How Harikishan Giri Goswami became Manoj Kumar?

 

He was eleven years old when he saw his first film 'Shabnam'(1949) starring Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. This film and its hero Dilip Kumar created magic on the young Harikishan Giri Goswami that he decided to adopt the name of Dilip Kumar's character from the 1949 film as his screen name.

The story of the film was of the refugees of the 1942 Rangoon war, Shanti (Kamini Kaushal) and Dilip Kumar( Manoj)who fall in love while on the way to Bengal. He too was a refugee from Pakistan, the film made a long-lasting impact on the young Harikishan. In an interview, Manoj Kumar said "It is because of him that I became a fan of cinema. I fell in love with his character in the film whose name was Manoj. I must be 11-year-old then but I instantly decided that if and whenever I become an actor I will keep my name as Manoj Kumar," 

Manoj Kumar (born on 24 July 1937) his family had to migrate from Jandiala Sher Khan Pakistan to Delhi due to the Partition His family lived as refugees in Vijay Nagar, Kingsway Camp, and later moved to Old Rajendra Nagar area of New Delhi. His fascination for films brought him to Bombay. He took part in the first Filmfare Talent Hunt competition hed in Bombay. Dharmendra was also one of the contestants.

Manoj Kumar got his first role in the film 'Fashion' released in 1957, the hero was Pradeep Kumar. Manoj Kumar played the role of an 80-year-old beggar in the film. This was a very small role. After this he got another small role in the 1958 film 'Sahara' starring Meena Kumari.

Manoj Kumar got his first leading role in Kaanch Ki Gudia (1961) opposite Saida Khan.Its song 'Saath Ho Tum Aur Raat Jawan; was a hit but not the film.Before this another film 'Honeymoon'(1960) with the same lead was released first 

Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962) was the first hit film of Manoj Kumar, but subsequent films were flop In 1964 he got a major hit 'Woh Kaun Thi' After this film he never looked back. In 1965 his film Shaheed got him branded as a patriotic image. His 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 appeared with his idol Dilip Kumar in the 1967 film Aadmi, he was nominated  Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. Again in 1981 he directed him in the film 'Kranti'

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.

Here are some forgotten and rare songs of Manoj Kumar

Song of Honeymoon 1960

Song of Kaanch Ki Gudiya 1961

Song of Hariyali Aur Rasta 1962

Song of Dr Vidya 1962

Song of Shaadi 1962

Song of Apna Bana Ke Dekho 1963

Song of Ghar Basake Dekho  1963

Song of Apne Huye Paraye 1964

Song of Phoolon Ki Sej 1964

Song of Picnic1964

Manoj Kumar -He sold patriotism at the box office

He is known for acting in and directing films with patriotic themes, and has been given the nickname Bharat Kumar.
It was Manoj Kumar who stirred this nationalism in public consciousness. He sold patriotism at the box office in a poetic fashion.
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri after the 1965 war advised Manoj Kumar to make a film highlighting the ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogan. The idea of making Upkar initiated in that meeting with Shastri Ji. He produced and directed the film.
In it, 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 a hit and won Kumar his first Filmfare Best Director Award.
The success of the film encouraged him to make more films on this subject.
Manoj returned to patriotic themes in Purab Aur Paschim (1970), in which life in the East and West are juxtaposed.
He made Roti Kapda Aur Makan (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.
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. 
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 Aliand Zeba in his film Clerk. 
For him songs were always integral to the story and conveyed what dialogues could not. “Songs like ‘Kasme Vaade Pyaar Wafa’, ‘Ek Pyaar Ka Nagma Hai’ or ‘Jab Koi Tumhara Hriday Tod De’ add depth to the narrative and this was possible because he himself was involved in the process. Kalyanji-Anandji always acknowledged his contribution. 
He was born on 24 July 1937 in Abbottabad, a town in the North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan.His family had to migrate from Jandiala Sher Khan to Delhi due to the Partition.After graduating from Hindu College, University of Delhi, he decided to enter the film industry.He made his début in Fashion in 1957.
He is remembered for his versatile performances in films like Hariyali Aur Raasta, Woh Kaun Thi?, Himalaya Ki God Mein, Do Badan, Upkar, Patthar Ke Sanam, Neel Kamal, Purab Aur Paschim, Beimaan, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Dus Numbri, Sanyasi and Kranti. 

Song of Upkar 1967

Song of Upkar 1967

Song of Purab Aur Paschim 1970

Song of Roti Kapda Aur Makan 1974

Song of Kranti 1981

Mahendra Kapoor - The Most Popular Voice of Patriotism

Mahendra Kapoor's voice has always been associated with Manoj Kumar. His many songs filmed on Manoj Kumar, most of them are patriotic. He won a National Award in 1968 for the patriotic song Mere Desh Ki Dharti in the film Upkaar, the topmost playing song in All India Radio.
He was one of the golden era singers when Mohd Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh and Manna Dey was ruling the main platform of playback singers of the Bollywood. He remained as one of the most popular singer in the Bollywood who has given his voice to almost all of the popular heroes like Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Shashi Kapoor, Biswajeet, Raj Kumar, Dharmendra, Amitabh Bahchcan, Manoj Kumar, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha and many more. 
He was born in Amritsar, on 9th Jan 1934. He was a fan of Mohammad Rafi and created a style of his own moulded largely on Rafi, and won the Metro Murphy All-India singing competition, which led to his debut as a playback singer in V. Shantaram's Navrang in 1958, singing Aadha Hai Chandrama Raat Aadhi, under the musical direction of C. Ramchandra.
In a career spanning five decades, he sang more than 25,000 songs in various regional languages, including memorable hits like ‘Chalo ek baar chalo’ (Gumrah), ‘Neele gagan ke taale’ (Hamraaz), and in various language.
He got 3 filmfare awards and one National Award as best singer, he was also awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. 
He had three daughters and also one son. His son Rohan Kapoor is an actor and singer, who acted in a few films in the 1980s such as Yash Chopra's Faasle (1985) and Love 86(1986), and Prakash Mehra's Imandaar, and later did stage shows together with his father. He died on 27th September 2008,  following a cardiac failure at his home in Mumbai, aged 74. 

Song of Upkar 1966

Song of Purab Aur Paschim 1970

Song of  Navrang 1959

Song of Shaheed 1965

Song of Watan Ke Rakhwale

Song of Purab Aur Paschim 1970

Song of Rajput 1982

50 years of UPKAR-The birth of Mr Bharat

Upkar is a 1967 Indian Hindi film directed by Manoj Kumar.It was released on 1st Jan 1967.The film held the top spot at the box-office in 1967. Manoj Kumar started his Mr. Bharat persona and his brand of patriotism & fearless courage with this film.
It was the Late Prime Minister Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri ji who praised Manoj Kumar for his earlier film Shaheed and enthused Manoj Kumar to make a film on the Jai Jawaan Jai Kissan slogan.
The film story moves around a widow mother (Played by Kamini Kaushal) having 2 sons  Bharat (Manoj Kumar) and Puran (Prem Chopra). While she would like to educate her sons, and ensure that they lead good lives, she cannot do so on her own, and must sacrifice the career of one son so that the second can achieve this goal. For this purpose, Bharat willingly sacrifices his life, toils hard so that Puran can get a decent education, which he does, excels in his studies, and also goes abroad. But Puran on returning back didn't fulfilled the dreams of his mother and brother.He became cruel, self-serving man who now calls himself Kumar (also Prem Chopra), and whose one goal is to usurp and divide the family property, so that he can continue to live a comfortable life.

The story moves further with the 1965 Indo Pak War . Bharat is off to the war; while his selfish brother, with the help of his greedy uncle, Charandas(Madan Puri) and some partners, tries to gain profit by selling drugs and blackmarketering in the market. In the end, Bharat returns as a war hero defeating the demon designs of the enemy and his brother repents as he is caught by the police (by the brother-in-law of Bharat). Hence, he vows to be a good & hardworking brother just like his Indo-Pak war veteran brother Bharat.

The highlight of the film was Pran,who played  his first positive character role. Pran has performed the role of the handicapped, carefree and outspoken Malang Chacha so well that you can never forget him after watching this movie. The song - Kasme Vaade Pyar Wafa has been picturized on him only.For this role he was given many awards. The film also won several major awards.The music was given by Kalyanji Anandji which was super hit,The song Mere Desh Ki Dharti Sona Ugle is immortal,other songs like Kasme Vaade Pyaar Wafa and Deewanon Se Ye Mat Poocho were hit.
This film  still appeals and should not be missed by the people interested in watching golden oldies. It has a great repeat value and the first time watcher will definitely like to watch it again.
The movie was super hit of 1967,it earned 3.5 crores that time.