'Upkar' & 'Purab Aur Paschim' actor Manoj Kumar aka Bharat Kumar passes away at 87

Veteran actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar, who came to be known as ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his series of patriotic films such as “Shaheed”, “Upkar” and “Purab Aur Paschim”, died in a Mumbai hospital early Friday. He was 87.

The industry veteran, whose films ruled the box office in the late 1960s and 1970s, had been ailing for a while and died of age related issues at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital around 3.30 am, family friend and filmmaker Ashoke Pandit told PTI.

“He had been hospitalized for the past few weeks,” Dr Santosh Shetty, CEO and executive director of the hospital, said in a statement.

“He is out of his misery now,” the filmmaker’s son Kunal told PTI, adding that his father had been battling multiple health issues and was bedridden for the last few years.

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Kumar had been in and out of hospital and was most recently admitted for pneumonia, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered him as an “icon of Indian cinema”.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of legendary actor and filmmaker Shri Manoj Kumar Ji. He was an icon of Indian cinema, who was particularly remembered for his patriotic zeal, which was also reflected in his films. Manoj Ji’s works ignited a spirit of national pride and will continue to inspire generations. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,” the prime minister wrote on X.

Kumar, a Dadasaheb Phalke winner, was also known for hits such as “Do Badan”, “Haryali Aur Rasta” and “Gumnam”.

Born Harikrishan Goswami into a Punjabi Hindu family in Abbotabad town (Pakistan) in the undivided India, Kumar’s family migrated to Delhi and he completed his graduation from Hindu College before shifting to Mumbai to pursue a career in movies.

In an interview with PTI in 2021, Kumar recalled that he fell in love with Dilip Kumar’s performance in “Shabnam” and decided to rechristen himself Manoj, his idol’s name in the movie.

“I remember the time when I went to watch Dilip Kumar sahib in ‘Shabnam’ which was released in 1949. It is because of him that I became a fan of cinema. I fell in love with his character in the film whose name was Manoj. I must be 11 years old then but I instantly decided that if and whenever I become an actor I will keep my name as Manoj Kumar,” he said.

Years after that, Dilip Kumar agreed to play a role in his filn “Kranti” and the filmmaker said he was overjoyed.

Kumar’s first major success was Vijay Bhatt’s “Hariyali Aur Rasta” in 1962 opposite Mala Sinha and then the thriller “Woh Kaun Thi?”, which came to be known for its hit songs such as “Lag jaa gale”.

In 1965, he released “Shaheed”, a film on the life of Bhagat Singh. It was a major success and was even noticed by then prime minister Lal Bahadur Shashtri.

A conversation with Shastri inspired Kumar to explore a story on the PM’s popular slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan”. And thus was born “Upkar”, his directorial debut.

The movie was a blockbuster and its song “Mere desh ki dharti” is still a favourite with music lovers on Independence Day and Republic Day.

In between his patriotic films, Kumar played the romantic lead in films such as “Himalay Ki God Mein”, “Do Badan”, “Sawan Ki Ghata” and thriller “Gumnaam”.

In 1970, he made “Purab Aur Paschim” on the themes of cultural differences between the East and West, another major success of his career.

He came to be known as “Bharat Kumar” for his love for patriotic and socially conscious movies, a theme that he further explored in “Roti Kapda Aur Makaan” and Kranti".