How Manoj Kumar came to be known as Bharat Kumar
What's the story
Veteran actor-director Manoj Kumar, the heart and soul of iconic Indian patriotic movies, passed away at 87 on Friday.
"Bharat Kumar," as he was lovingly called, delivered memorable performances in films like Shaheed and Upkar.
But how did he receive this tag?
In an old interview with Lehren Retro, Kumar explained that the title came from his character's name in the 1967 film Upkar. Viewers loved his role as Bharat so much that he became known as Bharat Kumar.
Title origin
'Was a simple boy, but you all made me 'Bharat'
In the interview, Kumar explained, "..Toh maine socha ke Bharat desh toh gaon mein basta hai, kisano ka desh hai toh uss character ka name main Bharat rakh dun (..So, I thought, since India is an agricultural country, I'll name the character Bharat)."
"Main toh seedha saadha ladka tha, aap logun ne Bharat bana diya (I was just a simple boy, but you all made me 'Bharat')."
On-screen persona
Kumar's dedication to maintaining his 'Bharat' image
Kumar further revealed that after he was bestowed with the title, he avoided intimate scenes with heroines in his films.
He thought if one talks about ideals, they shouldn't be "singing songs with an arm around a girl or getting into the water."
"Koi mujhe serious nahi lega (No one will take me seriously)." This was part of his dedication to live up to the title.
Kumar was named Bharat in several of his future films.
Information
Here's the story of 'Upkar'
The 1967 film glorified agriculture as India's backbone. While Kumar's Bharat toils in the countryside to farm and collect money for his younger brother's education, the said brother (played by Prem Chopra) goes to the city and embraces Western culture. Released two years after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, it worked wonders to instill national pride in viewers. Kumar's directorial debut, Upkar, is also known for the evergreen song, Mere desh ki dharti sona ugle.
Career highlights
Kumar's legacy in Indian cinema
Kumar's career was defined by a string of successful films that struck a chord with the patriotic sentiments of the Indian public.
Apart from Shaheed and Upkar, he made his mark in the industry with iconic titles such as Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, Kranti, Santosh, Shor, and Clerk.
The legendary actor also contributed as a writer, director, and producer in many of his movies.
May he rest in peace.