Along with social films like Himalay Ki God Mein, Manoj Kumar excelled as a thriller hero and the first of his mystery movies was Woh Kaun Thi directed by RK Nayyar followed by Gumnam and Nayyar’s Anita with Sadhna. In 1965 Manoj Kumar featured in his first patriotic film, Shaheed-E- Bhagat that changed the course of his life and career. It is said that late Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri requested Manoj Kumar to make a film on the slogan of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan and Kumar consented even though he had no experience of either writing or direction.
He was advised to escape to Mahabaleshwar and write the script as was the trend those days but Manoj Kumar booked himself on a Rajdhani train and wrote the first half of Upkaar Bombay to Delhi and the second half from Delhi to Bombay. Upkaar was a super success but the man, Lal Bahadur Shastri for whom Manoj Kumar made the film, never saw it because Shastriji died on his Tashkent trip in 1966. Manoj Kumar deeply regretted not showcasing Upkaar for Shastriji. His other regret was the failure of Raj Kapoor’s Mera Naam Joker.
To be continued