Superstar was mocked as 'kanjoos' all his life but he secretly gave away crores to help people in need

Beyond his extraordinary acting prowess, legendary actor Sanjeev Kumar was often labeled as ‘ kanjoos’—a miserly man who hesitated to spend money. Yet those who knew him closely had a very different story to tell. In an old interview with Komal Nahta, producer Boney Kapoor shared a heartfelt memory that shattered this long-held myth and revealed the actor’s deeply generous nature.

Boney recalled the time he was desperately trying to acquire the remake rights of the Tamil hit Andha 7 Naatkal. The original film, directed by and starring K. Bhagyaraj, had become a sensation in Tamil cinema, and several top producers and actors were competing to secure its Hindi adaptation rights. Boney, a young producer at the time, flew to Chennai to negotiate.

The competition was intense—every major figure in the industry had their eyes on the film. He spent nearly a month there, hoping to finalize the deal. Just a few days before the Tamil version’s release, the producer of Andha 7 Naatkal found himself in financial trouble. He needed to pay a financier a balance of Rs 125,000—a considerable sum in those days—or risk losing his rights to the film.

Someone advised the producer to accept the money from whoever could provide that final amount immediately and, in return, offer the Hindi remake rights. Unfortunately, Boney didn’t have that much cash on hand. Disappointed and financially helpless, he returned to Mumbai, convinced that he had lost a golden opportunity.

Back in Mumbai, destiny intervened in the form of Sanjeev Kumar. During a casual visit to the veteran actor’s home, Boney shared his situation. Listening quietly, Sanjeev asked him to lift a pillow lying nearby. Hidden underneath was a bundle of money—the exact Rs 125,000 that Boney needed.

Without hesitation, Sanjeev handed it over, urging him to go and buy the rights immediately. Boney was stunned by this gesture, especially from someone widely misunderstood as being tight-fisted. He tried explaining that he would take time to repay, likely in small installments, but Sanjeev brushed it aside, insisting that his priority should be acquiring the rights first. With that money, Boney bought the rights and later returned the sum, along with another loan that actress Shabana Azmi had once extended to him.

That act of kindness changed the course of cinema history. The Hindi remake, Woh Saat Din, became a milestone film—marking Anil Kapoor’s breakthrough performance in Bollywood. Alongside Kapoor, the film featured Padmini Kolhapure, Naseeruddin Shah, and Satish Kaushik, with soulful music composed by the legendary duo Laxmikant–Pyarelal.

Sanjeev Kumar’s reputation for being frugal was further clarified by those who truly knew him. In another interview, veteran journalist and author Hanif Zaveri, along with the actor’s niece Jigna Shah, spoke about the reality of his generous nature.

Zaveri emphasized that the image of him being stingy was entirely inaccurate. He revealed that Sanjeev was known to gift expensive cars to friends, purchase houses for people like Dilip Dutt and his longtime manager Jamnadas, and support many within the industry. According to Zaveri, Sanjeev lived for his friends but was deeply misunderstood by the public.

Jigna, who was just a teenager when her uncle passed away, echoed these sentiments. She said that within their family, countless stories were told about his selfless acts. According to her, Sanjeev had lent or gifted nearly Rs 1 crore to various people in the industry during the 1980s—an enormous amount at the time. Out of everyone he helped, only one person ever returned any part of the money—Boney Kapoor. After Sanjeev’s untimely death, Boney personally visited the family with Rs 3 lakh, admitting that it was only a fraction of what he owed but wanting them to have it nonetheless.

Sanjeev Kumar’s life was tragically cut short when he succumbed to a massive heart attack at the age of 47. By the time he passed away, he had acted in over 150 films and left behind a legacy of powerful performances—and, as these stories reveal, a heart as generous as his talent was immense.