Legendary Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar, who was born in the Nooruddin neighborhood of Abbottabad, passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai, India. Born in 1937 in the Abbottabad district of what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, then known as the North-West Frontier Province, Manoj Kumar spent his early childhood in the streets of Tanchi Chowk’s Nooruddin locality Abbottabad. Despite spending only a few early years of his childhood in Abbottabad, legendary Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar never forgot the city of his birth. His deep emotional connection with the place remained evident throughout his life. In various interviews over the years, he fondly recalled the memories of his early days in the Nooruddin neighborhood near Tanchi Chowk. Manoj Kumar often spoke about the warmth of the local community, the simplicity of life, and the profound impact those early years had on shaping his values. He frequently mentioned how his parents first migrated from Abbottabad to Punjab and then eventually settled in India following the Partition in 1947. Even after achieving stardom in the Indian film industry, Manoj Kumar retained a soft corner for Abbottabad. He would nostalgically refer to his birthplace during media interactions and personal conversations, acknowledging it as the foundation of his life journey. His 1980s visit to Abbottabad accompanied by iconic Pakistani actors Mohammad Ali and Zeba Begum was a testament to that bond. He not only visited his ancestral home but also emotionally reconnected with the room where he was born, taking photographs and interacting with locals who still remembered his family. For Manoj Kumar, Abbottabad was more than a birthplace it was a cherished part of his identity, one that he carried with pride and affection until the end of his life. According to Advocate Moeen Qureshi, a former neighbor, the actor’s family migrated from Abbottabad during the Partition. Recalling a memorable visit nearly four decades ago, he said Manoj Kumar had returned to his hometown along with renowned Pakistani actors Mohammad Ali and Zeba Begum to visit his ancestral home. “The entire city turned out to see him. I was young at the time, but I remember being there with him,” he told APP. Moeen Qureshi said that during the visit, the actor visted his childhood home and visited the very room where he was born, capturing photographs of the place that held a special place in his heart. The news of his death has left the neighborhood in mourning. Another former neighbor, Munir Qureshi, expressed grief over the passing of the Bollywood icon, saying the entire city of Abbottabad shares the sorrow, as Manoj Kumar was once a part of their community. Mazhar Hussain, a current resident of Abbottabad, told APP he had lived in Manoj Kumar’s ancestral home for over ten years. “The house remained unchanged from the time his family left until it was eventually demolished and replaced with a new structure,” he said. Manoj Kumar began his film career in 1957 and quickly rose to fame, becoming one of Bollywood’s most iconic actors. His passing has been felt deeply, not only among his fans and admirers in India but also in his birthplace of Abbottabad where residents remember him with pride and affection.