New Delhi: Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar – whose patriotic movies earned him the moniker ‘Bharat Kumar’ – has died at the age of 87. His death, attributed to heart-related complications, has caused an outpouring of tributes on social media. From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar and Manoj Bajpayee, many big names took to X to remember Kumar and his legacy.
“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, wrote PM Modi on X, sharing two pictures with the actor.
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also paid tribute to the actor, mentioning how his films captured the attention of former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri.
In a career spanning four decades, prolific actor and director, Manoj Kumar ji captivated the audiences with his films made on patriotism and national pride.
The Padma Shri recipient, was fondly known as 'Bharat Kumar' and his films like 'Shaheed' and ‘Upkaar’ earned the… pic.twitter.com/Xh76Bcy6n5
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 4, 2025
Akshay Kumar, known for making films with patriotic themes, also remembered Kumar in an X post:
“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 went on to call Kumar a pillar of Hindi cinema. “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,” he wrote on X
Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wrote a long tribute focusing on the many attributes of Manoj Kumar: “A proud nationalist. A staunch Hindu at heart. 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.”
Even civil servants remembered the legendary actor’s contribution to Hindi cinema. Navniet Sekera, the Additional Director General (ADG) of Uttar Pradesh Police, shared a clip of Kumar’s song, Bharat Ka Rehne Wala Hoon, paying a final tribute to “the actor who carved a niche with his remarkable artistry and patriotic films”.
भारत का रहने वाला हूं, भारत की बात सुनाता हूँ!
ये पंक्तियाँ जब भी दोहराई जायेंगी, मनोज कुमार जी का चेहरा सामने आयेगा… अपनी बेहतरीन कला और देश भक्ति की फ़िल्मों से अपनी पहचान बनाने वाले कलाकार को अंतिम नमस्कार 🙏#ManojKumar pic.twitter.com/ReWQGXPRDq
— Navniet Sekera (@navsekera) April 4, 2025
These posts are testimony to Manoj Kumar’s brilliance – as an actor who left a lasting impact with films such as Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974), Upkar (1967) and Purab Aur Paschim (1970).
Although Kumar acted in thrillers and romances such as Woh Kaun Thi? (1964) and Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962), it was his patriotic films that made him a star.
“People say I have made Bhagat Singh alive. He will always be alive. His mother used to call me Bhagat,” said the actor in an interview in 2011. He was talking about his 1965 film Shaheed – based on the life of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh – which marked a turning point in his career. He made his directorial debut with Upkar (1967), which looked at the struggles of post-Independent India.
Interestingly, Kumar made Upkar at the suggestion of Lal Bahadur Shastri, who asked him to base it on his famous ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan (hail the soldier, hail the farmer)’ slogan. The movie, of course, turned out to be a big hit. Fifty years on, the song, ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’ is still played on Independence and Republic Day celebrations across the nation.
Kumar was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 2015 and the Padma Shri in 1992 for his indelible contributions to Hindi cinema.