Sanjeev Kumar Left Alone by Friends Amid Ill Health, Rs 1 Crore Still Owed, Says Boney Kapoor
Actor’s generosity went unreciprocated as friends deserted him during ill health; he had gifted nearly Rs 1 crore to industry peers
Mumbai, Oct 18: Legendary actor Sanjeev Kumar, celebrated for his talent, warmth, and generosity, faced heartbreak in his later years when many of his close friends abandoned him after he gave up drinking for health reasons.
In a conversation with journalist Vicky Lalwani, Sanjeev Kumar’s niece Jigna Shah and veteran film journalist-author Hanif Zaveri revealed that the actor’s so called friends vanished after he stopped drinking post-surgery, leaving him isolated.
“All of Sanjeev Kumar’s friends, who used to spend every evening with him over drinks, suddenly disappeared after he stopped drinking. None of them even came to check on him. It really hurt him,” Jigna recalled.
“He was a genuine friend to them, but for them, he was only a source of alcohol and freebies.”
Zaveri added that misconceptions about the actor’s nature persisted.
“People called Sanjeev Kumar ‘kanjoos’ (stingy), but that’s far from the truth. He was incredibly generous he gifted cars to friends, bought a house for Dilip Dutt and his manager Jamnadas. He lived for his friends, but nobody ever truly understood him.”
The family revealed that the actor had given away nearly Rs 1 crore to industry colleagues in the 1980s. After his passing, only Boney Kapoor came forward with Rs 3 lakh, saying, “I owe him more, but this is what I can return right now.”
“Nobody else ever returned anything. They were all his so called dear friends people he met every day, and yes, they were all quite rich,” Jigna added.
Sanjeev Kumar’s story reflects both the generosity and loneliness behind the glamour of Bollywood, reminding fans that even celebrated stars can face betrayal and isolation.
