- By Aarushi Raina
- Sun, 06 Apr 2025 10:41 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Manoj Kumar Prayer Meet: The demise of legendary actor Manoj Kumar has left a void in the film industry. He passed away at the age of 87 on April 4 after a prolonged illness at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. After his last rites, his family held a prayer meet in the actor's memory in Mumbai on Sunday evening. Several celebrities arrived to pay their last respects, among them was Aamir Khan. The actor expressed his grief and regret for not meeting him. He also called him 'true son of the soil'.
Celebs At Manoj Kumar Prayer Meet
The prayer meet took place in Juhu, Mumbai, where Manoj Kumar's friends, family, and industry members gathered to pay their respects and remember the late actor's life and memorable journey. The celebrities who attended the prayer meet included Prem Chopra, Rakesh Roshan, Jaya Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Esha Deol, Anu Malik, Aruna Irani, and others.
After paying tribute, Aamir Khan interacted with the media and called Manoj Kumar an institution. He was heard saying, "Manoj Ji was not just an actor or filmmaker, but he was an institution. And he was such a wonderful filmmaker that I learned a lot by watching his films."
He further revealed that he is sad about not meeting him. The actor added, "I feel great sadness and regret that I wanted to meet him so much. I knew his health wasn’t well. I had even spoken to his son Kunal, but I couldn’t meet him, and that will always make me sad."
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Aamir Khan shared that he is a big fan of Manoj Kumar's work, expressed that he always will be. Calling him "one of the greatest filmmakers of India," Aamir mentioned how late actor gave a lot of love and respect to the country. He referred to him as a true son of the soil. He also stated that he never got the opportunity to work with the veteran actor.
Manoj Kumar was cremated with state honour and was accorded a 21-gun salute at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Mumbai on Saturday. His last rites were attended by Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Salim Khan, and many other prominent Bollywood figures.
Manoj Kumar became an icon in Indian cinema, especially in the 1960s and 1970s ra, with his iconic roles in patriotic films such as Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, and Shaheed. Also known as Bharat Kumar, he not only donned the hat of an actor but also contributed as a director and producer in the Hindi film industry. His first directorial venture, Upkar (1967), bagged the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film.