By
Tanveer Zaidi (Actor-Author-Educationist)
Although Rajesh Khanna earned the title of Bollywood’s first superstar, as the term ‘Superstar’ was not in trend, Bindi cinema had already witnessed the towering presence of great Superstars, such as Dilip Kumar. Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, amidst these iconic names, another superstar quietly carved out his place in the golden era of the 1950s
—Bharat Bhushan, a gentle soul from U.P., who became a household name with soul-stirring performances in classic cults like Baiju Bawra, Mirza Ghalib, and many others. His portrayals were poetic, deeply emotional, and struck a chord with audiences. For some brilliant years, Bharat Bhushan stood at the epitome of success.
Bharat Bhushan, a prominent persona in Hindi cinema during the mid-20th century, gained popularity for his soulful portrayals, particularly in cult classic diamond and golden jubilee films like Baiju Bawra-1952, Mirza Ghalib-1954 and Barsaat Ki Raat-1960 and others.
He was known for his ability to bring depth and authenticity to both historical and romantic characters, making him a sought-after actor. His performances, blended with his charm and distinctive voice, solidified his rank as a leading star of his time.
Bharat Bhushan was celebrated for his ability to portray tragic characters with depth and emotion, particularly in films like Baiju Bawra, where he played a musician, and Barsaat Ki Raat, a romantic drama.
His good looks and charisma, especially among female fans, contributed to his popularity as a romantic star.
He excelled in both historical and romantic genres, demonstrating his versatility as a method actor.
His performances in classic films cemented his place in Bollywood history.
Bharat Bhushan received several accolades for his acting, including a Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in Bees Saal Baad.
However, the glitter of fame proved fleeting. As he ventured into film production, a string of poor financial choices led to his downfall. Bit by bit, he lost everything—his wealth, his status, and the comforts he once took for granted.
His sprawling bungalow in Pali hills, Bandra, the luxury cars, and even his treasured books were sold off. Reduced to a small residence, ‘Aasra’, besides a bus stop on the Linking Road footpath market, he faded into obscurity. In 1992, he passed away in almost complete anonymity, his funeral attended by just a handful of people.
Two decades later,
Amitabh Bachchan, by then the Superstar of Indian cinema, would recall a deeply unsettling moment. One morning, as he was driving through the streets of Santa Cruz on his way to a shoot, he noticed an elderly man standing silently in a queue at a bus stop.
It was Bharat Bhushan—once the romantic lead of India’s most beloved musicals—now just another unnoticed face in the crowd. No cameras, no admirers. Just a lonely figure, stripped of the aura he once carried.
I remember meeting Bharat Bhushan quite a few times at his Aasra in my teenage, amidst one of the meetings, he suggested me to make a television series on Akbar Allahabadi, as he knew Akbar Allahabadi was my great grandfather, I remember him saying, ” Beta Tanveer, once, you finished the writing and Pre-Production work of the series, we will get it done from DD, as you might not know Mr.Amitabh Bachchan knows me, he will be a great help.” He said it proudly…
I replied in my choked voice, ” Bharat jee, not only Mr.Bachchan, the entire film industry, the whole world of cinema knows you, you have lived a great past-you are the superstar Bharat Bhushan.” He took hold of my hands and I reciprocated, there was a pin drop silence with our four eyeballs in tears.
