Manoj Kumar, veteran actor of Hindi cinema, passed away at 87 due to age-related issues. Apart from acting, he was also a film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor. In 1992, he was honoured the Padma Shri in 1992 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015. After his demise, Bollywood celebrities mourned his loss and paid tribute to him on social media.
Remembering Manoj Kumar, Akshay Kumar wrote on X, “I grew up learning from him that there’s no emotion like love and pride for our country. And if we actors won’t take the lead in showing this emotion, who will? Such a fine person, and one of the biggest assets of our fraternity. RIP Manoj Sir. Om Shanti.”
I grew up learning from him that there’s no emotion like love and pride for our country. And if we actors won’t take the lead in showing this emotion, who will? Such a fine person, and one of the biggest assets of our fraternity. RIP Manoj Sir. Om Shanti 🙏 pic.twitter.com/sr8U4Wkqgq
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) April 4, 2025
According to Pinkvilla, Aamir Khan said in a statement, “Manoj Kumar was not just an actor, and film-maker, he was an institution. I have learnt so much watching his films. His films were often based on important social themes which brought him really close to the common man. My heartfelt condolences to his family.”
Ajay Devgn also penned a heartfelt note as he remembered Manoj Kumar. He wrote on Instagram, “Manoj Kumar ji was not just a cinematic icon – he was a personal milestone in my family’s journey. He gave my father, Veeru Devgan, his very first break as an action director in Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. From there, their collaboration continued all the way to Kranti, creating moments that are now part of Indian cinema’s golden history. Manoj ji’s films – Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, Shor, Kranti, they weren’t just films…they were national emotions. His creative genius, unwavering patriotism, and storytelling depth set a benchmark that very few have matched. As Indian cinema bids farewell to its Bharat Kumar – a storyteller, a patriot, and a legend. I also wish to say thank you for shaping my father’s journey and for inspiring countless storytellers like me. Your legacy, Manoj ji, is eternal. Om Shanti.- Ajay Devgn.”
Filmmaker-producer Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri wrote on X, “India’s first truly original and committed Indic filmmaker, Dadasaheb Phalke awardee Shri Manoj Kumar ji, left us today. A proud nationalist. A staunch Hindu at heart. A visionary director who gave Indian cinema a new grammar — of song picturisation, of meaningful lyrics, of cinema that didn’t just entertain but remembered to belong. He made patriotism cinematic, without noise. He made nationalism poetic, without apology. In a time of borrowed voices and secondhand aesthetics, he dared to be rooted. Patriots and artists like him never die. They simply transcend — into memory, into celluloid, into the nation’s heartbeat.अन्य कलाकार मृत्यु को प्राप्त होते हैं, पर देशभक्त कलाकार कालजयी होते हैं।”
India’s first truly original and committed Indic filmmaker, Dadasaheb Phalke awardee Shri Manoj Kumar ji, left us today.
— Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) April 4, 2025
A proud nationalist.
A staunch Hindu at heart.
A visionary director who gave Indian cinema a new grammar — of song picturisation, of meaningful lyrics, of… pic.twitter.com/Te8PNBbIv5
While speaking to ANI after Manoj Kumar’s death, filmmaker Ashok Pandit said, “It’s a very sad day for the film industry that we have lost a doyen of the Indian film industry. Early the morning at 3:30 a.m., he passed away. He had been not well for quite some time. He was bedridden. But his spirits were quite high. We used to meet him often at his house… He used to talk about the cinema and music, and it’s a great loss to the industry… He was a nationalistic filmmaker who knew what India was…”
#WATCH | Mumbai | On the demise of Indian actor and film director Manoj Kumar, Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit says, "It's a very sad day for the film industry that we have lost a doyen of the Indian film industry. Early the morning at 3:30 a.m., he passed away. He had been not well for… pic.twitter.com/7d0cOPpIp2
— ANI (@ANI) April 4, 2025
Manoj Kumar was best known for his roles in Upkar, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Purab Aur Pachhim, Woh Kaun Thi?, Gumnaam, Kranti, Mera Naam Joker, Patthar Ke Sanam, Shor and many more.
