Veteran star Raaj Kumar allegedly hit a man on Juhu beach who died with his injuries, fought legal battle like a 'lion', reveals co-actor

Before Raaj Kumar became one of Hindi cinema’s most magnetic screen presences, he wore a khaki uniform. In the late 1940s, he served as a sub-inspector at the Mahim police station in Mumbai. The job brought him into regular contact with producers, technicians, and actors, many of whom frequented the station for various permits or disputes. One such visitor, filmmaker Baldev Dubey, noticed the officer’s baritone voice and natural gravitas. Dubey didn’t see a cop that day; he saw a star.

Encouraged by peers and his own cinematic ambitions, Raaj Kumar left the police force and joined films, debuting in Shahi Bazaar. But success didn’t arrive overnight. From 1952 to 1957, he endured years of anonymity and rejections, surviving on small roles and persistence.

Rise to Stardom

His big break came with Paigam (1959), where he held his ground opposite Dilip Kumar. The film’s success proved that his voice and intensity could command attention. Then came Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai, Godaan, and Dil Ek Mandir—films that made him a household name. His regal screen persona, calm defiance, and clipped dialogue style became his trademark. By the mid-60s, Kajal sealed his stardom; Raaj Kumar was no longer the policeman who quit his job for movies—he was the man whose very tone could silence a room.