Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 4 : Actor and BJP MP Ravi Kishan called it a "black day" for Indian cinema as the industry lost one of its greatest legends Manoj Kumar, who passed away at the age of 87.
The legendary actor and filmmaker breathed his last at 4:03 a.m. on April 4 at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai after battling a long illness.
"It is a loss that can't be fulfilled... He showed actual India through his movies and songs. It is a black day for the cinema industry... He showed us futuristic, larger-than-life cinema," Kishan told ANI.
Born Harikrishan Goswami on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad (now in Pakistan), Kumar became an iconic figure in Indian cinema, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. The actor was affectionately known as "Bharat Kumar" for his iconic roles in patriotic films like Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, and Shaheed.
Apart from acting, Kumar also made significant contributions as a director and producer. His directorial debut Upkar (1967) won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film.
Other successful films directed by him include Purab Aur Paschim (1970) and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974), both of which were major successes critically and commercially.
Leaders from across the political spectrum, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, shared heartfelt tributes, praising his contributions to Indian cinema and his ability to instill national pride through his work.
Prime Minister Modi called him an "icon of Indian cinema," praising his ability to inspire national pride through his films.
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