# Sajjan (actor)

Sajjan (15 January 1921 – 17 May 2000) was a Bollywood and stage actor. He acted in several plays and movies from the 1950s to the 1980s. His best known films are Bees Saal Baad, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, April Fool, Rail Ka Dibba, Johny Mera Naam and Jhumroo.

## Early life

Sajan was born on January 15, 1921, in Jodhpur into a “Pushkarna Brahmin” marwadi family. His full name was Sajjan Lal Purohit, but he was known by his first name in the Indian film industry. Sajjan graduated from Jaswant college in Jodhpur. He had a desire to be a lawyer not an actor.

## Career

In 1941, he arrived in Calcutta and worked as an apprentice in a laboratory of the East India Company. His initial breakthrough in films was as an extra in films such as Masoom (1941) and Chowringhee (1942). Sajjan left Calcutta during te Second World War and reached Mumbai where he worked as an assistant to the famous director Kidar Sharma. At that time, the great showman Raj Kapoor was also an assistant to Sharma. He also worked as assistant to Gajanan Jagirdar and Vakil Sahib and received Rs.35 as salary.
A poet by heart, Sajjan showed his talent when he wrote dialogues for Meena (1944) and lyrics for Door Chalen (1946) and Dhanyavad (1948). He also acted in small roles in Prithvi Theatre. His acting debut film was Dhanyavad. After that, Bombay Theatre's Muqaddar was released in 1950. The heroine was Nalini Jaywant.
By then Sajjan was well established in films. In the 1950s and 1960s, he acted as hero or side-hero in films such as Saiyan, Rail Ka Dibba, Bahana, Sheesha, Malkin, Nirmohi, Kasturi, Mehmaan, Lagan, Girl School, Paridhaan, 00 Dulhe, Ghar-Ghar Mein Diioali, Haa-Haa-Hee-Hee-Hoo-Hoo, Poonam Jhanjhar and Halla-Gulla. As hero, his last films were Kabuliwala and Do Chor, and as an artist he last appeared in the 1986 release Shatru with Rajesh Khanna.
An artist of more than 150 films, Sajjan also worked in TV serials. In Vikram Aur Betaal he played Betaal. His other serial was Lena-Dena.

## Filmography

| Year | Film | Character/Role |
| 1948 | Majboor | |
| 1948 | Dhanyawad | |
| 1949 | Imtihaan | |
| 1949 | Girls' School | Bipin |
| 1950 | Sangram | Lala |
| 1950 | Muqaddar | |
| 1950 | Apni Chhaya | |
| 1951 | Toofan | |
| 1951 | Saiyan | Rajjoo |
| 1951 | Kashmir | |
| 1951 | Hum Log | Anand |
| 1952 | Nazaria | |
| 1952 | Sheesha | |
| 1952 | Poonam | Sarju |
| 1953 | Rail Ka Dibba | Mohan |
| 1953 | Mehmaan | |
| 1953 | Malkin | |
| 1954 | Parichay | |
| 1954 | Kasturi | |
| 1954 | Halla Gulla | |
| 1955 | Lagan | |
| 1955 | Hoor-E-Arab | |
| 1955 | Ha Ha Hee Hee Ho Ho | |
| 1955 | Ghar Ghar Mein Diwali | Kailash |
| 1955 | Do Dulhe | |
| 1955 | Bandish | Drama Director |
| 1956 | Parivar | |
| 1956 | Dhake Ki Malmal | |
| 1957 | Mr. X | |
| 1957 | Paying Guest | Jagat - Ramesh's Friend |
| 1957 | Bade Sarkar | Sumer Singh |
| 1958 | Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi | Prakashchand |
| 1958 | Talaaq | Mangal |
| 1958 | Hathkadi | |
| 1959 | Toofani Tirandaz | |
| 1959 | Maharani Padmini | |
| 1959 | Chand | Gokul's Father |
| 1959 | Didi | Vinod |
| 1960 | Sarhad | Madan |
| 1960 | Baraat | Shanker Chaudhary |
| 1960 | Bahaana | |
| 1961 | Kabuliwala | Mini's father |
| 1961 | Mera Suhaag | |
| 1961 | Jhumroo | Banno |
| 1962 | Bees Saal Baad | Detective Mohan Tripathi |
| 1963 | Yeh Dil Kisko Doon | Man who disguise Anand Lal |
| 1964 | Daal Me Kala | Natwar Shyam |
| 1964 | Ishaara | Ramu |
| 1964 | Door Gagan Ki Chhaon Men | Deepa |
| 1964 | April Fool | Monto |
| 1965 | Chand Aur Suraj | Kapoor - Manager |
| 1965 | Adhi Raat Ke Baad | Ramlal |
| 1966 | Tasveer | Ishrat |
| 1966 | Sawan Ki Ghata | Bansilal |
| 1966 | Lal Bangla | Inspector Shankar |
| 1966 | Dil Diya Dard Liya | Mansaram |
| 1967 | Ram Aur Shyam | Police Inspector |
| 1967 | Rustom Sohrab | |
| 1967 | Hamare Gam Se Mat Khelo | |
| 1967 | Farz | Damodar |
| 1967 | Anita | Biharilal |
| 1967 | Aman | |
| 1968 | Ankhen | Syed |
| 1968 | Aashirwad | Ramdas |
| 1968 | Aanchal Ke Phool | Shankar |
| 1969 | 'Sambandh' | |
| 1969 | Talash | Dice / Albert (Rita's Father) |
| 1970 | Sau Saal Beet Gaye | Nanhe |
| 1970 | Prem Pujari | Suman's maternal uncle |
| 1970 | Johny Mera Naam | Rai Saab Bhupendra Singh |
| 1970 | Pagla Kahin Ka | Inmate - Ramu Dada (uncredited) |
| 1970 | Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi | |
| 1971 | Jaane-Anjaane | Hemant's Father |
| 1971 | Patanga | Ramu |
| 1971 | Ladki Pasand Hai | Raisaheb Chunnilal |
| 1971 | Dushman | Villain's Associate |
| 1971 | Do Boond Pani | Hari Singh |
| 1972 | Kamana | |
| 1972 | Bhaavna | |
| 1972 | Yaar Mera | Mahantji |
| 1972 | Raja Jani | Khairati |
| 1972 | Parchhaiyan | Sandeep Narayan |
| 1972 | Ek Khilari Bawan Pattey | Rekha.s Father |
| 1972 | Ek Bar Mooskura Do | |
| 1972 | Do Chor | Ramsharan |
| 1972 | Do Bachche Dus Haath | Vakil Saab |
| 1972 | Buniyaad | |
| 1973 | Jai Hanuman | |
| 1973 | Chhupa Rustam | Rajendra Jain |
| 1973 | Yauwan | Dr. Shrivastav |
| 1973 | Suraj Aur Chanda | Mahamantri |
| 1973 | Samjhauta | Jailor |
| 1973 | Phagun | |
| 1973 | Chhalia | |
| 1973 | Agni Rekha | Gopinath Raizada |
| 1974 | Kshitij | |
| 1974 | Chor Machaye Shor | Amritlal |
| 1974 | Jab Andhera Hota Hai | Dara |
| 1974 | Amir Garib | Seth Nandlal |
| 1974 | Resham Ki Dori | Vishal |
| 1974 | Compelled | Doctor Shah |
| 1974 | Zehreela Insaan | Shyam Lal |
| 1974 | Prem Shastra | Sajjan Bhardwaj |
| 1975 | Sandhya | |
| 1975 | Samasya | |
| 1975 | Qaid | Mr. Verma |
| 1975 | Faraar | |
| 1975 | Toofan | |
| 1975 | Salaakhen | Ramlal |
| 1976 | Dus Numbri | Fernandes Uncle |
| 1976 | Charas (1976 film) | Jango |
| 1976 | Sajjo Rani | Sohan |
| 1977 | Mamta | Boarding School Principal |
| 1977 | Immaan Dharam | Lawyer (in Jenny's Case) |
| 1977 | Khel Khilari Ka | Poojari |
| 1977 | Darinda | Krishna's Father |
| 1977 | Darling Darling | Rai Bahadur Dinanath |
| 1977 | Chaalu Mera Naam | Balwant Rai |
| 1977 | Aafat | |
| 1978 | Chor Ke Ghar Chor | Ramlal |
| 1979 | Dhongee | Dinanath |
| 1980 | Dhan Daulat | Truck owner |
| 1980 | Do Aur Do Paanch | Principal Om Prakash Sharma |
| 1980 | Dostana | Ramnik Lal Tiwari |
| 1980 | Taxi Chor | |
| 1980 | Qatil Kaun | Chaudhary |
| 1981 | Krodhi | |
| 1981 | Haqdaar | |
| 1981 | Prem Geet | Hiralal |
| 1981 | Kaalia | 2nd Defense Attorney |
| 1981 | Raksha | Kedar |
| 1981 | Professor Pyarelal | Bhagwan Singh |
| 1981 | Nai Imarat | Village Head |
| 1982 | * Haathkadi (1982 film) | Robert's father (uncredited) |
| 1982 | Khud-Daar | Man in Police Station (uncredited) |
| 1982 | Log Kya Kahenge | Thakur - Roma's father |
| 1983 | Achha Bura | Jailor |
| 1983 | Coolie | Salma's Father |
| 1984 | Hum Do Hamare Do | (as Sajan) |
| 1984 | Love Marriage | |
| 1985 | Aandhi-Toofan | Sheela's, servant |
| 1985 | Phir Aayee Barsat | |
| 1986 | Maqaar | |
| 1986 | Shatru | |
| 1987 | Mera Karam Mera Dharam | Shambhu |
| 1996 | Muthi Bhar Zameen | Munshiji |
| 1996 | Aatank | Saimon (uncredited) |

## Television

| Year | Show | Character/role |
| 1985-1988 | Vikram Aur Betaal (TV series) | Betaal |