Patriotic player who became face of martyr Bhagat Singh – bollywood

Harikishan Giri Goswami (b. July 24, 1937) from the Pakhtun town of Abbotabad migrated with his family in the sad season of Partition in 1947 to the Kingsway Camp for refugees in Delhi. He was to grow up as a strapping handsome boy who took on the screen name of Manoj Kumar, after the character played by Peshawari Dilip Kumar in Shabnam (1949).

After graduating from Hindu College, he moved to Mumbai with the aim of becoming a hero and making Rs 3 lakh, one each for his parents and one for his siblings. He got his first break in 1957 and went out to carve a niche for himself in Bollywood.

Starring as the understated romantic hero with a shy smile and the gesture of covering his face with his hand, he paired successfully with yesteryear heroines: Mala Sinha in Hariyali aur Rasta, Apne Huye Paraye and Himalay Ki Gode Mein; with Asha Parekh in Do Badan; and with great success with Sadhna in the psychological mystery Woh Kaun Thi. However, it was Shaheed (1965), a film based on the life of martyr Bhagat Singh, that was to decide the course of his career.

MANOJ TO BHARAT KUMAR

Looking back, his younger cousin and TV producer Manish Goswamy says: “Manoj became the patriotic hero who made his home in the hearts of the people singing ‘Mera rang de basanti chola, maye!’ His career as a patriotic hero and director was launched and in due course he was nicknamed Bharat Kumar.”

After the Indo-Pak war of 1965, the then prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri wanted him to popularise the slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan. He did so with aplomb, playing both farmer and soldier in Upkar (1967) which won him the Filmfare best director award. The film was cathartic for the nation as he sang: Rang hara Hari Singh Nalve ne, rang laal hai Lal Bahadur se, Rang bana basanti Bhagat Singh, Rang aman ka Veer Jawahar se!

This was followed by several films with the theme of patriotism and social justice such as Purab aur Paschim, Roti, Kapda aur Makan, Shor, and Kranti.

MISTAKES YES, BUT NO BLUNDERS

Among the awards he has received are the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement award and the Padma Shri.

Now ailing and leading a retired life, Manoj still looks back with love and fulfilment saying: “When I left home in Delhi in 1956 to come to Mumbai to become a hero, my father gave me a letter that said, ‘My blood can never commit blunders, only mistakes’. I made mistakes in my career but no blunders.”