Happy Birthday, Manoj Kumar: Lesser-known Facts About The Veteran Star

Veteran actor Manoj Kumar needs no introduction. He is an actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist, and editor, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for acting and making films with patriotic themes and has been given the nickname Bharat Kumar. The actor was born on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad, Pakistan, into a Punjabi Hindu Brahmin family. After the partition, he came to India with his family. actor Manoj Kumar has entertained the audience for years with his personality and acting. He also bagged the National Award, Dada Saheb Phalke, Padma Shri Award, and 8 Filmfare Awards. Today, on the occasion of his 87th birthday, let’s know those things related to him that people hardly know.

According to reports, the birth name of Manoj Kumar was Harikrishan Giri Goswami. The actor was fond of cinema since childhood. He had seen a film in his childhood named Shabnam. Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal were the lead actors in this film released on April 22, 1949. Directed by Bibhuti Mitra, this film had music by SD Burman. Dilip Sahab played a character named Manoj in this film based on the Rangoon War. Harikishan Giri Goswami was so impressed by Dilip Kumar in this film that he changed his name to Manoj Kumar.

Manoj Kumar started his acting career with the 1957 film Fashion. In this film, he played the role of a 90-year-old beggar. In 1960, he appeared as a lead actor for the first time in the film Kaanch Ki Gudiya. Manoj Kumar got his first break in 1962 after appearing in the film Hariyali Aur Rasta.

Manoj Kumar’s directorial venture Kranti in 1981 had brought a revolution at the box office in those days. Though Manoj Kumar worked in many films, he is still in the hearts of the audience due to his serious acting in Purab Aur Paschim (1970). In most of the films made on patriotism, during that time Manoj Kumar’s character was named ‘Bharat’. Because of this, people started calling him ‘Bharat Kumar’.

He is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. He is noted for his acting, style, and patriotic films. One of the most successful actors of the 1960s and 1970s, Kumar appeared in Box Office India’s ‘Top Actors’ list eight times (1967-1969, 1972-1976). In 2022, he was placed in Outlook India’s ‘75 Best Bollywood Actors’ list.