Remembering Manoj Kumar, the Secular 'Patriotic Hero' Bollywood Needs Today

Years ago, I received a call from an unknown number. On picking my mobile, a male voice teasingly boomed, “Mahaan sahab, you are great.”  Though perplexed, I replied, “Sorry, but may I know who is speaking?” 

Continuing in his jocular vein, the person said, “But I know you well. That is why I say you are a great man.” 

A long time spent in broadcasting has given me the ability to recognise people through their voices. My sixth-sense suggested it was actor-writer-director pulling my leg but I was hesitant to utter the name as I had never met the cine star in my life.

Ultimately, I softly purred, “Sir, are you Mr Manoj Kumar?” With a resounding laugh, the speaker confirmed my assessment and how he had obtained my number from the office of The Hindu newspaper since he had been moved by my feature about his film Shaheed. 

A Bundle of Contradictions

I quote this incident only because it unravels the spontaneity of a celebrity whose gestures of appreciation were a rarity in the corridors of fame, riches, and power. By a strange coincidence, I had reached Mumbai just a few hours before that call, hence, I had no problem accepting his invitation to meet in person.

Next day, and on several occasions thereafter, I felt that conversing with Manoj Kumar was like reliving Indian film history. He was the owner of an ocean full of tales.

His storytelling skills had been praised by the great Raj Kapoor, ever since Manoj wrote the script of the first part of Mera Naam Joker. In fact, had confessed that had he “taken Manoj’s advice and removed the third part of Mera Naam Joker, the film would have become an immortal work”. 

Over the years, our interactions reaffirmed my belief that film schools can never produce rare creatives like him as they cannot ignite inspiration or sensitivity that are imparted by real-life experiences.

Gradually, I also learnt that this exemplary star was a bundle of contradictions. He could spend hours in lonely contemplation, yet he was afraid of living without his family. So strong was his bond with the joint family that Manoj demolished his huge bungalow in Mumbai and built several flats for all his relatives to live under one roof!

And even though his imagination traversed beyond the skies, he was petrified of air travel, so much so, that after the shooting of Purab Aur Paschim he never went abroad again.

Paradoxically, this notable actor-writer-director who helped change the image of many an established actor, actually refused a Hollywood offer because the designated film character was contrary to his moral values.

My introspections revealed the contradictions had evolved from his painful memories of the Partition and a deep commitment to human values. Manoj’s cinematic achievements are well documented, but few know that the carnage impacted his young mind so badly that his tear ducts dried up due to profuse crying.

If the horrific events led to a lifelong “aversion to violence”, the credit for turning Manoj Kumar into a secular humanist went to his kind-hearted father who made everyone “pray with equal devotion at Jama Masjid and Hanuman Mandir.”

His father’s practice of secularism and the writings of Munshi Premchand, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, (Urdu poet who coined the slogan Inquilab Zindabad) and, Rabindranath Tagore, helped him turn into a sensitive writer.  

From Partition Pain to Patriotic Pen

Dollops of patriotism and idealism became such a vital ingredient of his scripts, such as in Shaheed, Upkaar, Purab aur Paschim, and Roti Kapda aur Makaan, that they earned him the sobriquet of “Bharat Kumar” from the masses.

Although I am never enthused by such dramatic exclamations in real and reel life, I can vouch that Manoj Kumar was unlike any of the strident nationalists rampaging our streets today.

For all his shortcomings as an actor or director, he was averse to bigotry and this was apparent from the large number of friends, of all faiths and communities, who regularly visited his abode. To him, nationalism was an anthem for “being good and doing good” at all times.

That is why despite being a big and successful star, Manoj was always a devoted family man who never lost track of his duties towards his family and society. A handsome hunk who had worked with the best of the leading actresses of his time, Manoj Kumar was one of the few Bollywood heroes whose name was never flouted in a scandal, misdemeanour, or impropriety and. In what is considered almost a sacrilege as per the film fraternity, the actor married his girlfriend Shashi at the height of his stardom.

Although health issues cut short his sojourn as a director, Manoj kept abreast with the latest trends in filmmaking techniques as well as writings of foreign and Indian film writers.

Shaheed, Kranti, and Beyond the Lens

What galled Manoj the most was that most directors and artists of modern Hindi films lacked adequate knowledge of Hindi literature and could not speak the language fluently.

As there have been few films about the common citizens in recent times, Manoj was not wrong in asking, “How can they make good films when they have never seen a village, nor known the hard toil of a farmer?”

It was a valid question by someone whose writing skills were lauded by none other than thespian Ashok Kumar. While the ten-minute effort that enamoured 'Dada Muni' also fetched him the envious position of an eleven-rupee scene writer at Ranjit Studios, it was Raj Khosla who appointed him as a full-fledged scriptwriter for Woh Kaun Thi? after just one discussion of a scene.

Overwhelmed with Manoj’s elaboration, Khosla threw the original script into the fireplace, fuelling a passion that lay hidden in Manoj’s bosom. The film’s success inspired Manoj to write Shaheed in double-quick time and though he also directed the film, Manoj did not give his name in the credits due to various apprehensions. However, veteran actor Pran’s fulsome praise made sure that everyone became aware of his enormous talent.

After viewing Shaheed, then-Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri requested Manoj to create a film on the 'Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan' theme. This prompted the making of Upkaar wherein, going against all conventions, Manoj gave Pran a life-changing role “as a thanksgiving for his unconditional help of Rs 3 lakhs for Shaheed.

Breaking all records, Upkaar launched Manoj as a first-rate director; a homecoming of sorts for a man who treated film studios as places of pilgrimage due to "Dilip sahab’s discipline, dedication and pursuit of perfection." Since ’s prowess had been his inspiration to join the film industry, Manoj’s salvation came only when he acted with the legendary actor and also directed him in Kranti.

He may not have been an immensely versatile actor, yet Manoj will be long remembered for his roles in Do Badan, Gumnaam, Shor, Aadmi, Patthar Ke Sanam, Shaheed, and Upkaar.

In fact, with his fine acumen for screenwriting, he could have built enormously on his immense stature as a director. The propensity to keep the camera on himself in his films ultimately led to his doom.

If only he had the sagacity to confine himself to the megaphone behind the camera, Bollywood could have had a few more engrossing creations to savour.

But then, who is free from faults? At least Manoj Kumar was bold and valiant in whatever he did. He will be remembered for his courage to be different, against all odds.

(Deepak Mahaan is a documentary filmmaker and an eminent author. A specialist on Cinema and Sports, he has published numerous pieces in prestigious publications in India and abroad. He tweets at @mahaanmahan. This is an opinion piece and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for the same.)