Manoj Kumar was born Harikrishna Giri Goswami; he once revealed the secret behind his stage name: ‘I watched Dilip Kumar’s film…’

In an old interview with Lehren, the veteran shared, “Maine ye film dekhi Shabnam, Filmistan ki bani hue thi. Toh usme Dilip Kumar Shahab ka naam Manoj tha. Manoj ek bada naya naam, ek unusual sa naam laga. Toh maine soocha ki main actor banuga toh aapna naam Manoj Kumar rakhunga. Iska jo credit hai wo mai apne uss bachpan ko deta hun jisne 12-13 saal ki umar mein sooch liya ki maim actor banunga and aapna naam Manoj Kumar rakhunga (I watched a film called Shabnam, it was made by Filmistan. In that film, Dilip Kumar sahab’s name was Manoj. It was an unusual, unique name. So, I thought that if I become an actor, I will adopt the name Manoj Kumar).”

He went on to added, “Maine kai filmon me kaam kiya, mujhe nahi pata kis kis film me mera kya naam tha, Dilip sahab ne kai filmon mein kaam kiya unko bhi nahi pata ki kis film mein kya naam tha. Toh main shabash deta hun aapne uss bachpan ko jisne ye sooch liya (I have worked in many films, I do not remember what my names were in all of them. Dilip sahab worked in many films, and he doesn’t remember either. I look back in wonder at my innocent childhood, that I could have thought like this).”

Manoj Kumar passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai on Friday. The veteran actor was reportedly admitted to the hospital after suffering heart-related complications. According to the hospital’s medical certificate, the secondary cause of death was “decompensated liver cirrhosis.”