Jagmohan Singh Barhok
A person who is excellent at performing as a stage and film personality is called thespian in simpler words.Dilip Kumar was undeniably gifted with this ability. He could act as well emote.The films in which he figured as a player speaks volumes of his histrionics, so to say. Be it ” Amar”, “Andaaz”, “Aan”, “Shaheed”, “Mela” , “Devdas”, “Madhumati”, “Yahudi” ,”Paigham”, ” Naya Daur”, “Ram Aur Shyam”, or “Mughal-E-Azam”.
Interestingly, Dilip Kumar was the first actor to win the Filmfare Best Actor Award for his 1952 film “Daag”. The Award came into being in 1953 and he won it in the year 1954.
“Devdas” ( 1955 ) added another feather in the thespian’s cap.The film featuring Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala, Suchitra Sen & Motilal was declared a classic. Vyjayanthimala ,who played Chandramukhi in the film, later made it to the top slot. The film has a dramatic nay tragegic end. The film received many nominations winning the Best Actor Filmfare Award for Dilip Kumar, the Best Supporting Actor for Moti Lal & Best Actress in Supporting Role for Vyjayanthimala which she refused to accept .
Dilip Kumar has been Sheriff of Bombay between 1979-1982 & was offered to play a significant role in David Lean’s “Lawrence of Arabia” which he plainly refused. He produced & starred in ” Ganga Jamuna” (1961) casting his brother Nasir Khan. Vyjayanthimala played Dhanno while Kanhaiyala acted as Kallu. The film turned out to be a ‘Gold Mine’ for the makers as it earned a net 3.5 crore,then a whopping figure equvilant to about 2100 crore at the current gold price.The film followed Mughal-e-Azam in the list of ‘Top 50 films of Last 50 years’ then. The film completed Silver & Golden Jubilee run at cimema halls.
His relations were strained with Madhubala during the making of “Naya Daur” because of her father’s interference following which producer B.R.Chopra replaced her with Vyjayanthimala. The film turned out to be a blockbuster with many hit numbers like “Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawanon Ka”, “Sathi Hath Badhana, Sathi Hath Badhana’, “Mangke Saath Tumhara, Maine Mang Liya Sansar”, & “Ude Jab Jab Zulfen Teri, Kunwariyon Ka Dil Machle” to mention some.
The most successful film of 1960s was K.Asif’s “Mughal-E-Azam”, featuring Dilip Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor, Madhubala, MotiLal, Ajit ,Durga Khote & Nigar Sultana ,released on 5 August 1960. The dialogues of the film, written by Kamal Amrohi,K. Asif, Wajahat Mirza & Ehsan Rizvi ,were the star attraction of the film. Dilip Kumr & Madhubala were not on talking terms yet K. Asif completed the film splendidly. The feather touching scene picturized on the lead pair was pinnacle of romanticism.
Dilip Kumar commonly called as ‘Tragedy King’ symbolized pathos in his most films. The phenomenon is derived from Thespis, the famous Greek Dramatist who was inventor of tragedy.The actor, who made his debut with Amiya Chakravarty’s 1944 film “Jwar Bhata” featuring Ruma Guha, K.N.Singh & Mumtaz Ali with music score by Anil Biswas, rose to starry heights in later years, becoming one of the finest component of film firmament.
Dilip Kumar was unlucky not to have married his heart- throb Madhubala .He, however, was lucky enough to have later married a woman who proved herself to be most faithful, loving and caring wife until his death. She was also one among the five highest paid actresses in 1970s & teamed up with her husband in films like “Gopi”, “Duniya” , “Bairaag” & “Sagina”. The couple married in 1966, Saira Bano was then 22-year younger to him. Saira Bano received four Best Actress Nominations for “Junglee” (1961), “Diwana”, “Shagird”(1967) & “Sagina” ( 1974).
Thespian won 8 Filmfare Best Actor Awards including Dadasaheb Phalke and The Nishan-e-Pakistan, highest civil decoration of Pakistan besides several other accolades. Born this Day in 1922 at Peshawar, now in Pakistan.
