Shaheed is a patriotic film directed by S Ram Sharma. Apart from Manoj, it also stars Kamini Kaushal, Pran, Iftekhar, Nirupa Roy, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri and Anwar Hussain. It is based on the life of Bhagat Singh.
Actor Manoj Kumar played many iconic roles throughout his illustrious career. The inherent patriotism that his characters possessed earned him the nickname ‘Bharat Kumar’. The film Shaheed is one of the best examples of Manoj Kumar’s passion for his country; he played the role of the great freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in the film, and received a National Award for his work. But, in a philanthropic move, he donated his entire prize money to Bhagat Singh’s family.
One of my last enduring memories of actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar is of him wearing an orange Shirdi Sai Baba bandana, wheelchair-bound but in great cheer, receiving the Dadasaheb Phalke award for 2015 from then President Pranab Mukherjee.
A rare public appearance for someone who had nearly retreated into anonymity though his brand of patriotic cinema has seen a major rejuvenation in the last decade.
