Bollywood's Bharat Kumar, the esteemed actor Manoj Kumar, passed away on Friday morning at the age of 87. Throughout his illustrious career, he dominated the genre of patriotic films in Hindi cinema, pushing the boundaries of what films could achieve. While he is fondly remembered for timeless classics such as Poorab Aur Paschim and Upkar from the 1960s, his most significant success came later, transforming the landscape of Hindi cinema beyond the confines of theaters.

When Manoj Kumar rewrote box office records

Manoj Kumar began his cinematic journey as an actor at the young age of 20 in 1957, but it took time for him to achieve success as a leading man. His first notable success came with Hariyali Aur Rasta in 1962, but it was the 1965 blockbuster Shaheed that catapulted him to stardom, inspiring him to pursue more patriotic roles. He made his directorial debut with Upkar in 1967, followed by Purab Aur Paschim in 1970 and Roti Kapada Aur Makaan in 1974. While all these films were significant successes, his greatest achievement was yet to come. In 1981, Manoj directed his most ambitious project, Kranti.

This period action film featured an ensemble cast, including Manoj Kumar, Hema Malini, Shashi Kapoor, Parveen Babi, and Shatrughan Sinha. Notably, it also marked the return of Dilip Kumar to the silver screen after a five-year absence, during which he had not had a hit for nearly a decade. Kranti was a phenomenal success, emerging as the top film of both the year and the decade. It grossed ₹20 crore globally, surpassing records set by iconic films like Sholay and Mother India in the northern regions. In the Delhi-UP territory, the largest film market in India, Kranti earned ₹3 crore, a record that remained unbroken for 13 years.

How Kranti helped Dilip Kumar

During the 1950s and 1960s, Dilip Kumar dominated the Bollywood box office, earning the title of superstar. However, following the lackluster performance of Aadmi and Sunghursh in 1968, his career began to decline. Throughout the 1970s, he appeared in several box office failures, including Dastaan (1972), Sagina (1974), and Bairaag (1976), with Gopi (1970) being his sole success during that decade. After the disappointment of Bairaag, Dilip Kumar entered a semi-retirement from acting, only to be persuaded to return by Manoj Kumar for the film Kranti. The success of this film revitalized his career, allowing him to embark on a remarkable second phase, during which he delivered major hits such as Shakti, Vidhaata (both 1982), Mashaal (1984), Karma (1986), and Saudagar (1991). In the 1980s, despite being in his 60s, Dilip Kumar outperformed even Amitabh Bachchan in terms of box office success.

How Kranti changed Bollywood's merch game

Kranti became a cultural phenomenon during its time. The film's popularity was so immense that in regions like Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, shops began selling Kranti-themed merchandise, including T-shirts, jackets, vests, and even underwear. While Sholay had initiated the trend of selling clothing associated with films, the concept of merchandise branded with a film's name was novel in India. Notably, none of these items were officially sanctioned by the film's production team. The significant sales of these products prompted many in Bollywood to consider film merchandising, which eventually became more structured in the 1990s.

Manoj Kumar's career after Kranti

Ironically, while Kranti rejuvenated Dilip Kumar's career, it marked the end of Manoj Kumar's successful run. At the age of 44, he did not achieve another hit thereafter. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he starred in a series of unsuccessful films, including Kalyug Aur Ramayan, Santosh, Clerk, and Deshwasi. Following the failure of his 1995 film Maidaan-e-Jung, Manoj Kumar retired from acting at 58. He later directed his son Kunal in Jai Hind, which was

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