Actor Aruna Irani shared her condolences for Manoj Kumar on Friday. She had worked with Manoj on many films including Upkar (1967), Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) and Patthar Ke Sanam (1967). She recalled how the veteran actor-director was not keeping well for some time and shared an instance of meeting him in the hospital recently.
Speaking to ETimes, Aruna called him her Guru. “He was a great person with a kind heart, and when you share that bond with someone, you don’t just remember the films you did together, but you remember all the memories you made while working with them.”
She said that she was admitted to the same hospital as Manoj some months ago. “When I fractured my leg, I was admitted to the same hospital as him, but I was unable to meet him because of my state. Fluids would fill up in his lungs, and he had to spend a few days in the hospital before he could come back. One cannot go against time and age. He had been unwell for long. I hope he rests in peace. We will miss him dearly, but in the end, we all have to go one day.”
Manoj was suffering from age-related ailments, including complications in his heart and liver. He was admitted at a hospital in Mumbai on the early hours of Friday morning where he passed away at 3:30 am. His last rites are scheduled to take place in Mumbai on Saturday.
Manoj is known for starring in patriotic films like Shaheed (1965), Upkar (1967) and Purab Aur Paschim (1970), also serving as the director for the latter two. He was lovingly called as 'Bharat Kumar' for his patriotic films while he also made a mark with classics like Do Badan, Haryali Aur Rasta, Neel Kamal and Gumnam. He is the recipient of the Padma Shri award which he received in 1992. In 2016, he was conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contributions to Indian cinema.
