Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan has reacted to the demise of legendary actor Manoj Kumar. Lovingly known as Bharat Kumar, the actor-filmmaker breathed his last on Friday, April 4, at the age of 87. Calling the late actor an institution, Khan said, “Manoj Kumar was not just an actor, and filmmaker, he was an institution. I have learnt so much watching his films. His films were often based on important social themes which brought him really close to the common man. My heartfelt condolences to his family.”
Manoj Kumar passed away at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital after suffering a cardiogenic shock following an acute myocardial infarction. He was already struggling with decompensated liver cirrhosis. His cremation will take place tomorrow.
Born as Harikrishan Goswami, Manoj Kumar debuted in showbiz in 1957 with the film Fashion Brand and then did a couple of films such as Sahara, Chand and Honeymoon, where his role largely went unnoticed. In 1961, he landed his leading role in the film Kaanch Ki Gudiya, but his major commercial success came in 1962 with the film Hariyali Aur Rasta. Following the success of this film, he was seen in Shaadi, Dr Vidya and Grahasti – all of which went on to be box office successes. Raj Khosla’s mystery thriller, Woh Kaun Thi? further cemented his position in the industry. In 2016, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He was previously awarded the Padma Shri in 1992.
Talking of Aamir Khan, he is currently focused on his upcoming film, Sitaare Zameen Par. His last theatrical release, Laal Singh Chaddha, was a Hindi adaptation of Forrest Gump. While he has taken a step back from acting in recent years, he remains deeply involved in filmmaking and production. The actor is also expected to collaborate with his Ghajini director, AR Murugadoss for the sequel of the film.
