Remembering Dilip Kumar: Have a look at five unknown facts about the Tragedy King of Bollywood.
Dilip Kumar, one of Indian cinema’s most famous actors has died in Mumbai at the age of 98.
Dilip Kumar whose real name was Yusuf Khan starred in some of Indian Cinema’s most iconic and successful films. His mind-boggling intensity, his speech delivery with deep pauses and his ability to inhabit the role played him was a joy to watch.
Dilip Kumar reigned the silver screen for six decades with many unforgettable movies and moments that have forever lit the Indian Film Industry. Referred as ‘The First Khan ‘ Dilip Kumar has been credited for bringing a distinct form of method acting technique to the cinema.
Dilip Kumar holds the record for winning the highest Filmfare Award for Best Actor along with Shahrukh Khan and was also the inaugural recipient of the award. Dilip Kumar debuted as an actor in the film Jwar Bhata (1944) produced by Bombay Talkies.
Dilip Kumar’s career spanned over six decades where the actor gave multiple hits such as Madhumati, Devdas, Mughal-e-Azam, Ganga Jamuna, Azad, Ram Aur Shyam, and Karma. His portrayal of the doomed lover in films like Andaz, Baabul, Deedar, Jogan earned him a nickname ‘tragedy king’. The 1998 film ‘Qila’ was his last screen appearance.
Dilip Kumar was also awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1991 for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. He was also awarded Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
Today, People from any era are familiar with the name Dilip Kumar,the legend who is not only popular in India but all over the world. But Did you know Dilip Kumar has also been a scriptwriter and storywriter during his initial days? Well, Today we would like to try to enlighten you as much as we can about the legendary actor Dilip Kumar.
1. Dilip Kumar was born in Peshawar and his father was a landlord.
Most of us know Dilip Kumar’s real name is Muhammad Yusuf Khan. The legend was born on 11 December 1922 in the Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of Peshawar which is in present Pakistan. His father Lala Ghulam Sarwar Ali Khan was a landlord and a fruit merchant who owned orchards in Peshawar and Deolali.
2. He Ran Away from his Home During His Teenage Years.
You will be surprised to know that Dilip Kumar left his home in the year 1940, after an argument with his father and ran away to Pune. At that time, he was still a teenager. After reaching Pune, Dilip Kumar met a canteen contractor with the help of Parsi Cafe Owner and an elderly Anglo-Indian couple. : He got a job there only based on his merit of the knowledge of the English language as he did not reveal his family antecedents. Dilip Kumar had started a sandwich stall at the canteen for the duration of the contract and ended up saving a whopping amount of Rs 5000 which was a large amount back then.
3. Dilip Kumar’s first step in Film Industry in 1942.
Dilip Kumar joined Bombay Talkies for a salary of Rs 1, 250 per month in their scripting and story writing department due to his proficiency in Urdu language.
4. He gave his first hit three years after his debut.
While his debut film was Jwar Bhata, Dilip Kumar saw his first success with the film Jugnu, which was followed by more successful films like Mela and Shaheed. The biggest breakthrough in his career came with the movie Andaz in 1949. In the 1960’s he starred in the historical epic drama Mughal-e-Azam which became the highest grosser in the Indian Film Industry and stayed on till 11 years.
5. Dilip Kumar married Saira Banu, 22 years his junior in 1966.
Dilip Kumar married actress Saira Banu, who was 22 years younger than him, While Dilip was 44, Saira was just 22 years old. Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu remained together till today and their lovely chemistry and love for each other will be remembered for years.
Unfortunately, Today we lost the legendary actor, but his brilliance, his dedication, and his movies will be forever remembered by everyone.
NLC will miss you Dilip Kumar. You were certainly the best of many generations!