Bollywood actor and director dies at 87

Veteran Bollywood actor and director Manoj Kumar has died at the age of 87 in India’s financial capital, Mumbai.

The actor died of “age-related health issues”, Dr Santosh Shetty of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, where the actor was admitted, said.

His son, Kunal Goswami, told ANI news agency that Kumar had been battling health issues for a long time.

Kumar leaves behind a rich legacy of patriotic films, which propelled him to fame in the 1960s and 1970s.

Kumar, who was originally named Harikrishan Goswami, was born in 1937 in the northern state of Punjab.

He carved a niche for himself in the Hindi film industry with films like Shaheed, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and Kranti. Known for their patriotic fervor, his films struck a chord with the Indian public.

Kumar received numerous awards over the years, including the Padma Shri – the fourth highest civilian award in India.

His contributions earned him the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest cinematic honour.

Tributes have been pouring in on social media to mourn his death.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him an “icon of Indian cinema”.

“Manoj Ji’s (a term of respect in Hindi) works ignited a spirit of national pride and will continue to inspire generations,” he wrote in a post on X.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said his death was “a great loss to the [film] industry” and that the entire industry would miss him.