Bollywood actor, film director, screenwriter, lyricist and editor Manoj Kumar passed away Friday in the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai. He was 87.

According to his son, Kunal Goswami, the actor had been unwell for some time and died of age-related complications. ‘‘He was happy but in pain in his final moments,’’ The Times of India quoted Goswami as saying.

Born as Harikrishan Goswami in Abbottabad (now in Pakistan) in 1937, Kumar moved to Delhi during the Partition and later rose to fame in Bollywood as the ‘Patriotic Hero’ of Indian cinema. He earned widespread acclaim for his performances in films like ‘Upkar’ (1967), ‘Roti Kapada Aur Makaan’ (1974) and ‘Kranti’ (1981). The song ‘Lag Ja Gale’ from the film ‘Woh Kaun Thi?’ (1964) remains one of his most remembered musical numbers.

Kumar was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in 1992, and later received the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award—the country’s highest recognition in cinema—in 2015 for his contributions to Indian film.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Kumar in a post on X, describing him as an ‘‘icon of Indian cinema,’’ while numerous Bollywood stars also shared their condolences. Kumar was also a member of Modi’s ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

With a career spanning over five decades, Kumar leaves behind a legacy of timeless films and an indelible mark on Indian cinema.