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Manoj Kumar, Indian cinema’s beloved Bharat Kumar, is no longer with us. The legendary actor passed away on April 4, 2025, at the age of 87. He was admitted to Mumbai’s Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, where he succumbed to chronic heart-related complications.
Though he may be gone, his rich cinematic legacy lives on - especially through the patriotic films he both starred in and directed, which continue to hold a special place in the annals of Hindi cinema. RIP Manoj Kumar: From ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’ to ‘O Mera Rang De Basanti Chola’ – 5 Iconic Patriotic Tracks of Bollywood’s ‘Bharat Kumar’! Akshay Kumar was among the first Bollywood celebrities to mourn his passing on social media. He wrote, "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.
" But did you know Akshay Kumar shares a unique connection with Manoj Kumar? He is the only leading actor from today’s generation to have shared the screen with the legend - Maidan-e-Jung ( 1995) marks Manoj Kumar’s final onscreen appearance. 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 After acting in classics such as Woh Kaun Thi?, Shaheed, Gumnaam, Purab Aur Paschim, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Kranti, Mera Naam Joker, Upkar, Yaadgaar, and more - many of which he also directed - Manoj Kumar gradually reduced his screen presence by the 1980s. Unfortunately, the quality of his later directorials declined, with Clerk often cited as one of his weakest efforts. In the 1990s, he appeared in just two films: Deshwasi (1991) and Maidan-e-Jung (1995), the latter marking his swan song as an actor.
Manoj Kumar Dies at 87: Veteran Actor’s Son Kunal Goswami Shares Details About His Father’s Peaceful Passing Amid the Pain (Watch Video) . Maidan-e-Jung , directed by KC Bokadia, was an action-drama featuring a star-studded cast including Dharmendra, Akshay Kumar, Jaya Prada, Karisma Kapoor, Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Mukesh Khanna, Gulshan Grover, and Amrish Puri. While Dharmendra and Akshay played the main leads, Manoj Kumar played Master Dinanath - a conscientious, patriotic village teacher who encourages the villagers to stand up against oppression, sacrificing his own safety, and ultimately, his life.
Fittingly, the film even gives him a scene where he holds the national tricolour alongside Akshay Kumar, who later in his career, did his fair share of patriotic movies. In one of his last interviews, given to journalist Subhash K Jha, Manoj Kumar spoke warmly of Akshay, who he was told was a big admirer. He said, “He has great respect for me.
In his film with Katrina Kaif, Namastey London , he said, ‘If you want to know what India is all about, take a look at a DVD of Purab Aur Paschim , and you'll know.’ In fact, Purab Aur Paschim is the mother of many subsequent films." Maidan-e-Jung didn’t fare well at the box office.
If you are planning to watch the movie, it’s available in full on Zee5 and for free on YouTube. Though he never returned to acting after Maidan-e-Jung , Manoj Kumar did direct one final film in 1999, Jai Hind , which unfortunately went largely unnoticed. In the same interview with Subhash K Jha, he reflected on why he stepped away from the limelight: “I am not a greedy film person, even as an actor.
While my contemporaries Dharmendra and Shashi Kapoor acted in nearly 300 films each, I’ve done hardly 35 films in my entire career.” May his soul rest in peace. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 04, 2025 12:14 PM IST.
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