Dilip Kumar, the iconic Indian Actor who ruled the heart of millions with his bod of work birth Centenary begins on Sunday, a two-day film festival celebrating one of India’s greatest thespians was kicked off in Mumbai by his wife, actor Saira Banu.
The veteran actor died at 98 on July 7, 2021 after suffering from ill health for the past few years and often spent time in and out of hospitals.
The film industry and cinema lovers across generations is making efforts to make the birth centenary of the silver screen icon memorable this year.
The legendary actor, who won eight Filmfare Awards for Best Actor, was looked up to by many in the industry as one of their inspirations, especially for his dedication to method acting.
From Jwar Bhata in 1944 to Qilla in 1998 Kumar had a 56-year-long illustrious career. The decades 1950s and 1960s marked his golden period. Mehboob Khan’s 1949’s Andaz, alongside Nargis and his childhood neighbour Raj Kapoor, brought him superstardom and he reunited with Nargis the next year for Jogan.
His performances smoothly slid between tragedy and comedy — Paigham, Ram Aaur Shyam– to swashbuckling titles Aan, Azad, Kohinoor and Mughal-e-Azam. “His aplomb had its own elan,”
In a 2007 interview the veteran actor Dilip Kumar spoke about star kids like Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor who had promising futures ahead in the industry.
Dilip Kumar was known to encourage next generation of stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan
The veteran was also encouraging towards the next generation of actors, with stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan counting Dilip Kumar as their influence to get into acting. Even as he grew older, Dilip Kumar was often visited at home by those in the film industry from actor Salman Khan to filmmaker Subhash Ghai, with whom he had collaborated on Vidhaata (1982), Karma and Saudagar (1991).
Dilip was not only suave and soft, elegant and enchanting, but his performing skills continue to be respectfully emulated by leading actors and thespians of Indian cinema. He never studied the art and craft of acting in any drama or film school, but his presence on screen had a certain rhythm, poise and movement derived from his own method of acting.
Ranbir Kapoor has immense potential – Dilip Kumar
In a 2007 interview on his 85th birthday, When Dilip Kumar was asked about star kids Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor who had made their debuts with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s love story Sawaariya. He had said at the time, “I think Ranbir has immense potential. He has the best features of his father and of his mother. I also foresee an impressive career for Sonam Kapoor. She comes across as a spontaneous actress. I felt very happy seeing them in Sawaariya because of the warm relationship I have with their parents and grandparents.”
Dilip Kumar had worked with Rishi Kapoor, Ranbir’s father, and Anil Kapoor, Sonam’s father, before he retired from films. The veteran actor also shared warm, familial relationship with both families as he worked at the same time as their grandparents, Raj Kapoor and Surinder Kapoor, respectively.
The actor, who was born in Peshawar, Pakistan, made his film debut in the Bombay Talkies production Jwar Bhata (1944). Studio head Devika Rani was the one who suggested he change his name from Mohammad Yusuf Khan to Dilip Kumar. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the Indian government in 1994.