Megastar Amitabh Bachchan and veteran screenwriter Salim Khan shared a heartfelt reunion as they came together to bid farewell to legendary actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar, who passed away on Friday at the age of 87. The two stalwarts were seen embracing each other at the Pawan Hans crematorium in Juhu on Saturday, where Manoj Kumar was cremated with full state honours, including a three-gun salute.
In a video from the funeral, Bachchan was seen walking toward Salim Khan, who smiled warmly on seeing his former collaborator. The duo exchanged a few words and shared a brief yet emotional hug, evoking memories of their iconic collaborations in Hindi cinema. Abhishek Bachchan also greeted Salim Khan with a hug, as both father and son dressed in traditional white kurta-pyjamas paired with black jackets.
Amitabh and Salim Khan had worked together in a number of blockbuster films during the 1970s and 1980s. Salim, along with his writing partner Javed Akhtar, formed the legendary screenwriting duo Salim-Javed, penning classics like Sholay (1975), Don and Trishul (1978), Kaala Patthar (1979), and Dostana and Shaan (1980) — all starring Amitabh Bachchan and playing a key role in shaping his “angry young man” image.
Manoj Kumar was cremated with full state honours
Manoj Kumar, known as ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his iconic portrayals of patriotic characters in films like Upkar and Kranti, was cremated around 11:30 AM. His sons, Vishal and Kunal, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of family, friends, and numerous film industry veterans.
The funeral was attended by several film personalities including Raj Babbar, Jimmy Sheirgill, Arbaaz Khan, Subhash Ghai, Anu Malik, Zayed Khan, Prem Chopra, Rajpal Yadav, Ranjeet, and Sunil Darshan.
Following the cremation, Amitabh and Abhishek Bachchan, along with Salim and Arbaaz Khan, offered their condolences to Manoj Kumar’s family, honouring a man whose legacy remains deeply woven into the fabric of Indian cinema.
