Born on July 24, 1937, Manoj Kumar's birth name is Harikrishna Giri Goswami. The veteran actor was born in Abbottabad, which is now in Pakistan. This is the same place where dreaded terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed back in 2011. In picture: (L) Prem Chopra with (R) Manoj Kumar (All photos/mid-day archives and AFP)
It is said that Manoj Kumar was a big fan of Dilip Kumar, and thus changed his name to Manoj Kumar inspired by his idol's character in the 1949 film Shabnam. In picture: Manoj Kumar with Amitabh Bachchan.
Manoj Kumar was only 10 when his family moved to Delhi after the partition. In picture: Kumar with Bhagat Singh's mother Vidyavati and Kewal Kashyap in 1966 at the National Awards event.
Manoj Kumar was a child when his mother and his two-months-old baby brother got admitted to a hospital. But when India-Pakistan riots broke out, the doctors and nurses all fled the hospital. As little Kumar's mum lay in pain, his baby brother passed away.
Manoj Kumar made his acting debut in a film named Fashion in 1957, but the movie did not bring him any kind of recognition. In picture: Manoj Kumar with Asha Parekh.
During his struggling days, Manoj Kumar worked as a ghostwriter at different studios and was paid Rs 11 per scene.
Talking about his struggling days, Manoj Kumar, in an old interview with mid-day, had said, 'At 19, when I first came to Bombay in 1956, I did a film called Fashion, in which I played the role of a 90-year-old beggar. After that Filmistan hired me for Rs 450 per month. I went on to do movies such as Sahara and Reshmi Roomal, after which Vijay Bhatt offered me Haryali Aur Raasta. For a two-film deal, I was paid Rs 11,000 each. In spite of being paid in lakhs, when they came to me for the second film of the deal, I told them that I would do it for the same rate of Rs 11,000, as I had committed that sum.'
Following the 1965 Indo-Pak War, then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri asked Manoj Kumar to make a film based on the popular slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kissan. This resulted in Kumar's directorial debut Upkaar (1967).
In 2016, Manoj Kumar was conferred the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award by then President of India Pranab Mukherjee for his contribution to the film industry.
The veteran actor, best known for his patriotic films Purab Aur Paschim, Upkar and Kranti, got a standing ovation from the audience as he was taken to the stage on a wheelchair at Vigyan Bhavan to receive Indian cinema's highest honour.
Other films of Manoj Kumar that are still classics are Hariyali Aur Raasta, Woh Kaun Thi?, Himalaya Ki God Mein, Do Badan, Patthar Ke Sanam, Shaheed and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. Manoj Kumar became popular as Bharat Kumar thanks to his patriotic dramas. In picture: Manoj Kumar with Farida Jalal.
Manoj Kumar went on to star in romantic hits like Honeymoon, Apna Banake Dekho, Naqli Nawab, Do Badan, Patthar Ke Sanam, Sajan and Sawan Ki Ghata.
Manoj Kumar's career saw a downfall after Kranti. 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 which (again) had a patriotic theme. The film, however, did not do well at the box office. In 1989, he cast Pakistani actors Mohammad Ali and Zeba in a film titled Clerk.
On the personal front, Manoj Kumar is married to Shashi Goswami and has two sons - Vishal Goswami and Kunal Goswami.
We wish Manoj Kumar a very happy birthday!
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