Noted actor Manoj Kumar angry with SRK for making fun of him

Mumbai, Nov 16 (UNI) Yesteryear actor-filmmaker Manoj Kumar has reacted angrily over the manner in which he has been portrayed in Shah Rukh Khan starrer ''Om Shanti Om'' that released last week.

Talking to UNI, Manoj Kumar said that he was pained at the way he has been mocked at. ''This is not humour,'' he added.

''It is not only insulting and humiliating, but injuring the soul of a patriotic Indian,'' he said.

The noted actor, who always portrayed patriotic characters with the screen name ''Bharat'', said, ''People of this country have made me ''Bharat'' because I symbolised nationalism and patriotism in my films. Only anti-national people can humiliate patriotism,'' he said.

''Om Shanti Om'' is produced by Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Farah Khan. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal and Shreyas Talpade.

In the first half of the film which is set in the 1970s, SRK, who portrays the character of a junior artiste, gets to sneak into a theatre to watch the premier of ''Dreamy Girl'' starring Shantipriya (Deepika) by impersonating Manoj Kumar. When the 'real' Manoj Kumar (body double) tries to come in the auditorium, he is beaten up by the security guards.

There is also a sequence where Manoj Kumar tries to convince the gate keeper that he is the real one and shows his driving license bearing his photograph in his trademark trait which almost covers his face.

UNI