Manoj Kumar, ‘Roti Kapada Aur Makaan’ filmmaker who left a mark on Bollywood with timeless classics

Bollywood lost its legendary actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar on Friday, April 4. Popularly known as ‘Bharat Kumar,’ Manoj Kumar passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai. He died of due to cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction, according to medical reports.

The iconic actor, known for his patriotic films, had been suffering from decompensated liver cirrhosis for the past few months, ANI reported. He was admitted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on February 21, 2025.

Manoj Kumar left a lasting impact on Indian cinema with his remarkable contributions as an acclaimed actor and director. A National Film Award winner, he was also honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015, the highest award in the field of Indian cinema presented annually by the Government of India for his outstanding contributions to cinema.

Manoj Kumar delivered several Bollywood blockbusters such as Shaheed, Yaadgaar, Pehchan and Mera Naam Joker. His notable directorial ventures include Upkar, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Purab Aur Paschim and Kranti.

Manoj Kumar early life

Born into a Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family, Manoj Kumar was named Harikrishan Goswami. He was born in Pakistan's present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, previously Abbottabad provincial town. During the time of partition, he migrated to Delhi with his family at the age of 10 from Jandiala Sher Khan, Pakistan.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hindu College, he went on to explore a career in acting. He decided to name himself Manoj Kumar, inspired by superstars Dilip Kumar, Ashok Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. After watching Shabnam movie, he was immensely influenced by Dilip Kumar's character and hence took this major decision.

The breakthrough in his acting career came in 1962 with Vijay Bhatt's Hariyali Aur Rasta, in which he starred opposite Mala Sinha. One of his first major successful films was in 1964 with Raj Khosla's mystery thriller Woh Kaun Thi? in which he was the lead character.

‘Remembered for his patriotic zeal’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacted to the news of Manoj Kumar's death and, in a post on X, said, “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.”