As a 10-year-old, he witnessed the tearing apart of India. But it didn't leave him bitter. In fact, the Partition fuelled patriotism in him. Consequently, when he became an actor, Manoj Kumar broke away from romantic soirees to brandish his brand of nationalism. Shaheed his homage to martyr Bhagat Singh, Upkar his crusade against brain-drain vis a vis the rural-urban scenario, Purab Aur Paschim his extolling of the East... are all narratives of idealism. Equally discerning is the disenchantment in Roti Kapda Aur Makaan, the song Mehengayi maar gayi leaving the then power centres embarrassed. Just as is the distress of the marginalized in Shor. Kranti, an ensemble extravaganza, is an ode to the freedom struggle. Kumar's commitment to the common man's issues of poverty, unemployment, inequality... along with colonial oppression remains unquestionable. The sobriquet 'Bharat' made him synonymous with the land he represented and romanticised. Technically, the filmmaker's signature style was the 'Manoj Kumar shot,' where the camera zoomed in and out from the actor's faces. While Kumar's mirror shots were 'reflections' of fantasy, his brooding silences and his face covered with his hand... became part of his idiomatic expression. And even as the music and message of his films deify his image of a flag-waver, Madan Mohan's elegiac Lag jaa gale filmed on Sadhana and him (Woh Kaun Thi?) has entrenched Kumar in the cinematic consciousness forever. Here, son and actor Kunal Goswami shares insights about his legendary father, who passed away on 4 April this year... Read on... PAIN OF PARTITION Dad's original name was Harikrishan Giri Goswami. He was born in 1937 in Abbottabad, now in Pakistan. The family migrated to Delhi post-Partition. Many of his family members were killed during the Partition. His father's younger brother was killed in the train while they were coming to India. As a child he witnessed the trauma. They were all put up at a refugee camp in Kingsway Camp, Old Delhi. But it only intensified his feelings of patriotism. When the visas to visit Pakistan to watch the cricket matches reopened in the '70s, Dad jumped on the occasion. Dad, Mom (Shashi Goswami) and I travelled to Pakistan. Dad only travelled by train as he'd developed a fear of air travel. We took the train to Delhi and then from Delhi to Amritsar. From there we drove to Lahore through the Attari-Wagah border. He wanted to visit the place he was born. He remembered his house was near a dargah. He said we'd have to walk up to it as the lane was narrow and the car wouldn't be able to get in. Dad remembered it all minutely. CINEMA CALLING Dad considered the medium of cinema as a great tool of expression. Initially, he came here as a writer. He took up a monthly job at Ranjit Studio. There he would ghost write along with a panel of writers. He used to write the script and dialogue in Urdu. He was paid Rs 10-Rs 11 per scene. He got acquainted with the industry people. Dilip Kumar saab was his inspiration. When he got a chance to act, he took on the name 'Manoj' it being Dilip saab's name in Shabnam (1949). Producer Lekhraj Bhakri, a relative, gave Dad his first break as a junior artiste in Fashion (1957). Sahara, Chand, Honeymoon, Kaanch Ki Gudiya (1958-1961)... followed. His breakthrough came with Vijay Bhatt's Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962) opposite Mala Sinhaji. This was followed by Dr. Vidya, Grahasti and Phoolon Ki Sej (1962-1964). Dad shared a great rapport with director Raj Khoslaji. The song Lag jaa gale from the mystery thriller Woh Kaun Thi? (1964) receives so much love till date. Surprisingly, it was initially rejected by Rajji. It took Dad three days to convince him to include it. Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim too remains timeless. As Dad had a flair for writing, directors often made him rewrite the scenes. Then they'd even ask him to shoot the scenes. That way he ghost-directed bits of films including Woh Kaun Thi?, Gumnaam, Aadmi, Pehchan, Be-Imaan, Sanyasi, Dus Numbri... between the '60s - '80s. PATRIOT UNVEILED Shaheed (directed by S.
Ram Sharma in 1965) based on the life of freedom martyr Bhagat Singh resonated Dad's patriotism. He contributed to the writing and even ghost-directed it. He invited the late Prime Minister, Lal Bahdur Shastriji for the premiere. Shastriji said he had only half an hour to spare. But he sat through the whole film. Dad visited Bhagat Singh's village and had brought along his mother (late Vidyavati) for the premiere. Turing emotional on watching the film she said, "Tu toh mera Bhagat hai." The same year Himalay Ki God Mein opposite Mala Sinhaji, the thriller Gumnaam with Nandaji and Do Badan (1966) with Asha Parekhji consolidated his stardom. After the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, Lal Bahadur Shastriji asked Dad to make a film on the slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kissan'. That's how his directorial debut Upkar (1967) came about. Upkaar was a game-changer. It changed Pran saab's image from a villain to a sympathetic character. The song K