• Veteran actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar passed away in Mumbai on April 4. He was 87.

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

• Manoj Kumar framed his patriotism in celluloid just as a nascent India was coming into its own and beginning to realise its dreams and potential.

• He came to be known as ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his love for patriotic and socially conscious movies.

• Born Harikrishan Goswami into a Punjabi Hindu family on July 24, 1937 in Abbottabad town (Pakistan) in the undivided India, Kumar’s family migrated to Delhi.

• He completed his graduation from Hindu College before shifting to Mumbai to pursue a career in movies.

• Kumar, who found many takers for his brand of patriotic idealism, was also romantic hero of films such as ‘Himalaya Ki God Mein’, ‘Do Badan’ and ‘Patthar Ke Sanam’. 

• 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.

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

• Among his biggest hits is the lavish multi-starrer ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’ (1974), which he produced, directed and acted in.

• He quit acting after his appearance in the 1995 film ‘Maidan-E-Jung’ but returned as a director to launch son, Kunal Goswami, in the 1999 film ‘Jai Hind’.

• He was honoured with Padma Shri in 1992.

• He was conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 2015.

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