Indian cinema bid a solemn farewell to one of its most revered legends, Manoj Kumar.
The veteran actor-director's funeral ceremony was carried out with full state honours in Mumbai on Saturday. Kumar’s mortal remains, draped in the Indian national flag, were carried from his residence in an ambulance adorned with tricolour-themed garlands, a moving tribute to the man hailed as “Bharat Kumar”.
A number of Bollywood celebrities turned up to pay their final respects to the Padma Shri awardee. Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, accompanied by son Abhishek Bachchan, veteran writer Salim Khan who worked with Kumar on his films also attended with his actor-director Arbaaz Khan. Actor Rajpal Yadav was also among the first from the film fraternity to arrive at the funeral, joining family members and close friends in mourning the loss of the cinematic great.
Inside visuals from his Mumbai residence captured emotional scenes as loved ones breaking down as they bid their final farewell before the cremation set to take place at the Pawan Hans Crematorium.
Manoj Kumar not only shaped the patriotic genre in Hindi cinema but also redefined storytelling with a sense of purpose and national pride. His directorial debut Upkar had won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film, and he continued to deliver commercially and critically acclaimed films throughout the 60s and 70s.
The actor was honoured with numerous awards over the course of his career, including the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2015 – India’s highest recognition in cinema.
