When Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s mother said on seeing Manoj Kumar – he looks like my son

When it comes to films full of patriotism, only one name comes to complement it and that is the legend artist-producer-director Manoj Kumar, known as Bharat Kumar. He gave many classic films like ‘Shaheed’, ‘Upkar’, ‘Purab Aur Paschim’, ‘Roti Kapda Aur Makaan’ and ‘Kranti’, steeped in patriotism, to Indian cinema in the hundred years of Indian cinema and till the 75th anniversary of independence. . Manoj Kumar is an artist who has been scorched in the fire of partition before independence and has been a witness to the changing era of color cinema from independence and black and white cinema. On the 75th anniversary of independence, he relives the changing times of cinema with his memoirs.

India is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its independence. What would you like to say about the wave of patriotism that swept across the country?
I would like to say this in the context of films. I think the wave of patriotism is a very good thing, but it should not be imposed. If you make a patriotic film, make it and if you want to put your own idea or point of view in it, of course, keep it, but it is going to affect everyone from Mumbai to Mexico. Not that the media person gave four stars in the theater of Andheri. Having the name Bharat does not make you an advocate of freedom, it should be in your veins. Look, I am not under-estimating anyone. This is my own feeling.
Manoj Kumar was returning from the temple, told how the superhit song of ‘Upkar’ became ‘Mere Desh Ki Dharti’
What are your memories related to Independence Day, which you remember even in the spring of 84 years?
When 15th August comes, my mind is filled with an unknown joy, but at the same time the dark snakes of the tragedy of division in my heart and mind start to bite me. I must have been ten years old when I saw a river of blood in Lahore. We were homeless. 60 people of our family were murdered. Everything we had was ruined. The sting of partition is such, which has bitten both the sides. We had come to Delhi trembling, buried under the dead bodies. For four whole years we lived in Refugee Camp in Delhi. I did my studies in Delhi itself. I did my graduation from Hindu College there. Today the atmosphere has changed a lot. Today, those serving in the army have to give proof of their being Indian. it really hurts. How can we doubt the soldiers? I think the country needs a strong opposition today. If the opposition will work well, then the government will also have to do a good job. On this occasion, I would like to say those lines from my film ‘Shaheed’, ‘Jab martyrs ki arthi uthe dhoom se, countrymen, you do not shed tears, but celebrate when the day of independent India is not forgotten. How ironic that instead of remembering Ashfaqullah, Khudiram Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Mangal Pandey, Subhash Chandra Bose on the 75th anniversary of independence, we fight in Parliament.
Manoj Kumar became Harikishan Goswami because of Dilip Kumar, the actor himself revealed
Was it the tragedy of Partition that later in your career inspired you to make films based on patriotism and issues of the country?
I have paid the price of freedom. I have lived freedom. I remember when we were in school before partition, we used to take part in the procession of children and shouted slogans loudly, ‘Awaz from Red Fort, Sehgal Dhillon, Shahnawaz’ Name of ‘Red Fort Trial’ in Hindustani History The slogan raised during this historic trial of the famous Azad Hind Fauj from Red Fort Se Awaaz-Sahgal, Dhillon, Shahnawaz had united millions of youth fighting for the freedom of the country at that time. During this trial, when lawyer Bhulabhai Desai argued in the Red Fort, thousands of youths would be shouting slogans on the streets. When a tide of patriotism rose in the whole country, I have also seen that passion to get freedom in my childhood. After Partition, even in the Refugee Camp of Delhi, my father continued to work for the country and issues. That was my ideal. Everything was robbed of my father, but he never left his national character. I can proudly say that patriotism is in my veins and that is why I was able to make that kind of cinema.

When you came to Mumbai in the year 56, how was this Maya city?
My Fufizat brother Lekhraj Bhakri was the director. He said looking at me, you are a hero. Those were my days of struggle. I used to do writing work in Ranjit Studio. At that time I used to get Rs 11 for a scene. In a week, I would get to write 5-6 scenes and I used to make a jugaad of 60-70 rupees. In those days, Dharmendra and director Sohanlal Kanwar used to make fun of malai, cigarettes and Mosambi juice. To go from Dadar to Shivaji Park, it used to cost two and a half rupees for a taxi. One day I came to know that director Ramesh Sehgal is roaming around. She got the dates of actor Ashok Kumar, but she did not like the scene. When I offered to write, he laughed at first, but later he was compelled to ask me to write. Ashok Kumar liked that scene written by me so much that he gave me 11 rupees as an omen. I touched his feet and I became very famous then. My cousin brother Lekhraj Bhakri, who told me that I was a hero material, gave me the role of an eighty-year-old beggar in his 1957 film ‘Fashion’. (Laughs) In the year 60, I got a chance as a hero in ‘Kanch Ki Gudiya’ and got a salary of two and a half thousand rupees. Then 7 thousand ‘Piya Milan Ki Aas’, 11 thousand ‘silk handkerchief’ and the same fee was received for ‘Hariyali Aur Rasta’. Now I have heard that actors take crores of rupees for a film.

From ‘Shaheed’ to ‘Kranti’, you made many films related to patriotism, any special memory?
When I was making ‘Shaheed’, during that time I went to meet Bhagat Singh’s family. I came to know that his mother Vidyavati ji is admitted in the hospital. Bhagat Singh’s brother Kultar Singh told me that she was not taking medicine. I met her, I touched her feet, when the doctor said that I looked like her son Bhagat Singh, seeing me she said, ‘Yes, it seems,’ she took the medicine from my hand. I was very emotional at that time. Shaheed had received 3 National Awards and I took Vidyavati ji with me to the award ceremony. There Prime Minister Indira Gandhi touched his feet in respect. Everyone gave standing ovation to Shaheed and Vidyavati ji. It must have been a proud moment for the mother of a martyr according to me. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, I also met Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri ji and inspired by his slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’, I made ‘Upkar’.

Which films based on issues of country and patriotism appealed to you?
‘A Wednesday’ impressed me the most. People consider ‘Lagaan’ to be a patriotic film, but I think that film was on cricket. Rakesh Mehra raised many issues in ‘Rang De Basanti’, but that too was inspired by Aadhi Meri ‘Shaheed’. The issue of cartridges was also raised in ‘Mangal Pandey’.