Released 65 years ago, this blockbuster of Manoj Kumar beat Sholay, saved Dilip Kumar's career, film is...
When a filmmaker becomes his own leading man and reignites another legend's career, cinema witnesses a rare revolution. That revolution was Kranti .
Manoj Kumar, originally an actor, began his cinematic journey with humble beginnings. Though he debuted before, stardom truly knocked on his door with the 1965 patriotic hit Shaheed . From there, he became Bollywood's face of nationalism, crafting narratives soaked in social values and love for the motherland.
But Manoj didn't stop at acting. He turned director with Upkar in 1967—a film that set the tone for his signature style: patriotic, emotionally charged, and deeply rooted in Indian values. Hits like Poorab Aur Paschim and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan followed. Yet it was Kranti , released in 1981, that emerged as his cinematic landmark.
With a stellar cast that included Shashi Kapoor, Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, Shatrughan Sinha, and himself, Manoj Kumar pulled off what few filmmakers could. But the biggest headline? Kranti marked the return of the legendary Dilip Kumar—after a five-year hiatus and a decade without a major hit.
'Kranti was the turning point for Dilip Sahab,' film buffs still recall. He had been away from the limelight since films like Aadmi and Sangharsh underperformed. But Kranti brought him back with thunderous applause and reminded the industry why he was once called the 'Tragedy King'.
At the box office, Kranti didn't just succeed—it dominated. Earning Rs 20 crore in the early '80s was no small feat. The film overtook even giants like Sholay and Mother India . Though Sholay reclaimed its crown during its re-release, Kranti had already left a cultural footprint.
Such was the craze, that merchandise flooded the markets— Kranti -branded t-shirts, jackets, even underwear. Rare for its time, the film became a pop-cultural wave.
While Dilip Kumar had once ruled the '50s and '60s, it was Kranti that repositioned him in the cinematic map of the 1980s, where he ended up giving some of the decade's top-grossing films, surpassing even Amitabh Bachchan in box office pull for a brief time.
Manoj Kumar directed a revolution, but it was Dilip Kumar who roared back as its voice.
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