From Harikishan to Manoj Kumar: How Dilip Kumar's Shabnam inspired actor's screen name

Veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar, passed away at the age of 87 on Friday morning after battling a prolonged illness.
Reportedly, the medical reports reveal that Manoj Kumar's death was caused by cardiogenic shock resulting from an acute myocardial infarction, a severe heart attack. The reports also indicated that he had been struggling with decompensated liver cirrhosis in recent months, which had worsened his health.
"He is out of his misery now," the filmmaker's son Kunal told PTI, adding that his father had been battling multiple health issues and was bedridden for the last few years.
As the film industry mourns his loss, it is worth remembering how Kumar’s cinematic journey was deeply influenced by the legendary Dilip Kumar.
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In a throwback interview with PTI, Manoj Kumar had shared how his love for cinema began at the age of 11 after watching Shabnam (1949), a film featuring Dilip Kumar in the role of Manoj. The young Harikishan Giri Goswami was so mesmerised by the superstar's performance that he decided, "I must have been 11 years old then, but I instantly decided that if I ever became an actor, I would keep my name as Manoj Kumar."
That is how Harikishan Giri Goswami became Manoj Kumar in the late 1950s. His admiration for Dilip Kumar culminated in a defining moment of his career when he got the opportunity to work alongside his idol in Kranti (1981), a film he also directed.

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Recalling the experience of directing the superstar, Kumar had once said, “We only had Dilip Kumar in mind for Kranti. When I told him the story, he agreed within two minutes. It was a dream come true for me. I would observe him closely on set—his effortless acting, his discipline, and his humility. He wasn’t someone who enjoyed flattery; he valued sincerity and hard work.”
Kranti, penned by the famous duo Salim Khan-Javed Akhtar, marked Dilip's return to cinema after a five-year hiatus. The film, featuring an ensemble cast including Shashi Kapoor, Hema Malini, Shatrughan Sinha, and Parveen Babi, became a massive blockbuster, enjoying a golden jubilee run across India.
According to his son, Manoj Kumar's last rites will be performed in a private ceremony tomorrow, April 5.