Dilip Kumar, a legendary artist of the 60-year history of Indian film industry

Dilip Kumar will remain the undisputed Tragedy King of the silver screen and is not only famous in India but also worldwide, wherever people watch Indian films, including Pakistan.
Be it Deodar, Madhumati, Mughal-e-Azam, Kranti or Shakti, he had cast a spell on the audience. While Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan call him "one of the greatest actors of all time", the late Satyajit Ray described him as the "ultimate method actor". He is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards, and also a former member of the Rajya Sabha.
Mohammad Yusuf Khan was born on December 11, 1922, in Peshawar to a Pashtun family who were fruit merchants, the family later moved to Mumbai.
...the legendary actor of Hindi films, worked in notable films like An, Deedar, Azaad, Mughal-e-Azam, Ganga Jamna, Inquilaab, Shakti, Karma, Naya Daur, Musafir, Madhumati, Dil Diya Dard Liya, Mazdoor, Leader, Jawab, Jogan, Shaheed, Nadiya Ke Paar, Mela, Dastaan, Duniya, Kranti, Kanoon Apna Apna, and Saudagar. He passed away on July 7, 2021, at the age of 98. Today, December 11, is his 103rd birthday.
In his autobiography 'Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow' (Dilip Kumar: A Material and a Shadow), he shared many stories about his life journey, the book was released in 2014. Asif Farouqi, a well-known businessman and a family friend of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu, also wrote an article in the book that the legendary actor has presented several important events in a better way in his autobiography. He said that he mentioned going to jail during the freedom struggle and how his patriotism put him in jail in his early days in India.
Asif Farouqi's younger brother and the soul of Mouth Shayat, Faisal Farouqi, has written a biography about the relationship between the famous actor Dilip Kumar and his family, which was published in English and Hindi from the neighboring country of Lahore and received a lot of popularity, but now it has been published in Urdu from Mumbai.
It is clear that Dilip Kumar and Madhubala won the hearts of fans with their romance in the famous film 'Mughal-e-Azam', while fans loved their chemistry, in his autobiography, Dilip Kumar confessed that he was attracted to Madhubala but things got worse when Madhubala's father tried to turn the marriage proposal into a business plan.
In his autobiography, Dilip Kumar has also dedicated a chapter to his marriage to Asma Rehman, whom he met at a cricket match in Hyderabad, where she lived with her husband. The actor revealed that Saira Banu read a sensational 'revelation' in a magazine and it was very painful for him to reassure his wife. Dilip Kumar was reportedly associated with Asma for two years. They parted ways in 1983.
It is clear that the love story of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu is one of the most loved stories in Bollywood - a bond that withstood the test of time, loss, and life's unexpected twists. Despite not having children, the couple found deep satisfaction and warmth in each other and their extended families, a rare and emotional interview, Dilip Sahib reflected on this aspect of their life together, offering a glimpse of the grace and wisdom with which they accepted love and legacy.
In an interview with an English daily in 2012, Dilip Kumar said that he has no regrets about not having children. While he acknowledged that having a child would have been wonderful, he shared that he and Saira Banu had accepted it as God's will. He emphasized that they never felt incomplete or lacking, seeking fulfillment and satisfaction in each other and their mutual support.
The veteran star further stated that he and his wife Saira Banu found happiness and fulfillment in their extended families.
Recently, a old video of the late legendary actor of Hindi films, Dilip Kumar, has gone viral, in which he gave a befitting reply to the criticism of Indian film industry by the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and also pointed out other evils of society, on the occasion, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru remained neutral.
Actually, the video shows Dilip Kumar recalling a meeting with the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi over breakfast.
Recalling the incident, superstar Yusuf Khan alias Dilip Kumar said that during breakfast with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in Delhi, Indira Gandhi also arrived and addressing Dilip Kumar, said that why Indian films are not as good as Western counterparts in that era. After Indira Gandhi's complaints for about 15 minutes, Dilip Kumar replied to her that when nothing else in India is comparable to the West, then how can films be different from the society in which they are made.
Dilip Kumar further said, "We used to do shows to raise funds for various social causes in those days, because people thought differently about us. We had to establish our connection with the people, so we used to do those shows. We created our social and civic identity, awareness, and trust. We wanted to prove how connected we are to our culture. So, I felt that the daughter of our then Prime Minister was crossing her limits by raising such questions about Indian cinema. It's not justified to criticize any medium completely."
The Emperor of Emotions further said, "She (Indira Gandhi) said, what kind of industry is this? And said that there is a lack of 'Indian' in Indian films. Finally, while responding, Dilip Kumar said, "I told her that you have been complaining for the last 15 minutes and it is largely true, but in what you have said in the last 15-12 minutes, not a single word is in the Indian language. You have been speaking in English continuously. Today, we are trying to develop our roads, irrigation, education, hospitals, and everything. We don't have water to drink, despite the fact that Pandit ji is a sincere man, our education is poor. Yes, our films are poor, but we don't just have a film industry that is poor. Our education system is poor. Our roads are bad. Our agriculture is poor. And if I put this before you, ma'am, we have governance that has many poor things."
Dilip Kumar said, "I first thought that Jawaharlal Nehru would be angry with my comment, but after a few moments of silence, Nehru ji said, 'If I were in his place, I wouldn't have been so polite.'"