Sanchita
Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar passed away on 7 July 2021, truly bringing an end to an era. The film industry is reeling from his loss.
The late actor is survived by his veteran actress-wife Saira Banu. The couple does not have any children though.
Dilip Kumar (born as Mohammed Yusuf Khan) had carved his niche in Hindi Cinema as the ‘Tragedy King’ with films like ‘Devdas’, ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, ‘Andaz’ and more to his credit. He was also widely known as the ‘First Khan Of Bollywood’.
Dilip Kumar-Saira Banu made for one of the most evergreen jodis in the Hindi film industry. Even the age difference of 22 years was no barrier to their timeless love story. On 11 October 1966, the duo tied the knot when the actor was 44 and Saira was merely 22 years old. They completed 54 years of marital bliss before Dilip saab passed away.
When 12-Year-Old Saira Banu Fell In Love
At the tender age of 12, Saira was head over heels for Dilip Kumar at first sight!
She had told a daily – “I saw him for the first time in person at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios– he was wearing a plain white shirt, white trousers and white chappals. And my God! He had such lovely free-flowing hair, just in sync with his song Ude Zulfen Jab Jab Teri from Naya Daur. I fell in love with him almost instantly; I was just 12 then.”
When she finally met him at a later age, she had swooned at his compliment. “When he smiled at me and remarked that I was a pretty girl, I could feel my whole being taking wing and flying rapturously. I knew somewhere deep within me that I was going to be his wife,” she’d said.
When Dilip Kumar Was Mesmerized By Her Beauty
Dilip Saab initially was hesitant to pair up with the gorgeous actress, thinking she was too young. But he was blown away by her beauty when he met her.
He wrote about the encounter in his memoir ‘Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow’ –
“When I alighted from my car and entered the beautiful garden that leads to the house, I can still recall my eyes falling on Saira standing in the foyer of her new house looking breathtakingly beautiful in a brocade sari. I was taken aback because she was no longer the young girl I consciously avoided working with because I thought she would look too young to be my heroine. I simply stepped forward and shook her hand and for us, time stood still.”
Trouble In Paradise
Saira Banu’s mother Naseem Banu played cupid and brought the two together – which gave way to their marriage union.
Though Saira worked after marriage, she decided to become a homemaker later on. In 1972, the couple got pregnant but due to complications, Saira suffered a miscarriage and couldn’t conceive again.
Moreover, after 15 years of marriage, Dilip saab secretly got hitched to Asma Rehman, whom he met at a cricket match in Hyderabad, while still married to Saira. His marriage with Asma lasted only for 2 years; 1981–1983, after which he returned back to Saira.
The couple’s relationship stood the test of time and Saira stayed devotedly at her husband’s side till his last breath. She used to lovingly refer to him as her ‘Kohinoor’.
“I am still head over heels in love with my Kohinoor, Yusuf Sahab, the way I was when I first felt attracted to him as a 12 year-old. Ours has been as good and enduring a marriage as so many marriages that have survived the ups and downs for four decades. No marriage is perfect. How can it be, when as human beings we are not perfect? It is mutual love, respect and adoration that keep a marriage ticking.”
May Dilip Kumar’s soul rest in peace!
