India, April 5 -- Indian cinema legend and yesteryears' superstar Manoj Kumar passed away here early Friday morning. He was 87. The veteran actor had gone out of commercial circulation for almost 45 years, although at the peak of his popularity - which spanned over two decades starting with Haryali Aur Raasta (1962) to Kranti (1981) - he ruled the Hindi film industry as a bankable actor and a creative director.

Unfortunately, for Gen Zee and the Millennials, he is known more due to a lawsuit he filed against Shahrukh Khan for imitating him in his 2007-starrer Om Shanti Om.

Manoj Kumar can be said to have preceded Rajesh Khanna as the romantic hero, who debuted in 1966 and went on to become the first superstar. Kumar, by the time Khanna ...