New Delhi [India], April 7: Veteran singer Nitin Mukesh paid an emotional tribute to late actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar during a music program on Sunday, remembering him not just as an artist but as a divine figure in his life.
Addressing the audience during the event, Mukesh paused his performance to share his grief over the passing of the legendary actor, who breathed his last on April 4 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.
“Just as the mind is happy, so there is this sadness. You all know why,” he said. “If there wasn’t the program of Sangeet Kala Mandir, I would have been in Bombay. The person we lost yesterday — should I remember him in the beginning, in the middle, or the end of the program?”
Reflecting on their deep bond, Nitin Mukesh revealed that he never called Manoj Kumar by name.
“His contribution in my life and even in the life of my father was so much that we will be forever grateful to him. I never used to call him Manoj Kumar. I always said, ‘How is my God?’ For me, he was Bhagwan Rupi.”
The audience observed a moment of silence as Mukesh urged everyone to honour Kumar’s legacy:
“He may not be a physical being anymore, but he will always remain in my heart, mind, and soul—and not just for me, but for the entire nation.”
In an earlier interview with ANI, Mukesh recounted how Manoj Kumar had played a pivotal role in launching his singing career, keeping a promise he had once made to Mukesh’s mother.
“When I had just started, it was Manoj Kumar sahab who called my mother and said, ‘Bhabhi ji, I am indebted to Kripa Ram ji (his nickname for Mukesh ji), and I promise you that Nitin will sing in my films.’”
Nitin Mukesh’s most iconic song, “Zindagi Ki Na Tute Ladi” from Kranti, was under Kumar’s direction.
“It’s been 40 years, and that song remains my most loved track. Whatever I am today is because of Manoj ji’s love,” he said.
Manoj Kumar had also shared a special bond with Nitin’s father, legendary playback singer Mukesh, whose voice resonated in several of Kumar’s landmark films like Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, and Kranti.
The loss of Manoj Kumar marks the end of an era in Indian cinema. A visionary director and actor, he was a symbol of patriotism and cinematic brilliance, leaving behind a legacy that will be cherished for generations.