Action director Mohan Baggad shares a fascinating anecdote about Manoj Kumar from sets of 'Kranti'

Baggad fondly recalled a light-hearted moment from the sets of the film. Sharing one of his most cherished memories, he said the incident took place on the very first day of the shoot during a fight scene involving Parveen Babi and Hema Malini. Recalling his memorable moment with Manoj, Mohan Baggad told IANS, "I still remember the first day of the film Kranti. There was a fight scene between Parveen Babi and Hemaji. We were explaining the scene to them, and naturally, Manoj ji slipped into Punjabi while giving directions. It was such a fun and light-hearted moment. Since both actresses didn't understand anything, I had to explain the whole shot to them once again."

Veteran action director also spoke about Manoj Kumar's working style on the sets of the film Kranti. "Manoj had his own distinct style. Regardless of whether the language was Bengali, Punjabi, English, or something else, he always spoke in Punjabi. It was during the shoot of Kranti--I remember there was a scene where Parveen Babi and Hema Malini were supposed to have a sword fight."

"So, Manoj gave directions in Punjabi: You'll come from this side, she'll come from that side, then you'll lift the sword and attack... The problem was, neither of the actresses could understand what he was saying. I was standing next to him, so one of them turned to me and asked, "What is your director saying?" I translated and explained. I told Manoj sir, If you want to complete the film properly, you'll have to explain things in Hindi. But that was his charm. That was Manoj's style," Mohan Baggad added.

Legendary actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, fondly remembered as 'Bharat Kumar' for his iconic patriotic roles, passed away on April 4 at the age of 87 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.

He was laid to rest with full state honors in Mumbai on April 5.

Expressing his sorrow over the actor's passing, Mohan Baggad shared, "I gained a lot of knowledge from him--not just in action, but in other areas too. I also learned editing from Manoj. When I heard of his passing, I was deeply saddened. Yes, we shared a bond for over five decades. We worked together on films like Purab Aur Paschim, Shor, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, Kranti, Desh Premi, Clerk, and Deshbhakt--the list goes on. We used to joke around a lot and often spoke in Punjabi. There was always a sense of brotherhood among us."