The Hindi film “Parineeta” that was released in 2005 has been made from Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyaya novel but the film was initially made by Bimal Roy with the same name and the lead role Lalita, played by Vidya Balan in 2005 film, was played by Meena Kumari. The actor in lead role opposite Meena Kumari was Ashok Kumar.

Ashok Kumar, who was born on October 13, 1911 in Bhagalpur of Bihar to a Bengali family, has been an icon in Hindi cinema .He was named Kumudlal Kunjilal Ganguly by his parents but later was known as Sanjay Ashok Kumar. Ashok started his Bollywood career from the socially awaking film “Achhut Kanya” opposite Devika Rani ,which was a pre –independence film on casteism in India .the film was about a Brahmin boy (High caste boy ) falling in love with a low caste untouchable girl and the film got praised by critics.

After “Achhut Kanya” Ashok Kumar did more than two hundred fifty commercial and socially awaking film and in one of the hit movies he appeared with brothers Kishore Kumar – the renown singer and actor of Bollywood and Anup Kumar. Ashok was first Bollywood hero who did lead roles and did not hesitate to take up negative roles.

Ashok was considered lucky for any film, his mere presence in a television show or films, marked the success of the show .Some of the memorable films were “Howrah Bridge “ (that is remade in animation), “Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi “, “Jewel Thief “, “ Bandini “, “ Bahu Begum “ , “ Pakeezah “, “Ek hi Raasta” and “Bandish.” Ashok stopped celebrating birthday, when brother Kishore died in 1987 and he himself parted on December 10, 2001.