Manoj Kumar

In the 1960s his successful films included romantic films like Honeymoon, Apna Banake Dekho, Naqli Nawab, Paththar Ke Sanam, Sajan and Sawan Ki Ghata and social films such as Shaadi, Grihasti, Apne Huwe Paraye, and Aadmi and thrillers such as Gumnaam, Anita, and Woh Kaun Thi and comedy film like Picnic.

Kumar's starred in the 1965 film Shaheed,[4] based on the life of Bhagat Singh, the Independence revolutionary. After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri asked him to create a film based on the popular slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kissan (hail the soldier, hail the farmer).[1]

The result was Kumar's directorial debut Upkaar (1967). In this award-winning film, he played both a soldier and a farmer. The film was also noted for the famous song "Mere Desh Ki Dharti", written by Gulshan Bawra, composed by Kalyanji-Anandji and sung by Mahendra Kapoor. Upkaar was declared a blockbuster and won him his first Filmfare Best Director Award.

He returned to patriotic themes in Purab Aur Paschim (1970), in which life in the East and West are juxtaposed. The film Pehchaan directed by Sohanlal Kanwar had Kumar opposite Babita and was successful.

In 1972, he starred in Be-Imaan (for which he won the Filmfare Best Actor Award) and later directed and starred in Shor (1972). The latter, opposite Nanda, was not a huge box office success on its release, but has gained cult status over the years. It featured the memorable song "Ek Pyar Ka Nagma Hai", a duet by Lata Mangeshkar and Mukesh, which was composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and written by Santosh Anand.

He consistently liked working with actors Prem Nath, Pran, Prem Chopra, Kamini Kaushal and Hema Malini in his career.

In the mid-1970s Kumar starred in three hit films; Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) which was a social commentary, featuring an all-star cast including Zeenat Aman, Shashi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan. He won his second Filmfare Award for Best Director for the film Roti Kapda Makan. Sanyasi (1975),a religious-themed comedy, had Kumar and Hema Malini in the lead roles and film was hugely successful. Dus Numbri (1976) also gave Kumar,Pran,Prem Nath and Hema top billing.

In 1981, Kumar reached the peak of his career when he got the opportunity to direct his idol, Dilip Kumar, as well as to star in Kranti, a story about the struggle for Indian independence in the 19th century. Kranti was the last notable successful Hindi film in his career. He also starred in the hit Punjabi film Jat Punjabi.

After Kranti in 1981, Kumar's career began to decline, when the films he did with him in lead role like Kalyug Aur Ramayan in 1987 and later Clerk in 1989 failed at the box office. In 1989, he cast Pakistani actors Mohammad Ali and Zeba in his film Clerk. He quit acting after his appearance in the 1995 film Maidan-E-Jung. He directed his son, Kunal Goswami, in the 1999 film Jai Hind which had a patriotic theme. The film was a flop and was the last film Kumar worked on.

He was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 for a career spanning over 40 years.

His trademark hand-covering-the-face was very popular and continues to be the butt of jokes of latter day stand-up comedians. In 2007, the Shah Rukh Khan film Om Shanti Om featured the lead character pretending to be Manoj Kumar so as to sneak into a movie premiere, by holding his hand over his face. Kumar filed a lawsuit, which was settled out of court.[5]

• 2020 WBR golden era of bollywood award.
• 1992 – Padma Shri by the Government of India[7]

• 1968 – National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film for Upkaar
• 2016 – Dadasaheb Phalke Award lifetime contribution to Indian cinema

• 2008 – National Kishore Kumar Award by the Government of Madhya Pradesh.[8]
• 2010 – National Raj Kapoor Award by the Government of Maharashtra.[9][10]

Winner

• 1968 – Filmfare Best Movie Award for Upkaar
• 1968 – Filmfare Best Director Award for Upkaar[11]
• 1968 – Filmfare Best Story Award for Upkaar
• 1968 – Filmfare Best Dialogue Award for Upkaar
• 1972 – Filmfare Best Actor Award for Beimaan
• 1972 - Filmfare Award for Best Editing for Shor
• 1975 – Filmfare Best Director Award for Roti Kapda Aur Makaan
• 1999 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

Nominated

• 1968 – Filmfare Best Actor Award for Upkaar
• 1969 – Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Aadmi
• 1973 – Filmfare Best Director Award for Shor
• 1975 – Filmfare Best Movie Award for Roti Kapda Aur Makaan
• 1975 – Filmfare Best Actor Award for Roti Kapda Aur Makaan
• 1976 – Filmfare Best Actor Award for Sanyasi

• 1968 – BFJA Awards: Best Dialogue for Upkaar.[12]
• 2001 – Kalakar Awards for Lifetime Achievement.
• 2007 – Sardar Patel Life Time Achievement International Award.[13]
• 2008 – Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award.
• 2009 – Phalke Ratna Award by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy.[14]
• 2010 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the 12th Mumbai Film Festival.[15]
• 2012 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Award.[16]
• 2012 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the Nashik International Film Festival.[17]
• 2012 – "Bharat Gaurav Award" in New Jersey, United States.[18]
• 2013 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the Jagran Film Festival.[19][20]
• 2019 - Lifetime Achievement Award from Power Brands at BFJA (Bollywood Film Journalist's Awards)[21]