Saawan Kumar Tak (1936-2022) was an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, and songwriter. He works mainly in the Hindi film industry and is known for directing superhit films like Saajan Bina Suhagan, Souten, Souten Ki Beti, Sanam Bewafa, and Bewaffa Se Waffa. He is credited for directing over nineteen films in Bollywood. On 25 August 2022, he died after suffering a heart attack at Kokilaben Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.
Saawan Kumar Tak during the promotion of the film Sanam Bewaffa
Wiki/Biography
Saawan Kumar Tak was born on Sunday, 9 August 1936 (age 86 years; at death) in Jaipur, Jaipur State, British India. His zodiac sign is Leo.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 6″
Hair Color: Salt and Pepper
Eye Color: Black
Family
Parents & Siblings
Sawan Kumar Tak has three sisters and one brother.
Wife & Children
He is married to Usha Khanna, and he is a music director in the Bollywood film industry.
Saawan Kumar Tak’s ex-wife, Usha Khanna
The couple separated after several years of marriage and had no children.
Relationship with Meena Kumari
According to Saawan Kumar, he had a crush on veteran Indian actress Meena Kumari when she was at the beginning of her career in the Bollywood film industry. He was then in his early twenties. In an interview with a media house, he revealed that he experienced the tragedy of Meena Kumari’s life in the last days of his life. He said,
Roses and handsome men cannot take away the tragedy.”
In the same discussion, Saawan Kumar added that he has grown attached to her. He said that once, he took her to her bedroom and told her the story of his life, and she couldn’t stop laughing all night. He said,
But I have grown attached to it. One night he took me to his bedroom. She has the image of a tragedy queen but is actually a great impersonator. I couldn’t stop laughing at the stories he told. He then spread rose petals on his bed and slept. I sat on the rug and slept with my head resting on the bed. When I came out of the room the next day, Khursheed Apa asked me sarcastically, “Did you sleep well?”
Saawan Kumar continued by saying that Meena Kumari was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, and he nursed her by taking vomited blood in his hand, wiped her face, and put her to sleep. Meena Kumari also noticed all his love and care, and once, she told Saawan Kumar that he was like God to her. Meena Kumari says,
You are the first person I saw God. You collected the blood I vomited on your hands. Not once did you show any displeasure. No one has ever done this for me.”
Sawan Kumar Tak, who would later become a director, offers Meena emotional support, while she sells her bungalow to finance her film
According to some media sources, Meena Kumari and her husband separated in 1960 and divorced in 1964 because of several men in her life including filmmaker Saawan Kumar Tak. He was one of the men who swept Meena Kumari towards them in her late thirties. He was attracted to her when she was in her early twenties, and he was in her late thirties.
Saawan Kumar Not with Meena Kumari
Career
Director
Saawan Kumar Tak is the person who launched veteran Indian actors Sanjeev Kumar and Mehmood Junior aka Naeem Sayyed in the Indian film industry. Once, he saw Sanjeev Kumar’s performance in a theater and promised him that he would cast him in his first film. In 1967, he directed his first film Naunihal, which starred Sanjeev Kumar in the lead role. In the same year, the film won several awards and appreciations from the Maharashtra government. Saawan Kumar gave the name Sanjeev Kumar to actor Harihar Jethalal Jariwala. He later produced the film Gomti Ke Kinare in 1972 which was started in 1968. The film featured veteran actresses Meena Kumari and Mumtaz. The songs of the film are composed by the music director, RD Burman. The long delay in the release of the film was due to the imminent death of Meena Kumari. This was his last film and was released after his death.
Sawan Kumar, Agha and Meena Kumari on the sets of Gomti Ke Kinare
In 1983, he directed the film Souten, which was a platinum jubilee at the box office. The film was shot by Saawan Kumar in Mauritius starring Rajesh Khanna, Tina Munim, and Padmini Kolhapure.
musician
He used to write and compose songs for his films. In his film Souten, the famous song “Zindagi Pyar Ka Geet Hai” was composed by him. He is known for composing popular Hindi songs like “Barkha Rani Zara Jamke Barso” for the 1973 film ‘Sabak,’ which starred veteran actors Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Dhillon in the lead roles. Later, he wrote the popular songs “Hum Bhool Gaye” from the movie Souten Ki Beti and “Yeh Dil Bewafa Se Wafa” from the movie Bewaffa Se Waffa and legendary Indian singer Lata Mangeshkar lent her voice for these songs. In the 2000s, he gained acclaim for composing songs for the superhit films Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and Dev. He is a close friend of Indian actor Salman Khan and worked with him in films – ‘Sanam Bewafa’ in 1991 and ‘Chand Ka Tukda’ in 1994.
Old pictures of Saawan Kumar Tak with Salman Khan and Sridevi
Award
In 1967, his film Naunihal was honored with the President’s award by the Government of Maharashtra.
Death
Saawan Kumar Tak died on August 25, 2022 at the age of 86 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India due to a prolonged illness. Soon after his death, PRO Mantu Singh announced in a media interview that Saawan Kumar Tak had been suffering from heart problems for two days. Mantu Singh said,
Sawan ji is 86 years old. He is not married. He had a heart problem for two days. After that he was admitted to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital. He died of a heart attack around 4pm today.”
Facts/Trivia
- According to Saawan Kumar Tak, he moved to Mumbai from Jaipur, Rajasthan in 1967 with the desire to become an actor in the Bollywood film industry. However, he was rejected by two or three film studios in Mumbai and was disappointed with the same. This prompted him to move to the other side of the entertainment industry and decided to work as a producer. He then asked his sister to lend him Rs. 25,000 to him so that he can produce his own film, but he refuses to lend him the money. After that, he was helped by his brother-in-law, who arranged some money for him to start his career in Bollywood.
Saawan Kumar Tak in the early years of his career
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
