Dilip Kumar also known as ‘The Tragedy king' andthe first Khan’ was an Indian actor as well as film producer best known for his Hindi cinemas, was born on 11 December 1922. He contributed a lot for the Hindi cinema and has been credited tremendously for bringing a distinct form of method acting technique to the world of cinema. The most interesting fact about him is that the great actor holds the Guinness World Record for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor. He was known as the tragedy king for a reason of doing most depressing but award winning roles that he took over. The government of India also honored the great artist with the Padma Bhushan in 1991, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in the year 2015.
Early life and his personal life: The great Dilip Kumar was born on 11 December 1992 in Peshawar, North-West Frontier Province of British India. His real name was Muhammad Yusuf Khan but he changed his name before entering the glamorous world of cinema. In his autobiography `The Substance and the Shadow’ released in 2014, he revealed that veteran actor Devika Rani has suggested him to change his name. His parents name was Lala Ghulam Sarwar and Ayesha Begum. Dilip Kumar married the renowned actor Saira Banu, in 1966 and it was a made in heaven love story and is always in the headlines. He later also married Asma Rehman, as second wife in 1981 but their marriage only lasted for two years. He was very fluent in different languages and was also a great music enthusiast.
The bollywood life and his carrier: Dilip Kumar made his debut in bollywood with his first film- Jwar Bhata in 1944 but he was unnoticed and also did many unsuccessful films which didn’t helped him get the desired limelight. After a journey of failure he got his luck shine bright in the film ‘Jugnu’ in 1947 opposite Noor Jahan which was a blockbuster hit at the box office. He then got his breakthrough role in ‘Andaz’ 1949 starred alongside Raj Kapoor and Nargis Shabnam. His journey as an actor sets as a benchmark in the mainstream bollywood. He was known for his charisma, decency and aura. He was also the first actor to win the flimfare best actor award for his film `daag’ and the legacy of awards continued for seven consecutive years. He was a very talented person and also carried direction and production alongside. It was not that his career was a smooth path to success, he has gone through many ups and downs and some films majorly failed at the box office, but he never gave up but always looked up positively at his work.
Dilip Kumar who was the heart and soul of Hindi cinema and the great old actor after a successful life scrummed to prolonged illness. When initially he was admitted to the hospital on June 6, he was treated and his health became stable but afterwards again he was taken to Mumbai’s Hinduja Hospital after complaining of breathlessness. He took his last breath in the hospital and closed his eyes forever. He was 98 years old and was buried with state honours at the Juhu Cemetery in Mumbai’s Santacruz. With his death an era comes to an end. Every great personality tweeted and showed love, affection and respect to the departed soul. His personality and contribution towards the Indian cinema is an immense contribution. Dilip Shaab will forever be in our prayer and will live forever in the hearts of Indians.
Visual by: Kunal Kaustav Duwarah
Article by Plabita Chakraborty, The North-Eastern Chronicle
