Senior Bollywood actor and director Manoj Kumar has passed away at the age of 87 at the Indian Financial Capital in Mumbai.

The actor died of “age-related health issues”, said Dr. Santosh Shetty of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, who was admitted.

His son Kunal Goswami told ANI News that Kumar has long been battling health issues.

Kumar left a rich legacy of patriotic films, which promoted his reputation in the 1960s and 1970s.

Kumar was originally appointed Harikrishan Goswami and was born in 1937 in the northern state of Punjab.

He carved himself a niche in the Hindi film industry, which included films such as Shaheed, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan and Kranti. His films are known for their patriotic enthusiasm and he resonates with the Indian public.

Over the years, Kumar has won numerous awards, including Padma Shri – the fourth highest civilian award in India.

His contributions earned him the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest film honor in India.

Tribute has been mourning his death on social media.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls him “the idol of Indian films.”

He wrote in an article on X: “Manoj ji (a respect term in Hindi) has sparked the spirit of national pride and will continue to inspire generations.”

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit said his death “has caused a huge loss to the (film) industry” and the entire industry will miss him.