Shah Rukh Khan mourns Manoj Kumar’s death, says ‘he made films that uplifted our country’, years after being accused of ‘disrespecting Bharat Kumar’ | Bollywood News

Veteran actor Manoj Kumar died at 87. His death on Friday, was mourned the film industry. Several famous personalities took to their respective social media handles to express grief over the actor’s demise. Among many celebs, actor Shah Rukh Khan, who once faced a legal action from the veteran star, also shared his condolences.
Taking to his official X handle, Shah Rukh Khan wrote, “Manoj Kumar ji made films that uplifted our country, our cinema, and focused on unity with unmatched sincerity. A legend in every sense. His films shaped an era and left a mark on our cinema. Thank you, sir. You will always be ‘Bharat’ to us.”

Manoj Kumar ji made films that uplifted our country, our cinema, and focused on unity with unmatched sincerity. A legend in every sense. His films shaped an era and left a mark on our cinema. Thank you, sir. You will always be ‘Bharat’ to us.
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) April 4, 2025
Back in 2007, when Farah Khan released her film, Om Shanti Om starring Shah Rukh Khan and debutant Deepika Padukone, the veteran star took offence to how he was depicted in the film. He disapproved of the scene where Shah Rukh Khan’s character Om Prakash Makhija enters a movie premiere stealing the veteran actor’s pass. The scene also shows that the police fails to recognise him due to his signature hand on his face gesture.
This comic scene didn’t sit down well with the veteran actor, who expressed his disappointment. Manoj Kumar’s lawyer, in a statement said, “Manoj Kumar has been offended a certain sequence in the film, and he asked me whether any legal action was possible. However, I myself haven’t seen the film. So, I would be able to advise him only after seeing it.”
Story continues below this ad

ALSO READ | Throwback to when Alia Bhatt took her first international trip, cried when hotel didn’t let her pet in
Reportedly, after the actor’s disappointment, Shah Rukh Khan and Farah Khan agreed to remove the scene from the film. Speaking to the media, Shah Rukh Khan shared, “I was completely wrong… if he is hurt, I apologise. I called him in the afternoon and the first thing he said to me was ‘it is no big deal, son.’”
While it seemed like everything was settled between the two stars, things resurfaced again in 2013 when the film released in Japan in its original version, with Manoj Kumar’s scene intact. This time, the veteran star took a legal action and filed a lawsuit against Shah Rukh Khan and Eros International. The actor sought damages of Rs 100 crore for “repeating their make.”
Speaking to media, Manoj Kumar said, “The film was released in Japan without deleting those scenes, I had forgiven them twice, but not this time. They have disrespected me.” However, after a long battle, Manoj Kumar withdrew his case as he believed that the legal procedures failed to change anything in SRK and Farah Khan.