Origins & Early Life

Ashok Kumar (born Kumudlal Ganguly; 13 October 1911 – 10 December 2001) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful actors in the history of Indian cinema. He is considered to be the first superstar of Indian cinema as well as the first lead actor to play an anti-hero. He also became the first star to reinvent himself, enjoying a long and hugely successful career as a character actor.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was a member of the cinematic Ganguly family. He was honoured in 1988 with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national award for cinema artists, by the Government of India. He received the Padma Shri in 1962 and Padma Bhushan in 1999 for his contributions to Indian cinema. Ashok Kumar was born Kumudlal Ganguly into a Bengali Brahmin family in Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency, British India (present-day Bihar, India). His father, Kunjlal Ganguly, was a lawyer while his mother, Gouri Devi, was a housewife.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Kumudlal was the eldest of four children. His only sister, Sati Devi (born 1916), was married at a very young age to Sashadhar Mukherjee in 1932 and became the matriarch of a large "film family". Next was...

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