Actor-director Manoj Kumar died at the age of 87. He made Upkaar on the advice of Lal Bahadur Shastri, this is how he got the name Bharat Kumar
Actor Manoj Kumar died on Friday morning at Kokilaben Hospital in Mumbai. He was 87 years old. He was primarily known for his patriotic films. He was also known as Bharat Kumar. Upkaar, Purba-Paschim, Kranti, Roti-Kapda, and Makaan were his very successful films.
Manoj Kumar’s son Kunal Goswami told ANI, ‘He had health problems for a long time. It is God’s grace that he did not have much trouble at the last moment; he said goodbye to this world peacefully. His last rites will be performed tomorrow at 11 am at Pawanhans crematorium in Mumbai.’
Manoj Kumar has been suffering from liver cirrhosis for a long time. He was admitted to the hospital on 21 February 2025 after his condition deteriorated.
Manoj Kumar received 7 Filmfare Awards. The first Filmfare was received in 1968 for the film Upkar. Upkar won four Filmfare Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Story, and Best Dialogue. In 1992, he received the Padma Shri. In 2016, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Modi wrote – Manoj ji raised national pride
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to Manoj Kumar. PM wrote on ‘X’: ‘Deeply saddened by the demise of great actor and filmmaker Shri Manoj Kumar ji. He was an icon of Indian cinema, especially remembered for his patriotic zeal, which was also reflected in his films. Manoj ji’s works ignited a sense of national pride and it will continue to inspire generations. My condolences are with his family and fans in this hour of grief. Om Shanti.’
When his mother did not get treatment, he beat up doctors at the age of 10
Manoj Kumar’s real name was Harikrishna Goswami. He was born on 24 July 1937 in Abbottabad, British India (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan). Abbottabad is the same place where America killed Osama bin Laden on 2 May 2011. Manoj Kumar’s younger brother Kuku was born in 1947 when he was 10 years old. When his health deteriorated, his 2-month-old brother and mother were admitted to the hospital, and the riots broke out. There was chaos everywhere, and the hospital staff started running to save their lives.
As soon as the siren sounded, the doctors and nurses who were left had to go underground. In such a situation, due to not getting proper treatment, Manoj Kumar’s 2-month-old brother died in the hospital itself. Mother’s condition was also serious at that time. She kept screaming in pain, but no doctor or nurse treated her. One day, seeing all this, Manoj got so angry that he picked up a stick, went underground, and started beating the doctors and nurses. Manoj was only 10 years old then, but he could not see his mother’s suffering. His father controlled him, and the family decided to leave Pakistan to save their lives.
His family fled from Jandiala Sher Khan and reached Delhi. Here they spent 2 months in a refugee camp. Time passed, and the riots started to subside. The whole family somehow settled in Delhi, where Manoj could study. After school, he completed his graduation from Hindu College and started looking for a job.
He was made to stand in front of the camera for light testing, which is where he got the role
One day, Manoj Kumar was strolling in a film studio in search of work when he saw a man. Manoj told him that he was looking for work, so the man took him along. He got the job of carrying lights and other items used in film shooting. Gradually, being pleased with Manoj’s work, he started getting work as an assistant in films.
Big actors used to reach the sets of films just a few minutes before their shots started. In such a situation, Manoj Kumar was made to stand in place of the hero on the set to check the light falling on the hero.
One day, Manoj Kumar stood in place of the hero for light testing. When the light fell on his face, his face looked so attractive to the camera that a director gave him a small role in the 1957 film Fashion. The role was small, but Manoj managed to leave his mark in a few minutes of acting. Due to that role, Manoj Kumar was given the lead role in the film Kanch Ki Gudiya (1960). After giving his first successful film, Manoj gave many back-to-back films like Rashmi Rumal, Chand, Banarasi Thug, Grihasthi, Apne Hue Paraye, and Woh Kaun Thi.
Named Manoj because of Dilip Kumar
Manoj Kumar was a big fan of Dilip Kumar since childhood. Manoj Kumar liked Dilip Sahab’s film Shabnam (1949) so much that he watched it many times. Dilip Kumar’s name in the film was Manoj. When Manoj Kumar came into films, he changed his name to Manoj Kumar after Dilip Kumar.
Also Read: Sudhir Mishra Questions Why British Series ‘Adolescence’ is So Popular in India
