Manoj Kumar Bollywood’s iconic ‘Bharat Kumar’ passes away at 87: All it is advisable to know |

Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, identified for his iconic patriotic roles, handed away on the age of 87 on Friday, April 4, 2025. Fondly remembered as Bharat Kumar, he breathed his final at 4:03 am at a Hospital in Mumbai, the place he had been receiving medical care since February 21.
Distinguished celebrities, together with actors Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, and filmmaker Karan Johar, paid tribute to the cinema icon. Even politicians together with PM Modi and President Murmu celebrated Kumar’s legacy of highlighting social points and patriotism via his movies that dominated the field workplace within the late Nineteen Sixties and Seventies.
Listed below are some lesser identified information concerning the actor…From Harikrishan Goswami to Manoj Kumar
Born Harikrishan Goswami on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad (now in Pakistan), his journey into cinema was pushed by his deep admiration for legendary actor Dilip Kumar. His fascination with movies started when, as an 11-year-old, he watched Shabnam (1949) and was so impressed by the famous person’s character Manoj that he determined that if he entered the movie trade, he would change his identify to ‘Manoj Kumar’.

Schooling Qualification
After shifting to India post-Partition, Kumar accomplished his schooling in Delhi earlier than entering into Bollywood within the late Nineteen Fifties. His preliminary movies noticed him taking part in romantic roles, nevertheless it was within the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies that he really emerged as a film star.
A Legacy of Patriotic Cinema
Manoj Kumar’s career-defining second got here in 1965 when he starred in Shaheed, a biographical drama primarily based on the lifetime of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Nonetheless, it was his directorial debut, Upkar (1967), that cemented his standing as a nationwide icon. Impressed by then-Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s slogan Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, the movie resonated deeply with audiences, portraying the sacrifices of troopers and farmers alike.

Following this success, Kumar turned synonymous with patriotic cinema, incomes the title ‘Bharat Kumar’. His movies like Purab Aur Paschim (1970) and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) additional strengthened his status. These motion pictures not solely entertained but in addition carried sturdy social messages about Indian values, self-reliance, and the influence of Western influences on Indian society.
A Transient Stint in Indian Politics
After retiring from lively filmmaking, Manoj Kumar ventured into politics. Forward of the 2004 normal elections, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Social gathering (BJP). Whereas he didn’t actively contest elections, he remained a vocal supporter of the occasion’s imaginative and prescient for India.

Ultimate Curtain Name
Manoj Kumar’s remaining movie as a director and actor was Jai Hind (1999), a patriotic drama that aligned together with his signature storytelling model. Staying true to his legacy of nationalism and social consciousness, the movie aimed to instil a way of pleasure and duty amongst Indians. Nonetheless, regardless of Kumar’s status for delivering impactful patriotic movies, the film didn’t obtain the identical degree of success as his earlier works.

Passing on the Torch
Manoj Kumar, as soon as acknowledged Akshay Kumar because the torchbearer of the patriotic movie style. Reflecting on the actor’s portrayal of nationalism on display, he praised his heartfelt tribute in Namaste London, saying, “I’ve all the time thought-about Akshay my successor in portraying patriotism on display. His recreation of my sequence from Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet Sada in Namaste London was heartfelt and genuine. There’s nobody like him in terms of taking part in the position of a country-loving Indian,” the legendary actor had mentioned.
He additionally praised Aamir Khan for his movie decisions. When requested which modern actor he thought may excel in such patriotic roles, Kumar had a transparent reply: “Aamir Khan is unquestionably the best-suited actor for such roles. I actually appreciated him in Taare Zameen Par and Rang De Basanti.”

Awards and Honours
All through his illustrious profession, Kumar was honoured with a number of prestigious awards, together with a Nationwide Movie Award for Upkar (1967), a Padma Shri in 1992 for his contribution to Indian cinema, a Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015, the very best honour in Indian filmmaking and a number of different awards in performing and directing classes.