Manoj Kumar Passes Away at the Age of 87, Let's Pay Him a Tribute by Remembering His Inspiring Journey

Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai. It is reported that he was hospitalized for a few weeks and then passed away at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai early this morning at around 3.30 am due to age-related health issues.

Reflection on His Journey

Manoj Kumar, also known as 'Bharat Kumar,' was indeed a great actor of his time; he made his acting debut with the 1957 film 'Fashion.'

Soon did films like Sahara (1958), Chand (1959), and Honeymoon (1960).

But what made him stand out, or we can say he got his first break with Harnam Singh Rawail's directorial 'Kanch Ki Gudiya,' as a lead in 1961. The Kranti fame actor was the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film Upkar and the Padma Shri award in 1992.

Kumar was also celebrated for films like "Purab Aur Paschim" and "Kranti." His contributions to Indian cinema have left an everlasting mark, inspiring both audiences and actors.​

Early Days

Manoj was born on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad (now in Pakistan), and during the partition, his family decided to shift to Delhi.

He was only 10 at that time. He adopted the stage name Manoj Kumar after Dilip Kumar’s character in the film Shabnam.

When and Why did he quit acting?

Kumar had an interesting career, and he did some classics that, to this date, he will be remembered with, but after his film Kranti in the year 1981, his career started to decline. He quit acting after the 1995 film Maidan-E-Jung.

In the year 1999, he made his directorial debut to launch his son, Kunal Goswami, in the film Jai Hind. The action-romantic film was based on a patriotic theme. However, the film struggled to perform well at the box office.

How the Actor Remembers Him

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan expressed his condolences, stating, "Manoj Kumar was not just an actor and filmmaker; he was an institution. I have learned so much watching his films." ​

While, Akshay Kumar paid tribute by acknowledging Manoj Kumar's influence on his sense of patriotism: "I grew up learning from him that there's no emotion like love and pride for our country." ​

Filmmaker Karan Johar mentions watching "Kranti" during his childhood, highlighting the lasting impact of Manoj Kumar's work on Indian cinema. ​

Though Manoj Kumar is not amongst us, his legacy as a pioneer of patriotic storytelling in Bollywood continues to inspire the coming generations.

He is survived by his wife and sons, Shashi Goswami, Kunal, and Vishal Goswami.