Tributes To Manoj  Kumar

Waheeda Rehman who did  a string of superhits has  huge compliments to pay Manoj  Kumar. “I  was unfortunately never directed  by him. I think  his achievements as  a filmmaker far exceeded his career as an actor. Let me tell you , as an actor he was a superhit . My films with him were  all successful: Neel Kamal, Patthar  Ke Sanam…In Aadmi where  I  was the  heroine, he got to  share screen space with his  idol Dilip Kumar.”

“There will never be  another Manoj Kumar,” says  Raakhee Gulzar who  worked with the  Legend  in Beimaan  and Santosh. “His dedication to  making  patriotic  films was fierce. He was  much better as a director than an actor.  And in  fact he  would ghost-direct many of his  starrers. His Upkar and Shor are all time classics.”

Shatrughan Sinha who worked with Manoj Kumar in the 1981  blockbuster  Kranti  calls him the master of nationalism.  “Bharat, the hero Manoj Kumar played in his films, became a symbol of  hope for every young Indian. In  Roti Kapada Aur Makaan he addressed  unemployment. In  Purab Aur Paschim  he   spoke  of the braindrain. The song Mehngai maar gayi in the former and  Hai preet jahan ki reet sadaa in the latter encapsulates the Manoj Kumar brand  of nationalism.Unlike today’s pseudo-patriots Manoj Kumar  was  a true  patriot. I  salute him  as  the symbol of nationalism in  our divided film industry.”

 Sanjay Leela Bhansali designates himself an ardent fan of Manoj  Kumar’s cinema. “Manoj Saab was  a textbook of filmmaking .The passion with which he shot his films is visible in  every frame of his cinema.I learnt to  give  my hundred percent to every  shot from Manoj Kumar . His love for his  country  was genuine. Manoj Kumar was a trueblue patriot.  I’ve lost  count of how many  times I’ve seen Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim and  Roti Kapada Aur Makaan.”