Manoj Kumar Turns 77

Manoj Kumar is better known as ‘Bharat’ in film industry for his passion for patriotic movies and playing the character by the same name in umpteen movies. Remember movies like UPKAAR, PURAB AUR PASCHIM, ROTI KAPDA AUR MAKAAN. Besides patriotic movies Manoj Kumar did many entertaining movies too and the list is long WOH KAUN THI, PATTHAR KE SANAM, DO BADAN, NEELKAMAL, HIMALAYA KI GOD MEIN, GUMNAAM etc but somehow it was his patriotic image that has etched in the minds of film buffs. 

Listen to Manoj Kumar Songs on Raaga.com

On July 24 Manoj Kumar would turn 77, Raaga.Com wishes him many returns of the day and best regards for his upcoming movie on freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad.

Born as Harikishen Goswami, little Manoj Kumar adored Dilip Kumar and freedom fighter Bhagat Singh. Call it destiny that when he became a celebrity he fulfilled both his ambition. He worked with his idol Dilip Kumar in two movies AADMI and KRANTI and as for freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, he penned a script on the legendary freedom fighter and himself portrayed Bhagat Singh in the movie SHAHEED

His initial years in Bollywood were full of struggle as to survive he even played a role of a 90-year-old beggar in a movie called FASHION, when his actual age was just nineteen years! That’s not all he even did ghost writing as he was a capable writer himself. 

Listen to Manoj Kumar Songs on Raaga.com

He first got his major break in a movie called KAANCH KI GUDIA, 1960 followed by few more unnoticeable movies but the movie that made him a star was Vijay Bhatt’s super hit movie HARIYALI AUR RASTA opposite the then hit actress Mala Sinha. Soon movies like HIMALAY KI GODH MEIN, WOH KAUN THI, DO BADAN, PATHER KE SANAM etc earned him good audience appreciation as the ‘Chocolate Romantic Hero’.

However more than acting it was his brilliance in writing and direction that he won real stardom. With his home production UPKAAR in 1967, he proved his excellence in filmmaking. The movie won six Filmfare awards out which Manoj Kumar won four as Best Movie Award, Best Director Award, Best Story award and Best Dialogue award. He also won National Award for best film. 

Besides patriotic movies he also tackled social issue with same intensity, his movie SHOR and ROTI KAPDA AUR MAKAN are the best example.

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