Gulshan Bawra - Som Mohan Choti - Mangal Laxmi Chhaya - Guest dancer in "Gulabi Raat Gulabi" Background Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri praised his earlier film Shaheed and enthused Manoj Kumar to make a film on the Jai Jawan Jai Kisan slogan. The slogan shaped into Manoj Kumar's official debut as a director for Upkar, where he believably played both a jawan () and a kisan. A huge hit, Upkar made Manoj an authority on screen patriotism. According to an interview of Manoj Kumar, Rajesh Khanna was originally signed for the film, but before the shooting kicked off he won the All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare and thus had to withdraw. Prem Chopra replaced him. Most parts of the movie were shot in Atali village near Ballabgarh (Haryana) and Ghevra Village near Bawana, Delhi. The Shiv Temple shown in the film is located in Ghevra, including the songs "Kasme Vaade" and "Mere Desh Ki Dharti", then Manoj Kumar purchased a Bagh (property) in that area named Vishal Bagh on Main Bawana Road at Narela, Delhi NCT. Production Origin - India's second prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri suggested Manoj Kumar to make a movie based on his slogan Jai Jawan Jai Kisan. After India defeated Pakistan in 1965 war. Shastri wanted to raise moral of the country. Principal photography- The principal photography happened at Nangal Thakran village of Delhi state. It is present on North East side of New Delhi. The film unit took bullock carts, ploughs from the villagers for filming, house of the village are used for Bharat (Manoj Kumar) house. The cast and production used to arrive at morning for filming and used to return to Delhi at night. They lived in the village during filming of night sequences. The field of one of the resident of village is used as of Bharat, where "Mere Desh Ki Dharti " song was filmed. Some portions are filmed in Rajkamal Kala-mandir studio, Kamal studio, Gurudatt studio and Mehaboob studio. Soundtrack The film's music was given by Kalyanji Anandji. Lyrics for Upkar were penned by Qamar Jalalabadi, Indeevar, Gulshan Bawra, and Sitaram Dhawan. The song, "Mere Desh Ki Dharti Sona Ugle Ugle Heere Moti, Mere Desh Ki Dharti", sung by Mahendra Kapoor was a chartbuster. Reception The songs of Upkar became hit. Still the song "Mere Desh Ki Dharti" () is played during Republic day