September 3, 2010 (Sampurn Wire):Veteran actor Ashok Kumar’s birth centenary falls on 13th October, 2011 and the Bollywood industry has geared up to celebrate it with multiple events.

Ashok Kumar is considered to be one of the greatest actors of Hindi cinema, who passed away at the age of 90 years. To commemorate his birth centenary, a series of screenings, exhibitions, a documentary, a play and a biography launch have been planned in India and overseas.

These series of events will start this October and will conclude on the actor’s 100th birth anniversary on Oct 13, 2011.

Bharati Jaffrey, the daughter of Ashok Kumar was quoted stating that the works of her father needs to be documented for the next generation. She has founded the Ashok Kumar Foundation in his memory. According to her, Ashok Kumar had a very dramatic life so a film and a play would be a good idea.

A new biography of the veteran actor by Chicago-based journalist Ashok Easwaran would be released in October 2011 as part of the celebrations. The book will be based on the memories of the actor by his family members and former colleagues.

The different facet of the actor, like a voracious reader, who was proficient in many languages, a passionate painter, a homeopath and an accomplished chess player, would be covered in this book.

Ashok Kumar was no doubt a big name in the industry and his natural acting cannot be forgotten by the movie lovers!

– Sampurn Wire