New Delhi, Apr 5 (PTI) As tributes pour in for legendary actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, who passed away on Friday, villagers of Nangal Thakran, where his iconic film “Upkar” was shot in 1967, remembered him not just as a star, but as one of their own.
The veteran actor, known for his patriotic roles and films like “Upkar”, “Purab Aur Paschim” and “Roti Kapda Aur Makaan”, spent more than a month in the village in Delhi’s Narela area during the shooting of “Upkar”, a film that left a deep imprint on the villagers.
Juman Chowdhary was a landlord in Nangal Thakran and several shots of the film were shot in his house.
Chowdhary’s grandson, Mahendra Singh, recalled that the scene of grinding grain, the robbery scene and a fight scene with Prem Chopra were shot in their house.
“Manoj Kumar was a very cheerful person. He would talk to everyone he met and sit with them,” he said.
“He used to make tea in the fields, order Campa Cola and serve it to everyone. He loved sarso ka saag, bajra roti and red-chili chutney. He would have it specially prepared at our home,” Singh said.
Pandit Umid Prakash, at whose house Kumar used to prepare himself before the shooting, said the actor used to like the curd and buttermilk made by his mother.
People would come all the way from Meerut, Alipur and even farther places to watch the shooting and the crowd became so large at times that the shooting had to be stopped, Prakash told PTI Videos.
He said Kumar stayed with them for more than a month and a half and sent them movie tickets after “Upkar” was released.
“He even attended my nephew’s wedding and was really close to my uncle,” Prakash said.
The influence of “Upkar” extended beyond the screen.
“We have heard since childhood that a film was shot in our village and Manoj Kumar’s close connection with our family gave us such an exposure that today, my sister is a model in Mumbai because of it,” Prakash’s grandson, Aakash Bharadwaj, said.
He also recalled a touching moment when his grandfather visited Kumar’s Mumbai residence.
“My grandfather wanted to meet him, so we went to his house in Juhu. We were hesitant, but his family welcomed us warmly, though we were not able to meet him as he was not home,” he said.
Bharadwaj added that when the actor got to know about their visit, he called them to say that he would meet them once he returned from his trip.
Often hailed as “Bharat Kumar” for his string of patriotic films, Kumar passed away early Friday morning in Mumbai at the age of 87. He was unwell for some time and died due to age-related issues at the Kokilaben Ambani Hospital. PTI SHB RC
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