Dilip Kumar (born
Muhammad Yusuf Khan on 11 December 1922) is an Indian film actor also known as
Tragedy King,
[2] and described as "the ultimate method actor" by
Satyajit Ray.
[3] He debuted as an actor in the film
Jwar Bhatain 1944 produced by
Bombay Talkies. His career has spanned over six decades and with over 60 films. He starred in films of a variety of genres such as the romantic
Andaz (1949), the swashbuckling
Aan (1952), the dramatic
Devdas (1955), the comical
Azaad (1955), the historical
Mughal-e-Azam(1960) and the social
Ganga Jamuna (1961).
In 1976, Dilip Kumar took a five-year break from film performances and returned with a character role in the film
Kranti (1981) and continued his career playing leading roles in films such as
Shakti (1982),
Karma (1986) and
Saudagar (1991). His last film was
Qila (1998). Dilip Kumar has acted with actress
Vyjayanthimala the most, where they both had acted seven films together including the former's home production
Gunga Jamuna resulting in great on-screen chemistry and an alleged affair between them.
[4][5]
EARLY LIFE[EDIT]
Dilip Kumar was born Yusuf Khan into a
Hindko-speaking
Awan[1] family of 12 children on 11 December 1922 at
his housein the
Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of
Peshawar, in what is now
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
Pakistan. His father, Lala Ghulam Sarwar, was a landlord and fruit merchant who owned orchards in Peshawar and
Deolali (in
Maharashtra, India). Dilip Kumar did schooling from prestigious
Barnes School,
Deolali, near
Nasik.
[11] In the late 1930s, his family of 12 members relocated to
Mumbai. Around 1940, Dilip Kumar left home for
Pune where he started his career as a canteen owner and a dry fruit supplier. In 1943, actress
Devika Rani, who owned
Bombay Talkies spotted Dilip Kumar in Aundh military canteens Pune,
[12] and cast him with a lead role in the film
Jwar Bhata (1944), which marked Dilip Kumar's entry into the
Hindi filmindustry. Hindi author
Bhagwati Charan Varma gave him the screen name
Dilip Kumar.
[13] It is believed that Dilip Kumar could speak a number of languages, including English, Persian,
Hindi,
Urdu,
Hindko,
[14] and
Pashto.
Dilip Kumar's first film,
Jwar Bhata (1944) went unnoticed, it was
Jugnu (1947) in which he starred alongside
Noor Jehanthat became his first major hit at the box office. His next major hit was the 1948 film
Shaheed. He got his breakthrough role with
Mehboob Khan's
Andaz (1949) in which he starred alongside
Raj Kapoor and
Nargis in a love triangle story.
He went on to have success in the 1950s with playing leading roles in romantic films like
Jogan (1950),
Deedar (1951),
Daag (1952),
Devdas (1955),
Yahudi(1958) and
Madhumati (1958). He also played an anti-hero in Mehboob Khan's
Amar (1954). These films established his screen image as the "Tragedy King". He also starred in many social drama films like
Footpath (1953),
Naya Daur(1957),
Musafir (1957) and
Paigham (1959). He was the first actor to win the
Filmfare Best Actor Award for
Daag and went onto win it a further seven times in his career.
[15] He formed popular on-screen pairings with many of the top actresses at the time including
Madhubala,
Nargis,
Nimmi,
Meena Kumari,
Kamini Kaushal and
Vyjanthimala.
In an attempt to shed his "tragedy king" image, Dilip Kumar took up his psychiatrist's suggestion that he take on lighthearted roles such as Mehboob Khan's blockbuster
Aan (1952), his first film in
technicolour in which he played a
swashbuckling peasant. He had further success with lighter roles in
Azaad (1955) and
Kohinoor (1960)
[15] In 1960 he portrayed
Prince Salim in
K. Asif's big-budget epic
historical film Mughal-e-Azam which as of 2008 was the second highest grossing film in Hindi film history.
[16] The film told the story of Prince Salim who revolts against his father Akbar (played by
Prithviraj Kapoor) and falls in love with a courtesan (played by
Madhubala). The film was mostly shot in black and white, only some scenes in the latter half of the film in colour. 44 years after its original release, it was fully
colourized and re-released in 2004.
His career slumped in the 1970s with films like
Dastaan (1972) and
Bairaag (1976), the latter in which he played triple roles failing at the box office. He starred alongside his real-life wife Saira Banu in
Gopi (1970),
Bengali film
Sagina Mahato (1970) and
Bairaag (1976) but all three failed to do well at the box office.
[19][20] He took a five-year hiatus from films from 1976 to 1981.
[12]
His second collaboration with Subhash Ghai came with the 1986 action film
Karma. In this film, Kumar played a jailor who hires three men (played by
Naseeruddin Shah,
Jackie Shroff and
Anil Kapoor) to help him avenge his family's death by escaped terrorist Doctor Dang (played by
Anupam Kher). This was also the first film which paired him opposite veteran actress
Nutan.
[21]
In 1991, he starred alongside fellow veteran actor
Raaj Kumar in
Saudagar, his third and last film with Subhash Ghai. This was his second film with Raaj Kumar after 1959's
Paigham.
Saudagar was Kumar's last box office success and also his last film for several years.
[22] In 1993 he won the
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. He was attached to make his directorial debut with a film titled
Kalinga but the film was eventually shelved.
[23]
In 1998 he made his last film appearance in
Qila, where he played dual roles as an evil landowner who is murdered and his twin brother who tries to solve the mystery of his death.
Other career highlights[edit]
- Kumar was very choosy, and turned down lead roles in many films which eventually were released to great box office success, including Lawrence of Arabia, Pyaasa and Sangam.[25]
- Several of his films remain unreleased and unfinished such as Jaanwar, Shikwa and Aag Ka Dariya.[25]
PUBLIC LIFE[EDIT]
Dilip Kumar has been active in efforts to bring the people of India and Pakistan closer together. He was nominated a member of
Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament for a term.
[12]
He was awarded the
Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994. In 1998 he was awarded the
Nishan-e-Imtiaz, the highest civilian award conferred by the government of Pakistan. He is the second Indian to receive the award. At the time of the
Kargil War,
Shiv Sena chief
Bal Thackeray demanded Dilip Kumar return his
Nishan-e-Imtiaz, citing "that country's blatant aggression on Indian soil."
[26] Dilip Kumar refused, saying:
"This award was given to me for the humane activities to which I have dedicated myself. I have worked for the poor, I have worked for many years to bridge the cultural and communal gaps between India and Pakistan. Politics and religion have created these boundaries. I have striven to bring the two people together in whatever way I could. Tell me, what does any of this have to do with the Kargil conflict?"
[27]
Dilip Kumar launched his Twitter account and his first tweet was on his 89th Birthday in 2011.
[28][29]
PERSONAL LIFE[EDIT]
Dilip Kumar was first in love with the actress
Kamini Kaushal, but they could not marry due to her being married to her deceased sister's husband.
[30] Subsequently he was romantically involved with the actress
Madhubala but they had to part ways as her family was opposed to their marriage.
[31][32] He married actress
Saira Banu, who was 22 years younger than him, in 1966. He married a second time in 1980 to Asma but the marriage ended soon after.
[33] Dilip Kumar for first time in his life performed Umrah the holy pilgrimage to Makkah in 2013 along with his wife Saira Bano
[34]
Around 10 September 2011 it surfaced that the health of Dilip Kumar is worsening. Some incredible tweets even mistakenly spread news of his death.
[35] Later
Saira Banu made a public statement that the actor is in good health and in high spirits. On September 15, 2013, the 90 year old Dilip Kumar suffered a silent
Heart attack and was subsequently admitted to
Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. On September 16, a Hospital statement said that his condition was stable and he was put under observation in ICU for 48 hours due to his bypass status and advanced age. He had undergone heart surgery 14 years before.
[36] In December 2014, Dilip Kumar has been hospitalized for
pneumonia and admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai under ICU.
[37]
AWARDS AND POPULARITY[EDIT]
FILMOGRAPHY[EDIT]
SEE ALSO[EDIT]
REFERENCES[EDIT]
- ^ Jump up to:a b "Peshawar’s contribution to subcontinent’s cinema highlighted". The News International. Retrieved12 January 2014.
- Jump up^ "Tragedy king Dilip Kumar turns 88". Indian Express. 11 December 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- Jump up^ "Unmatched innings". The Hindu. 28 August 28. Retrieved 21 June 2012.
- Jump up^ Suresh Kohli (8 January 2004). "Celebrating The Tragedy King". The Hindu (Delhi, India). Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- Jump up^ Coomi Kapoor (8 October 2007). "Personalised fiction, anyone?". The Star (Malaysia) (Malaysia). Retrieved2012-01-30.
- Jump up^ "Dilip Kumar turns 86". The Hindu (Chennai, India). 11 December 2008. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Sharma, Vishwamitra (2007). Famous Indians of the 21st Century. Pustak Mahal. p. 196. ISBN 81-223-0829-5.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Dawar, Ramesh (2006). Bollywood: yesterday, today, tomorrow. Star Publications. p. 8. ISBN 1-905863-01-2.
- ^ Jump up to:a b A documentary on the life of Dilip Kumar. Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ Jump up to:a b "Dilip Kumar is my idol and inspiration: Amitabh Bachchan - The Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 11 December 2011. Retrieved2012-08-06.
- Jump up^ Renuka Vyavahare, TNN Dec 28, 2011, 08.13PM IST (2011-12-28). "Here’s why Dilip Kumar speaks Marathi fluently! – Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai (2004), Nehru's hero Dilip Kumar in the life of India, Lotus Collection, Roli Books,ISBN 978-81-7436-311-4.
- Jump up^ Nihalani, Govind; Chatterjee, Saibal (2003). Encyclopaedia of Hindi cinema. India: Popular Prakashan Pvt ltd. pp. 470–473. ISBN 978-81-7991-066-5. Retrieved 21 June2012.
- Jump up^ "Leading News Resource of Pakistan". Daily Times. Retrieved 2013-09-28.
- ^ Jump up to:a b "rediff.com, Movies: Tragedy King Dilip Kumar". Rediff.com. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
- Jump up^ All Time Grossers. Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Jump up^ "Dilip Kumar's Hollywood dis-connection". The Times Of India. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- Jump up^ Box Office 1964. Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Jump up^ Box Office 1972. Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Jump up^ Box Office 1976. Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- ^ Jump up to:a b Top Earners 1980-1989 (Figures in Ind Rs). Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Jump up^ Top Lifetime Grossers 1990-1994 (Figures in Ind Rs). Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Jump up^ Asif Noorani (11 December 2012). "Dilip Kumar: 90 fruitful years | Entertainment". Dawn.Com. Retrieved 2013-05-09.
- Jump up^ http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2001/aug/14759.htm
- ^ Jump up to:a b http://nasir-eclectic.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/dilip-kumar-turns-86.html
- Jump up^ The Rediff Interview/ Dilip Kumar. Rediff. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- ^ Jump up to:a b ANALYSIS: Dilip Kumar turns 88. Daily Times. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
- Jump up^ "Dilip Kumar joins Twitter on 89th birthday". Hindustan Times. 13 December 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- Jump up^ "Dilip Kumar reconnects with fans on Twitter". Indian Express. 14 December 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- Jump up^ "'Excerpt from Dilip Kumar's Biography'". Tribune. Dec 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- Jump up^ "'She loved Dilipsaab till the day she died'". Rediff.com. March 2008. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- Jump up^ Kumar, Anuj (6 January 2010). "Capturing Madhubala’s pain". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- Jump up^ Bhatia, Ritu (2 September 2012). "Don't mind the (age) gap". India Today. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- Jump up^ http://www.arabnews.com/spiritually-thrilled-after-umrah-dilip-kumar-extends-makkah-stay
- Jump up^https://twitter.com/#!/shiekhspear/status/112492760149409793
- Jump up^ "Actor Dilip Kumar's Condition Stable after Silent Heart Attack". Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- Jump up^ "Dilip Kumar is recovering; out of ICU". Rediff.com. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
- Jump up^ Kumar-Guinness-World-Records-TV-show.htm Dilip Kumar on TV show?
- Jump up^ "Things that u don't know about Filmfare Awards...(Part IV)". Sify Movies. 27 February 2007. Retrieved14 December 2010.
- ^ Jump up to:a b "Lifetime Achievement (Popular)". Filmfare Awards. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- Jump up^ "Padma Awards Directory (1954-2009)". Ministry of Home Affairs. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- Jump up^ "Dilip Kumar decides to retain Nishan-e-Imtiaz".Rediff.com. 11 July 1999. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- Jump up^ "IOTY 2008: ISRO boss, team Chandrayaan". CNN IBN. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
EXTERNAL LINKS[EDIT]
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