Writer-director-producer-actor Manoj Kumar is the 47th recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 5, 2016)


"At last Bharat sarkar has recognised the genius of Bharat Kumar," are Manoj Kumar's first words on being congratulated on bagging the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award. The 78-year-old writer-producer-director-actor is the 47th recipient of the highest official honour in cinema, which comes with a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus), a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh and a shawl.

His name was unanimously recommended by a five-member jury comprising of singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Nitin Mukesh, Anup Jalota and writer Salim Khan. "Every award I've been honoured with, be it the National Award or the Padma Shree, has been big, but this one is the biggest, officially," asserted Manoj Kumar, admitting that the feeling has yet to sink in. "I was sleeping when Madhur Bhandarkar and Ashoke Pandit called me with the news saying that I should switch on the TV and see it for myself if I didn't believe them."

Interestingly, Manoj Kumar, who was born on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad, a small town in the North-Western Frontier Province, now a part of Pakistan, was christened Harikrishan Goswami after his parents, Harbans Lal Goswami and Krishna Kumari. He owed the name, Manoj Kumar, which he was to be known by in reel life and later in real life too, to his childhood idol. In Filmistan's 1949 film, Shabnam, Dilip Kumar had answered to the call of Manoj and the name had remained in his memory bank for years.

He himself made his debut in his cousin, Lekhraj Bhakri's 1957 film, Fashion, featuring Pradeep Kumar and Mala Sinha in the lead. He was only 19 and played a 90-year-old beggar. Interestingly, the first song picturised on him, a Hemant Kumar composition sung by the singer himself and Bela Mukhopadhyay, was about a son of the soil, "Bade bade toofanon ke aage, kabhi nahin jo hara hai, Nari ki taaqat par ab tak zinda desh tumhara hai, Mati ko lajaana naa iss, maati ko lajaana naa, Desh hai mahaan iski, shaan ko mitana na." These sentiments were echoed in countless other songs filmed on him down the decades as with Shaheed, Upkar, Purab Aur Pachhim, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and Kranti he became synonymous as the patriot, Mr Bharat.

Even though he had ghost-directed Shaheed, Manoj Kumar made his official debut as a director with Upkar in '67. The patriotic drama inspired by the then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri won six Filmfare Awards, four others besides Best Lyricist and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male) which went to Gulshan Bawra for "Mere desh ki dharti sona ugle" and Pran, swept by Manoj Kumar himself. He picked up the awards for Best Story, Best Dialogue, Best Director and Best Movie. He only missed out on Best Actor despite being nominated.

The film also won National Film Awards including Second Best Feature Film and Best Male Playback Singer (Mahendra Kapoor for "Mere Desh Ki Dharti"). However, the biggest gift Upkar gave him was the name Bharat. Three days after the release of the film, Manoj Kumar bumped into Filmistan studio's boss, Sashadhar Mukherjee who thumped him hard on the back and boomed, "Hey Bharat, how are you?" The name stuck.

His last appearance in the lead as Bharat was in Clerk in '89, followed by a cameo in Maidan-e-Jung in '95. His last directorial in '99 was Jai Hind which launched his younger son Kunal Goswami who is thrilled for his father. "It's a great honour and a proud moment for the family. Personally, I was expecting him to get this award years ago, and going by the reactions I have been getting since the announcement, several others feel the same way. 'It's been long overdue,' is a constant refrain I've been hearing all evening. I'm happy the government finally recognised his contribution and honoured him," smiles Kunal.

Meanwhile, his father admitted that he's been meaning to make another movie and is gearing up for a comeback despite a bad back and a hurting hip. "I'm going to return as a director soon," he promises. "I never retired, once a soldier, always a soldier."
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Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar, 78, is ecstatic about being conferred Dadasaheb Phalke honour; says he will be present at the felicitation ceremony in Delhi despite his frail health
Amit Karn (MID-DAY; March 5, 2016)

Veteran actor Manoj Kumar was taking a siesta on Friday afternoon when incessant ringing of the phone woke him up. The calls haven’t stop coming since and the 78-year-old doesn’t mind that. After all, they were all congratulatory messages from his friends and well wishers on being named as the winner of the 47th Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his unparalleled contribution to cinema.

The actor, who is popularly called Bharat Kumar for his oeuvre consisting of patriotism-laced films, says he feels “happy, satisfied and proud” all at the same time. “I was resting last afternoon when Madhur Bhandarkar and Ashok Pandit called me up to convey the news. I want to thank the government which deemed me worthy of this award. I am elated. Cinema has never been a profession for me; it has always been my passion. I chose the path of acting, so that I could arouse patriotic spirit among Indians,” says Kumar. He quickly adds, “I might be a 78-year-old suffering from health issues but I am a soldier and a fighter. The government is organising a programme to felicitate my work, and I will personally collect the award in New Delhi.”

The award includes a golden lotus, cash worth Rs 10 lakh and a congratulatory letter. He is a recipient of the National Film Award for Upkaar (1967), and was conferred the Padma Shri in 1992. Kumar’s last big screen appearance was in Maidan-E-Jung (1995).

Given that he has starred in and helmed several films with patriotic themes, what does he feel about the “anti-national” debate? “The youth today is aware and loves the country. As far as student politics is concerned, colleges, universities and other institutions are for students to study and they should just concentrate on that,” he says.