His movies represented love towards nation: Meena Iyer, Taran Adarsh pay tributes to Manoj Kumar

Senior journalists Meena Iyer and Taran Adarsh also paid their last respects to Manoj Kumar.

Speaking to ANI, Taran Adarsh said, "It is really unfortunate... Our bond started after I interviewed him for Kranti movie... He was a legendary storyteller, editor, writer, director, producer, but most of all, a great and frank human... All the movies he made represented love towards the nation... He was spotless and nobody could raise a finger on him..."

Meena Iyer called his demise a "huge loss."

" His demise is a huge loss to the entire Indian film industry. With films like Shaheed, Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, and Roti, Kapada aur Makaan, he showcased different and excellent cinema to the world," she said.

Meena also recalled Manoj Kumar's close friendship with action directors Veeru Devgan and Sikandar Khanna.

" He shared a close relationship with Veeru Devgan and Sikandar Khanna. Both were action directors. Their friendship was so strong that they decided if they were blessed with a son, they would name him 'Vishal'," she shared.

Manoj Kumar died in Mumbai due to heart-related complications in the early hours of Friday. He was 87 years old.

Hours after his death, Manoj Kumar's son, Kunal Goswami, addressed the media and expressed his deep sorrow over his father's death.

Kunal said, "Namaskar Ji, I am Kunal Goswami. Unfortunately, my father, Manoj Kumar, passed away today at 3:30 am at Kokilaben Hospital. He had been feeling unwell for a long time, but he fought every hurdle with resilience and grace. He peacefully breathed his last by God's grace and Sai Baba's blessings. His cremation will take place tomorrow. Thank you to all of you. Sia Ram."

Born Harikrishan Goswami on July 24, 1937, in Abbottabad (now in Pakistan), Kumar became an iconic figure in Indian cinema, especially in the 1960s and 1970s.

The actor was affectionately known as "Bharat Kumar" for his iconic roles in patriotic films like Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, and Shaheed.

Apart from acting, Kumar also made significant contributions as a director and producer. His directorial debut Upkar (1967) won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film. Other successful films directed by him include Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) and Kranti (1981) all three were major successes.