Manoj Kumar says he is happy to see awakening among people
New Delhi:
Veteran actor Manoj Kumar, whoplayed powerful roles as the quintessential common man, saysthe Aam Aadmi government has to fulfill its promises as theyouth have a lot of expectation from them.
The 76-year-old actor says he is happy to see anawakening in people, especially the youth."The youth today are very aware and the public anger issimmering. I believe Arvind Kejriwal and his party is thefirst wave of Tsunami. For now, we don't know what is behindit, whether the current is strong. He has taken a step and nowhe has to fulfill the promises he made. Kejriwal is like a newshirt, he is yet to go through the wash," Kumar told PTI.Manoj Kumar says he has already portrayed the things that arehappening in politics today in his films Yaadgaar andUpkaar.
"I played the common man and his rise through politics inmy film Yaadgar years before Kejriwal came. He is 47 yearsbehind me. In the film, I played a man who revolts and unmasksblack marketers, bad doctors and even defeats the ex-king inelections. My character was a man working in a factory," Kumarsaid.
The actor, real name Harikrishna Giri Goswami, made hisdebut with Fashion in 1957 but found success with 1962 movieHariyali Aur Raasta. In a career spanning more than fourdecades, Kumar starred in and directed hits like Upkaar','Purab Aur Paschim', 'Shor', '10 Numberi and Kranti.Mr Kumar credits his stardom to people but the actor is notvery happy with the films that are being made today."The race here is which picture is selected for the Oscarthough no picture has won anything there. To make our cinemainternational, we first need to make national movies. I findthere is no emphasis on story or emotions now.
"We used to guarantee at least one week to our producerand distributor. Today, the stars are charging crores but theycan't guarantee even three days or the opening day housefuleven though some of them are brilliant actors.Manoj Kumar says he made films on brain-drain, poverty andfarmers' sufferings, topics that are still relevant."My films are not the films of rich men, they are thefilms of the common man. As a responsible citizen, if you seethe plight of your countrymen, it haunts you and then thebitterness comes to you. You wonder why this is happening.
"I made Purab Aur Paschim on brain drain. A song Iheard in my school became Roti, Kapda Aur Makan. Upkaarwas inspired by Shashtriji's (Lal Bahadur) slogan 'Jai Jawan,Jai Kisan'," Mr Kumar said.
The actor was born in Abbottabad (Pakistan) and came toDelhi after Partition before finally making it big in Mumbaifilm industry.
Walking down the memory lane, Mr Kumar recalled how beingdisplaced during the Partition and the subsequent poverty thathis family saw in Delhi shaped his experiences."I remember my days in a refugee camp, being displacedduring Partition and coming to Bombay. We saw riches in Lahoreand saw poverty in Kingsway camp. Slowly we came up. But Ihave no regrets as those days enriched me and gave a lot ofthings to my films," Mr Kumar said.
The actor likes to keep himself busy despite a troublingback. Kumar says he will soon make a movie even though hewould be forced to sit in a chair the entire time.
"I refuse to look back. My only worry now is my back, itis troubling me a lot but I am a restless man. I want to diewith my shoes on. I want to make a film even if I have to siton a chair the whole time," he says.
Manoj Kumar's last film was Maidan-E-Jung in 1995.
The 76-year-old actor says he is happy to see anawakening in people, especially the youth."The youth today are very aware and the public anger issimmering. I believe Arvind Kejriwal and his party is thefirst wave of Tsunami. For now, we don't know what is behindit, whether the current is strong. He has taken a step and nowhe has to fulfill the promises he made. Kejriwal is like a newshirt, he is yet to go through the wash," Kumar told PTI.Manoj Kumar says he has already portrayed the things that arehappening in politics today in his films Yaadgaar andUpkaar.
"I played the common man and his rise through politics inmy film Yaadgar years before Kejriwal came. He is 47 yearsbehind me. In the film, I played a man who revolts and unmasksblack marketers, bad doctors and even defeats the ex-king inelections. My character was a man working in a factory," Kumarsaid.
The actor, real name Harikrishna Giri Goswami, made hisdebut with Fashion in 1957 but found success with 1962 movieHariyali Aur Raasta. In a career spanning more than fourdecades, Kumar starred in and directed hits like Upkaar','Purab Aur Paschim', 'Shor', '10 Numberi and Kranti.Mr Kumar credits his stardom to people but the actor is notvery happy with the films that are being made today."The race here is which picture is selected for the Oscarthough no picture has won anything there. To make our cinemainternational, we first need to make national movies. I findthere is no emphasis on story or emotions now.
"We used to guarantee at least one week to our producerand distributor. Today, the stars are charging crores but theycan't guarantee even three days or the opening day housefuleven though some of them are brilliant actors.Manoj Kumar says he made films on brain-drain, poverty andfarmers' sufferings, topics that are still relevant."My films are not the films of rich men, they are thefilms of the common man. As a responsible citizen, if you seethe plight of your countrymen, it haunts you and then thebitterness comes to you. You wonder why this is happening.
"I made Purab Aur Paschim on brain drain. A song Iheard in my school became Roti, Kapda Aur Makan. Upkaarwas inspired by Shashtriji's (Lal Bahadur) slogan 'Jai Jawan,Jai Kisan'," Mr Kumar said.
The actor was born in Abbottabad (Pakistan) and came toDelhi after Partition before finally making it big in Mumbaifilm industry.
Walking down the memory lane, Mr Kumar recalled how beingdisplaced during the Partition and the subsequent poverty thathis family saw in Delhi shaped his experiences."I remember my days in a refugee camp, being displacedduring Partition and coming to Bombay. We saw riches in Lahoreand saw poverty in Kingsway camp. Slowly we came up. But Ihave no regrets as those days enriched me and gave a lot ofthings to my films," Mr Kumar said.
The actor likes to keep himself busy despite a troublingback. Kumar says he will soon make a movie even though hewould be forced to sit in a chair the entire time.
"I refuse to look back. My only worry now is my back, itis troubling me a lot but I am a restless man. I want to diewith my shoes on. I want to make a film even if I have to siton a chair the whole time," he says.
Manoj Kumar's last film was Maidan-E-Jung in 1995.
