Dilip Kumar, famous in India for an acting career spanning 50 years has unfortunately passed on after an extended stay in the Intensive care unit ICU in Hinduja, a hospital in Mumbai for treatment of pneumonia and kidney failure.
His wife Saira Banu said on Monday that his health was better and urged his fans to pray for him. On Wednesday morning, however, his relative Faisal Farooq posted on this Twitter handle announced his demise which took place a few minutes ago.
Acting Career
Dilip Kumar’s career has been on for more than five decades and he is seen as a treasure in his country. Dilip Kumar rejected to play the role of Ali in the film Lawrence of Arabia and the role was later played by Omar sheriff.
The movies he featured in are over 65 and he is known as the first superstar Bollywood produced. He played the role of a lover who was doomed in Devdas and that was the role that shot him up to stardom.
He was known with Mughal-e-Azam and that was the best of his movies and this movie cemented his position as one of the Indian cinema’s greatest actors. People from India and Pakistan where the actor was birthed have been sending in their condolences.
The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi tweeted that he will be remembered as a legend of the cinema, he also said the actor was blessed with unmeasured intelligence and that was what kept the audience across the world awed and his death is a huge loss to the world of culture.
He was described by the Prime Minister of Pakistan as the greatest actor who is versatile.
Amitabh Bachan who also starred in numerous filmed wrote that whenever the history of cinema shall be written, it will be in the name of the late actor. His first movie was not noticed but after three years a film of his Jungnu became a hit at the box office and since then, there was no going back for him.
However, he never took projects at the international level because he didn’t want to leave his country’s cinema and go abroad.
He received so many awards in his lifetime.
Latter Life
He became unwell last year and a couple of his brothers died but the news was kept from him because of his health.
He is survived by his wife named Saira Banu who is a renowned actress of the 1960s and 1970s.
His funeral is scheduled for this evening at Juhu Qabrastan, in Mumbai.