As tributes poured in for veteran actor Manoj Kumar after his death on Friday, an old controversy with Shah Rukh Khan resurfaced in public memory — a legal and emotional spat that once rocked Bollywood.

It all began in 2007, with the release of Om Shanti Om, a retro-themed blockbuster that marked Deepika Padukone’s debut. While the film was a massive success, a spoof scene showing SRK’s character impersonating Manoj Kumar — complete with his signature hand-over-forehead pose — didn’t go down well with the legendary actor.

Manoj Kumar felt mocked and requested the makers to remove the scene. Shah Rukh publicly apologised, admitting, “I was completely wrong… If he is hurt, I apologise.” Kumar appeared to accept the apology, calling it “no big deal.”

However, the matter reignited in 2013 when Om Shanti Om was re-released in Japan — this time with the controversial scene intact. Feeling betrayed, Kumar filed a Rs 100-crore lawsuit against SRK and Eros International. His legal team stressed that despite earlier assurances, the scene was not removed, and no personal apology followed.

“This time, I will not forgive,” said Kumar then, citing disrespect and contempt of court, as a 2008 order had directed the scene’s removal from all prints.

Years later, Kumar eventually withdrew the case, stating the battle failed to bring about the accountability he sought from SRK or director Farah Khan.

Following Kumar’s passing, Shah Rukh paid tribute on X, writing: “Manoj Kumar ji made films that uplifted our country, our cinema... You will always be ‘Bharat’ to us.”

Born Harikrishan Goswami in Abbottabad (now in Pakistan), Manoj Kumar became a cinematic icon with patriotic films like Upkar and Purab Aur Paschim, earning the moniker “Bharat Kumar” and leaving behind a legacy of nation-first storytelling.