Salman Khan has paid tribute to veteran actor-director Manoj Kumar and called him a ‘true legend’. Manoj passed away at 3:30 am on Friday in Mumbai, suffering from age-related ailments, including complications in his heart and liver.
Taking to X, Salman wrote, “Manoj Kumar Ji… a true legend. Thank you for the unforgettable films and memories.”
Karan Johar took to Instagram to write about Manoj. He said, “Today we lost a Hindi cinema Legend… Shri Manoj Kumar. It took me back to a screening of Kranti I saw as a child sitting excitedly on the floor with other kids and a packed screening room of filmmaker’s and actors and industry giants. This was the ROUGH CUT of the film, a 4 hour long version. Manoj ji was sharing his film at such an early stage seeking feedback, seeking opinions for his ambitious motion picture. The film went on to create history at the box office.”
Sanjay Dutt shared a photo of Manoj on his Instagram stories and wrote, “You will be missed, Manoj Kumar Ji.”
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar took to X to share some photos with the veteran actor and wrote, “I am saddened by the passing of the legendary actor & filmmaker, Manoj Kumar Sir, I had the privilege of interacting with him at many occasions, and he was truly an icon of Indian cinema. His storytelling & song picturizations in his films inspired national pride and will resonate for generations. My deepest condolences to his family members & admirers.”
Raveena Tandon spoke to the media outside Manoj's house and said, "He was my Bharat; he is and will always be my Bharat. The kind of inspirational films he made, no one else has made, and no one ever will. I remember every song of Manoj ji, and my most favourite is Jab Zero Diya Bharat. He is our legend, and he will always be.”
Manoj Bajpayee shared a photo of Manoj Kumar on X and wrote, “With the loss of Manoj Kumar Sahab, we bid farewell to a pillar of Hindi cinema. His art celebrated the spirit of India like no other. Deepest condolences to his family and countless admirers.”
Manoj Kumar 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 '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.
His last rites are scheduled to take place in Mumbai on Saturday.
