ (1959), ‘Bharosa’ (1963) and ‘Khandan’ (1965), and who went on to produce absorbing thrillers like Uljhan (1975), passed away at his residence in Mumbai on Friday. He was 95.The actor was admitted to Breach Candy hospital following breathing issues on Monday. \u201cAt his request, we brought him back home on Thursday where we had set up a makeshift medical unit. But he breathed his last the next morning,\u201d his wife Jaya Dhawan told TOI over phone.Born in 1931 in pre-independence India in frontier town Peshawar — also the birthplace of Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and where Shah Rukh Khan gets his ancestry from — Sudesh’s family shifted to Bombay when he was young. “He graduated in science from Elphinstone College. His father wanted him to be a doctor,\u201d Jaya said.But Kumar joined Prithviraj Kapoor\u2019s theatre group. \u201cThey were also distant relatives,\u201d she recalled. Among his early films was Prithviraj-directed, \u2018Paisa\u2019 (1957).His real name was Sudesh Dhawan. But the actor’s screen name kept changing. He was Sudesh in some, Soodesh Kumar in others and Sudesh Kumar in most. The actor initially got parts in low-budget costume dramas and devotionals before catching mainstream attention in the cameo of a doctor in Prasad Production\u2019s superhit family drama, \u2018Chhoti Bahen\u2019 (1959). He was paired opposite Nanda playing the protagonist.In the Sixties, Sudesh found his feet becoming a regular in southern socials working with premium directors such as K Shankar (\u2018Bharosa\u2019, 1963), Vasu Menon (\u2018Grahasti\u2019, 1963), A Bhimsingh (\u2018Khandan\u2019, 1965 and \u2018Gopi\u2019, 1970) and CV Sridhar (\u2018Dharti\u2019, 1970). Old-timers would remember him twisting and turning with a step-perfect Mumtaz for the rock and roll track, \u201cAa dance karein, thoda romance karein.\u201d \u201cKhandan was one of his favourite films,\u201d said Jaya.A more interesting role came in producer-director Vasant Joglekar\u2019s critical and commercial success, \u2018Aaj aur Kal\u2019 (1963), set in princely state, pre-independence India. Sudesh enacted the role of a youthful Congress leader, also a humble coachman\u2019s son, who seeks to draw people into the national movement and to whom the king\u2019s younger daughter (Tanuja) is attracted to.He is remembered more for producer-director Dhirubhai Desai\u2019s \u2018Saranga\u2019 (1961), where a prince falls in love with a commoner to a tragic outcome. Two of the film\u2019s tracks, \u2018Saranga teri yaad mein\u2019 (singer: Mukesh, lyrics: Bharat Vyas, music: Sardar Malik) and \u2018Haan deewana hoon main\u2019 (same trio) became chartbusters finishing at No 9 and No 20 in the popular countdown show, Binaca Geetmala\u2019s annual list. The title song has a combined view of over 2.5 million on YouTube underlining its timeless appeal. A heart-broken Sudesh walking through a leafless grove while lip syncing the number is part of old Bollywood\u2019s unforgettable images.With dwindling meaningful screen presence, Sudesh adroitly shifted to producing movies in the 1970s. But before that he assisted Raj Khosla in \u2018Do Badan (1966). As producer, his first venture was Man Mandir (1970), which had the unlikely pair of Sanjeev Kumar and Waheeda Rehman.Sudesh formed a fruitful director-producer combo with Raghunath Jhalani delivering two smart and modestly successful off-beat thrillers, Uljhan (again with Sanjeev Kumar) and Badalte Rishtey (with Jeetendra, Reena Roy and Rishi Kapoor) and box-office turkey, Jaan Hatheli Pe (1987).In 1982, he was married to Mumbai-bred Jaya Naik nee Dhawan, who had modelled for Vicco, Complan and Farex, among other products. They were neighbours who had first met outside the residence of popular lyricist Rajendra Krishan, a close friend of Sudesh.\u201cHe was full of life and energy even a year ago,\u201d recalled Rajesh Duggal, the lyricist’s son. Jaya said that they had visited Southern temples in February. \u201cDespite his age, he was remarkably fit. He never used a walking stick,\u201d she said.The funeral was held at Shivaji Park crematorium on Friday.<\/div>\n