in Memoriam: Subhash K Jha reflects on the life and illustrious career of Manoj Kumar and mourns the man who passed away today at the age of 87.
Farewell, Bharat!
Once, Farah Khan, who lampooned Manoj Kumar in Om Shanti Om, thought she insulted me by calling me ‘The Manoj Kumar Of Journalism’.
It was actually the greatest compliment of my life. To be compared with the artiste who directed some of the greatest Hindi films like Upkar, Shor and Roti Kapada Aaur Makaan and whose collaboration with Laxmikant-Pyarelal yielded a harvest of melodies including ‘Ek pyar ka naghma hai’, ‘Zindagi Main na bhoolunga”, and ‘Hai hai yeh majboori…’ was incredible.
What can be said about Manoj Kumar to illustrate his pervasive impact on mainstream Hindi cinema?
My first encounter with Manoj Kumar could have been disastrous. Years ago, the outspoken Jaya Bachchan had done an interview with me in which she had said some not-so-nice things about Manoj Kumar… actually, they were highly slanderous. If those words were spoken now, Jaya, the publication and I would have been served legal notices.
When I spoke to the man after what I thought was a safe distance from the slanderous interview, the first thing he said was, “Arrey Jha—that’s what he called me–aren’t you that Bachchan wale journalist?”
I admitted to the allegation and braced myself for a backlash on journalistic ethics.
But, like his career, Manoj Kumar surprised me. “Jaya had a lot to say about me. I think she was upset because she didn’t have the author-backed role in my Shor.”
Breathing a sigh of relief I ventured that the allegation that in his films, the heroines were secondary to his character had some validity.
“Not true!” Manoj Kumar put me in my place. “Purab Aur Paschim was Saira Banu’s story. In fact, I told her I won’t make the film if she didn’t do the role. Shor was the child’s story. I gave equal respect to all my characters. Filmmaking is not about projecting yourself. If you see the film I’ve directed I never gave myself undue prominence. Upkar is remembered for Pran Saab’s character. Kranti gave me an opportunity to work with my idol Yusuf Saab (Dilip Kumar). People say I copy him. How can anyone copy him? It’s like copying Lata Mangeshkar. No one can copy such legends and get away with it.”
Manoj Kumar had a reputation of avoiding intimacy with his heroines. To this, he gave me a playful reply. “In Roti Kapada Aur Makaan, the girl (Zeenat Aman) is dancing in the rain and asking me to join her. How can I get wet when carrying my college degrees on the way to a job interview? I broke my no-intimacy rule only once, and that too for Raj Kapoor. I had a kiss with Simi Garewal in Mera Naam Joker. I couldn’t say no to Raj Saab.”
During our last conversation, Manoj Saab sounded frail but hopeful about the future of Hindi cinema. “Insha Allah, Ram Rajya will return.”
