He was born as Kulbhushan Pandit in Loralai, Balochistan now in Pakistan, into Kashmiri Brahmin family specifically from the Kashmiri Saraswat Brahmin community. In the late 1940s he moved to Mumbai, India where he became Sub-inspector of the Mumbai police. He married Gayatri (a fellow Kashmiri Pandit) in the 1960s with whom he had three children, two sons named Puru Raajkumar (a Bollywood actor), Panini Raajkumar and a daughter named Vastavikta Raajkumar, who made her screen debut in 2006 film Eight Shani.
In the early 1950s, he changed his name to Raaj Kumar, quit his job as a police inspector and turned to acting. He made his acting debut in Rangili (1952). After acting in a few more films over the next five years he starred in Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957).
His performances include Shararat (1959), Paigham (1959), Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960), Gharana (1961), Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Waqt (1965), Hamraaz (1967), Neel Kamal (1968), Pakeezah (1972), Lal Patthar (1971), Heer Ranjha (1971), Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973), Ek Se Badh Kar Ek (1976), and Karmyogi (1978). He received Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Awards for Dil Ek Mandir and Waqt.
During the 1980s he appeared in Chambal Ki Kasam (1980), Kudrat (1981), Ek Nai Paheli (1984), Marte Dam Tak (1987), Jung Baaz (1989) and Police Public (1990).
In 1991 he appeared alongside Dilip Kumar in Saudagar. His last film appearance was in God and Gun (1995).
He was best known for his famous dialogue delivery, which resulted in many memorable lines becoming proverb, and often referred to people as Jaani.
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