Tributes poured in for actor Manoj Kumar following his death on Friday, with Bollywood celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Aamir Khan, remembering the Hindi film industry veteran.
Known for patriotic films like Shaheed, Upkar and Purab Aur Paschim, Kumar passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai on Friday.
Recalling Manoj Kumar’s deep love for the country, Akshay Kumar wrote on X, “I grew up learning from him that there’s no emotion like love and pride for our country. And if we actors won’t take the lead in showing this emotion, who will? Such a fine person, and one of the biggest assets of our fraternity. RIP Manoj Sir. Om Shanti.”
Manoj Bajpayee honored the filmmaker by posting a picture from Kumar’s youth and wrote, “With the loss of Manoj Kumar Sahab, we bid farewell to a pillar of Hindi cinema. His art celebrated the spirit of India like no other. Deepest condolences to his family and countless admirers. #ManojKumar.”
Saddened by the passing of Manoj Kumar, director Madhur Bhandarkar said, “I had the privilege of interacting with him on many occasions , and he was truly an icon of Indian cinema. His storytelling & song picturizations in his films inspired national pride and will resonate for generations. 🙏My deepest condolences to his family members & admirers. #OmShanti.”
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 said in a statement to PTI.
Aamir expressed his condolences over Kumar’s passing, saying that he learned a lot from the veteran actor’s films in a statement.
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri called the Dadasaheb Phalke awardee “a visionary director who gave Indian cinema a new grammar—-of song picturisation, of meaningful lyrics, of cinema that didn’t just entertain but remembered to belong.”
Director Sudhir Mishra also honored Manoj Kumar, noting that “very few understood the craft of song picturisation as well as he did”.
Actor Jackie Shroff also re-posted a photo from Kumar’s younger days on his X profile to offer his condolences.
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta recalled that Manoj Kumar had once been a patient of his grandfather. Sharing hazy memories of seeing him at the clinic, Mehta wrote on X, “Later, like Ashok Kumar, he began practicing Homeopathy. When I met him once, he said warmly, ‘Doctor saab ka pota director ban gaya, aur dekho, main doctor ban gaya.’”
Ajay Devgn paid tribute to Manoj Kumar, thanking him for giving his father, Veeru Devgan, his first break as an action director in Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. He also praised Kumar’s patriotic films like Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim and Kranti, describing them as national emotions, he acknowledged Kumar’s enduring legacy as an inspiration to generations of filmmakers.
Sonu Sood, Zoya Akhtar, and Kunal Kohli also extended heartfelt condolences on the passing of Manoj Kumar, honoring his immense contribution to Indian cinema.
Kumar, born Harikrishan Goswami in Abbotabad (now in Pakistan), belonged to a Punjabi Hindu family. After his family moved to Delhi post-partition, he graduated from Hindu College and later shifted to Mumbai to pursue acting.
His first major hit was Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962) with Mala Sinha, followed by the thriller Woh Kaun Thi?, known for songs like Lag Jaa Gale. In 1965, he starred in Shaheed, based on Bhagat Singh’s life—a film that even drew praise from then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri.
His directorial debut Upkar was a blockbuster remembered for the iconic patriotic song Mere Desh Ki Dharti. Alongside patriotic roles, he also starred in romantic and thriller films like Do Badan, Himalay Ki God Mein, Sawan Ki Ghata, and Gumnaam.
In 1970, he made Purab Aur Paschim, highlighting East-West cultural contrasts. His consistent focus on patriotic and socially-driven films, including Roti Kapda Aur Makaan and Kranti, earned him the title “Bharat Kumar”.
