The Bollywood Icon ---- Manoj Kumar
( 24Jul 1937 – 4 April 2025 )
On 4th April 2025 the Indian film world lost Manoj Kumar, the legendary Actor, Director, Screen Writer at the age nearing 87. He had been unwell for a long time . Producers’ Guild of India and the Federation of Western India film workers union paid glowing tributes to the Bharat ( Manoj) Kumar of popular parlance.
I recall a story of his struggle years before getting a break in Bollywood. It is said that during his struggling days he used to go to producer offices frequently. It is said that one producer to whom he wanted to meet since long did not have time to meet. On his tenth visit he got the same reply from his office peon ”Saheb ke pass Waqt nahi hai” .This time Manoj Kimar got furious and blurred to the peon to go and tell his boss. “Aaj Saheb ke pass Waqt nahi hai, koi baat nahi. Magar kal jab mera “Waqt” aayega tab mere paas Waqt Nahi hoga aur Aapke Seth ke paas Waqt hi Waqt hoga” . This was in 1957.
After few years Manoj Kumar’s “Waqt” arrived. He became star in 1962 with super success of “Hariyali Aur Raasta” followed by his incessant jubilee hits “Wo Kaun Thee” and“Himalaya Ki Goad Mein” by 1965 which catapulted him to an iconic star. Then indeed he had no time to meet the producers who used to wait hours for his darshan each morning at his house. As the luck had, it one of the persons waiting for his favour was the same producer who had no time to meet him way back in 1957.
Such was a vision power of the Dadasaheb Phalke award winner Bharat aka Manoj Kumar. My Heartfelt Homage to him. Om Shanti !
------------------ Mohan Airoya