Legendary Bollywood film star, Dilip Kumar passed away at the age of 98 on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. According to reports, the veteran actor was hospitalized on June 30 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to health issues related to aging. He was previously admitted to the same hospital on June 6 because of breathlessness. One of his family friends, Faisal Farooqui announced the sad news of Dilip Kumar death using his social media account.
Dilip Kumar left behind a wife, Saira Banu, who was also a famous Bollywood heroine during the 1960s and 1970s.
The news has brought immeasurable pain to movie fans and many famous personalities belonging to Bollywood and politics. Where Dilip Kumar was an example for the generations of actors, he also played an active role in politics and social work. The magic of his work not only captivated India but reached Pakistan as well. The neighboring country harbors a lot of love for the actor despite the political differences.
Dilip Kumar Death Shocks Two Worlds
Dilip Kumar was one of the biggest Bollywood actors during the 1940s and 1960s. It was called the golden age of Indian cinema where films like Awara (1951), Mother India (1957), and Mughal-E-Azam (1960) were born. Kumar’s historical role of Prince Salim in Mughal-E-Azam set a new bar for romance with his exquisite love scenes with Madhubala. His other greatest films include Daag (1952), Devdas (1955), Naya Daur (1957), and Ram Aur Shyam (1967). He mesmerized the audience with his screen appearance for almost 60 years. His movies and his acting are etched in the veins of many famous actors of today, who consider him the ultimate institution.
Apart from movies, he also became active in politics after 1998. He has worked to strengthen the relationship with India and Pakistan, for which Pak rewarded him with the highest civilian honor titled Nishan-E-Imtiaz. However, Hindu extremists like Baal Thackeray antagonized Kumar for that and often threatened him to return the title back to their sworn enemies. Kumar carried on his work and became a lawmaker in Indian Congress (opposition).
He was born as Yusuf Khan on 11th December 1922 in Peshawar, when it was under British rule. During the 1930s, while still a child he had to move with his family to Mumbai. He was one of the few Indian actors, who have ancestral roots in the Peshawar region, which is now Pakistan.
Bollywood Thanks Dilip Kumar for Being an Inspiration
Dilip Kumar death hurt Bollywood actors in many ways. The Big B, Amitabh Bachchan described him as the most important figure in the history of Indian cinema. Both of these legends worked together in a 1982 film Shakti for the very first time. Even to date, this film is regarded as one of the greatest Bollywood classics and the all-time best work of director Ramesh Sippy.
Every time Dilip Kumar appeared on screen, he not only put up a show but also a school for aspiring actors. Popular Bollywood hero, Ajay Devgan remembered the personal and professional moments he shared with the deceased legend. He mentioned how it was impossible to be emotionally ready for such loss.
The superstar Salman Khan also shared his picture together with Kumar and remarked that the Tragedy King was already the best actor in the past, the present, and the future of Indian cinema.
Political World Is Grateful for Dilip Kumar’s Efforts
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that Dilip Kumar death was a cultural loss for India. Even though Kumar never joined electoral politics, he raised his voice for fixing the constitutional framework and secularism in India. In the 1950s, Jawaharlal Nehru invited Kumar to address the Indian Youth Congress when it was a part of the National Congress before becoming a separate entity. Dilip Kumar along with Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor had also campaigned for VK Menon in the 1957 Lok Sabha Election, which Menon won.
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan also mourned the death of Dilip Kumar and praised his donations to Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital (SKMH). Khan said that Kumar raised 10% of the funds during the most difficult phase of project development, the beginning. The actor had many admirers in Pakistan. Not so long ago, a Pakistani journalist shared pictures of Dilip Kumar’s ancestral home which brought Indian and Pakistani fans close for a moment.
