Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, fondly known as ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his iconic patriotic roles, passed away at the age of 87.
He breathed his last at around 3:30 am today at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, where he had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments over the past few weeks, according to ANI.
Mourning his demise, filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said, “The legendary Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner, our inspiration, and the 'lion' of the Indian film industry, Manoj Kumar ji, is no more... It is a great loss, and the entire industry will deeply miss him.”
Manoj Kumar's immense contribution to Indian cinema earned him numerous accolades, including the National Film Award and the prestigious Padma Shri in 1992.