Patriotic Hindi cinema icon Manoj Kumar dies at 87 in Mumbai hospital

Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, known for his patriotic roles and iconic films like Shaheed and Kranti, died of a heart attack at 87 in Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital

Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar died on Friday at Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. He was 87.

 

News reports state that he died due to cardiogenic shock caused by an acute myocardial infarction. Kumar had also been battling decompensated liver cirrhosis for several months, which had significantly impacted his health. He was admitted to the hospital on 21 February following a deterioration in his condition, news agency ANI reported.

 

ANI quoted filmmaker Ashoke Pandit as saying, "...The legendary Dadasaheb Phalke award winner, our inspiration and the 'lion' of the Indian film industry, Manoj Kumar Ji is no more...It is a great loss to the industry and the entire industry will miss him..." 

In a post on X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Deeply saddened by the passing of legendary actor and filmmaker Shri Manoj Kumar Ji. 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.”

  Born as Harikrishnan Goswami in 1937 in Abbottabad, British India (now in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan), Kumar made his Bollywood debut in 1957 with Fashion. He gained recognition with Kanch Ki Gudiya (1961), where he starred alongside Sayeeda Khan.

 

His 1965 thriller Gumnaam became one of the year’s top-grossing films, earning ₹2.6 crore. That same year, he portrayed freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in Shaheed, a role that cemented his legacy in patriotic cinema.

 

Nicknamed ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his contributions to patriotic films, Kumar starred in classics like Purab Aur Pachhim (1970) and Kranti (1981). He also directed and acted in Shor (1972).

 

In 1975, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Director for Roti Kapada Aur Makaan. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015.

 

Ahead of the 2004 general elections, Kumar joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).