Mohammed Yusuf Khan (; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021), better known by his
stage name
A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
Dilip Kumar, was an Indian actor who worked in
Hindi cinema
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
. Credited with pioneering
method acting
Method acting, informally known as The Method, is a range of training and rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, u ...
in cinema,
he dominated the Indian movie scene from late 1940s throughout 1960s,
[
*
* See Dilip Kumar section,
*
* ] being referred to as ''"Abhinay Samrat"'' (
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
for "Emperor of Acting") by the audience. Kumar holds the record for most wins for the
Filmfare Award for Best Actor
The Filmfare Award for Best Actor is an award, begun in 1954, presented annually at the Filmfare Awards to an actor via a jury. This is given by '' Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. The award was firs ...
(eight, which was later equalled by
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
) and was also the inaugural recipient of the award. He holds the best
box-office
A box office or ticket office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through a hole in a wall or window, or at a wicket. By extension, the term is fre ...
record for a
star
A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth make ...
(male or female) in Hindi cinema with over eighty-percent box-office successes.
["The best box office record for a star(male or female) in hindi films is held by the legendary Dilip Kumar."
*"Based on purely box office record Dilip Kumar stands way ahead as his is by far the best box office record with 80% of his films being successes and nearly 50% outright hits."
*]
In a career spanning over five decades, Kumar worked in around
60 films in a variety of roles.
He debuted as an actor in the film ''
Jwar Bhata'' (1944), produced by
Bombay Talkies
Bombay Talkies was a movie studio founded in 1934. During its period of operation, Bombay Talkies produced 40 movies in Malad, a suburb of the Indian city of Bombay.
The studio was established in 1934 by Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani. After ...
. Following a series of unsuccessful ventures, he had his first box office hit in ''
Jugnu'' (1947). Kumar found further success with the romantic ''
Andaz'' (1949), the swashbuckling ''
Aan
''Aan'' (Hindi: आन, Urdu: آن, translation: ''Pride''), released as ''The Savage Princess'' in the United Kingdom and United States, is a 1952 Indian Bollywood adventure film, produced and directed by Mehboob Khan. It was India's first t ...
'' (1952), the social drama ''
Daag'' (1952), the dramatic ''
Devdas
''Devdas'' ( bn, দেবদাস, transliterated as ''Debdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidde ...
'' (1955), the comical ''
Azaad'' (1955), the romantic social ''
Naya Daur'' (1957), the noir mystery ''
Madhumati
''Madhumati'' is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language paranormal romance film directed and produced by Bimal Roy, and written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The film stars Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar in lead roles, with Pran and John ...
'' (1958), the comedy-drama ''
Paigham
''Paigham'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by S. S. Vasan. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala in lead roles, with Raaj Kumar, Pandari Bai, B. Saroja Devi, Motilal, Johnny Walker in other important roles ...
'' (1959) the epic historical ''
Mughal-E-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
'' (1960), the social
dacoit crime drama ''
Gunga Jumna
''Ganga Jamna'' (ISO 15919: ''Gaṅgā Jamunā''), also transliterated as ''Ganga Jamuna'' or ''Gunga Jumna'', is a 1961 Indian crime drama film, written and produced by Dilip Kumar, and directed by Nitin Bose, with dialogues written by Waja ...
'' (1961), and the comedy drama ''
Ram Aur Shyam
''Ram Aur Shyam'' ( English: ''Ram And Shyam'') is a 1967 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by Tapi Chanakya. The film is a remake of Chanakya's 1964 Telugu film '' Ramudu Bheemudu''. It stars Dilip Kumar in a double role as twi ...
'' (1967). All three ''Andaz'', ''Aan'' and ''Naya Daur'' briefly became the
highest-grossing Indian film up to that point, a feat later achieved by ''Mughal-e-Azam'', which sustained the record for 15 years. As of 2021, the latter remains the
highest-grossing Indian film when adjusted for inflation.
The 1970s saw Kumar's career take a downturn, marked by three consecutive commercial underperformers, namely
''Dastaan'' (1972), ''
Sagina
''Sagina'' (like '' Colobanthus'' called "pearlworts") is a genus of 20–30 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. These are flowering herbs native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere extending south to tropical ...
'' (1974) and ''
Bairaag
''Bairaag'' () is a 1976 Hindi-language film. Produced by the duo Mushir-Riaz, it is directed by Asit Sen. The film stars Dilip Kumar, who received a Filmfare nomination for Best Actor for playing a triple role. ''Bairaag'' also stars Saira Ban ...
'' (1976). In 1976, he went on a five-year hiatus from film performances and returned with the revolutionary drama ''
Kranti
''Kranti'' () is a 1981 Indian historical drama film, produced and directed by Manoj Kumar, with the story and screenplay written by Salim–Javed. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Dilip Kumar in the title role along with Manoj Kumar, S ...
'', which was the highest-grossing Indian film of the year. He continued to play leading roles in films such as ''
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
'' (1982), ''
Karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...
'' (1986), and ''
Saudagar'' (1991). His last on-screen appearance was in the commercially unsuccessful ''
Qila {{other uses
Qila ( ar, قلعة), alternatively transliterated as Kilaa, is an Arabic word meaning a fort or castle. The term is also used in various Indo-Iranian languages. Qila often occurs in place-names.
India
;Forts
* Aligarh Qila
* Rohtas ...
'' (1998), which saw him in a dual role. Kumar later served as a member of the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
, the upper house of India's parliament, from 2000 to 2006.
Kumar's personal life was the subject of much media attention, however, he himself had largely avoided media limelight and endorsements. He was in a long-term relationship with actress and frequent co-star
Madhubala
Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era, ...
that ended after the
''Naya Daur'' court case in 1957. He married actress
Saira Banu
Saira Banu (born 23 August 1944) is a former Indian actress who mainly worked in Hindi language films. She was one of the most popular actresses in her heyday in the Indian film industry in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Career
Saira Banu was the ...
in 1966 and resided in
Bandra
Bandra (Indian English, æːɳɖɾa also known as Vandre (Help:IPA/Marathi, �aːn̪d̪ɾe is an upscale coastal suburb located in Mumbai (Bombay) area of the Konkan division, Maharashtra, India. The suburb is located to the immediate nor ...
, a suburb of
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the secon ...
, until his death in 2021. For his contributions to film, the
Government of India
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
awarded him with the
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished servi ...
in 1991 and the
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service". All persons without ...
in 2015, the country's third and second-highest civilian awards respectively. He was also awarded India's highest accolade in the field of cinema, the
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in the field of cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadc ...
in 1994. In 1998, the
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...
conferred Kumar with
Nishan-e-Imtiaz
The Nishan-e-Imtiaz (; ) is one of the state organized civil decorations of Pakistan.
It is awarded for achievements towards world recognition for Pakistan or outstanding service for the country. However, the award is not limited to citizens ...
, their highest civilian decoration, making him the only Indian to have received the honour. The
house that Kumar grew up in, located in
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, was declared a national heritage monument in 2014 by the Pakistani government.
Early life
Dilip Kumar was born as Mohammad Yusuf Khan on 11 December 1922, into a
Hindko
Hindko (, romanized: , ) is a cover term for a diverse group of Lahnda dialects spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in several areas in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and P ...
-speaking
Awan Muslim family at
his family home in the
Qissa Khawani Bazaar neighbourhood of
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, a city in the
North-West Frontier Province
The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ps, شمال لویدیځ سرحدي ولایت, ) was a Chief Commissioner's Province of British India, established on 9 November 1901 from the north-western districts of the Punjab Province. Followin ...
of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
.
He was one of the twelve children of Lala Ghulam Sarwar Khan and his wife Ayesha Begum. His father was a fruit merchant.
Khan was schooled at the
Barnes School
Barnes School, Deolali, is a boarding school in west India. It was established in 1925, on the basis of a 1718 original foundation.
It is a private co-educational prep school. It is an Anglican school, founded in 1925, under the auspices of ...
in
Deolali
Deolali, or Devlali (), is a small hill station and a census town in Nashik district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Now it is part of Nashik Metropolitan Region.
Deolali has an important army base. Deolali Camp, one of the oldest Indian mi ...
(now in
Maharashtra), where his father owned orchards.
He grew up in the same neighbourhood in Peshawar as
Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of ...
, his childhood friend, and later his colleague in the film industry.
In 1940, he moved to Pune and set up a dry fruit supply shop and a canteen.
Despite hailing from Peshawar, Khan's family decided to remain in Bombay following the
partition of the India in 1947.
Khan never acted under his birth name, debuting in ''Jwar Bhata'' in 1944 under the
stage name
A stage name is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. Such professional aliases are adopted for a wide variety of reasons and they may be similar, or nearly identical, to an individu ...
Dilip Kumar. In his autobiography, ''
Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow'', he wrote that the name was a suggestion from
Devika Rani
Devika Rani Choudhuri (30 March 1908 – 9 March 1994), usually known as Devika Rani, was an Indian actress who was active in Hindi films during the 1930s and 1940s. Widely acknowledged as the first lady of Indian cinema, Devika Rani ha ...
, who was one of the producers on ''Jwar Bhata''. In an interview in 1970, he said that he adopted this name out of fear of his father, who never approved of his acting career because of the general poor image of cinema back then.
Career
1940s: First film roles and initial success

Kumar's first film was ''
Jwar Bhata'' in 1944, which went unnoticed. After two more unsuccessful films, it was his fourth film ''
Jugnu'' (1947), in which he starred alongside
Noor Jehan
Noor Jehan (Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Press ...
, that became his first major hit at the box office.
His next major hits were the 1948 films ''
Shaheed
''Shaheed'' ( , , ; pa, ਸ਼ਹੀਦ) denotes a martyr in Islam. The word is used frequently in the Quran in the generic sense of "witness" but only once in the sense of "martyr" (i.e. one who dies for his faith); ...
'' and ''
Mela''. Both ''Jugnu'' and ''Shaheed'' were the highest grossing Hindi films of their respective year of release.

He got his breakthrough role as an actor in 1949 with
Mehboob Khan
Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...
's ''
Andaz'', in which he starred alongside
Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of ...
and
Nargis
Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she made her screen debut in a minor role ...
. At the time of its release, ''Andaz'' was the
highest-grossing Indian film ever, until its record was broken by Kapoor's ''
Barsaat'' that same year. ''
Shabnam
Jharna Basak (born 17 August 1946), known by her stage name Shabnam, is a Bangladeshi–Pakistani stage and film actress. Actor Waheed Murad introduced her to the Pakistani film industry by offering her a lead role in his film '' Samundar'' in ...
'' was another box office hit that was also released in 1949.
1950s: Breakthrough years
The 1950s was Kumar's most successful and prolific decade with him playing leading roles in several box office hits such as ''
Jogan'' (1950), ''
Babul'' (1950), ''
Deedar'' (1951), ''
Tarana
''Tarana'' is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain words (e.g. "odani", "todani", "tadeem" and "yalali") based on Persian and Arabic phonemes are rendered at a medium (''madhya laya'') or fast (''drut laya'' ...
'' (1951), ''
Daag'' (1952), ''
Aan
''Aan'' (Hindi: आन, Urdu: آن, translation: ''Pride''), released as ''The Savage Princess'' in the United Kingdom and United States, is a 1952 Indian Bollywood adventure film, produced and directed by Mehboob Khan. It was India's first t ...
'' (1952), ''
Uran Khatola'' (1955), ''
Insaniyat'' (1955), ''
Devdas
''Devdas'' ( bn, দেবদাস, transliterated as ''Debdās'') is a Bengali romance novel written by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee. The story pivots a tragic triangle linking Devdas, an archetypal lover in viraha (separation); Paro, his forbidde ...
'' (1955), ''
Naya Daur'' (1957), ''
Yahudi
''Yahudi'' (), is a 1958 Hindi-language action drama film directed by Bimal Roy. It starred Dilip Kumar, Meena Kumari, Sohrab Modi, Nazir Hussain, Nigar Sultana and others. It was based on the play ''Yahudi Ki Ladki'' by Agha Hashar Kashmir ...
'' (1958), ''
Madhumati
''Madhumati'' is a 1958 Indian Hindi-language paranormal romance film directed and produced by Bimal Roy, and written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The film stars Vyjayanthimala and Dilip Kumar in lead roles, with Pran and John ...
'' (1958) and ''
Paigham
''Paigham'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by S. S. Vasan. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala in lead roles, with Raaj Kumar, Pandari Bai, B. Saroja Devi, Motilal, Johnny Walker in other important roles ...
'' (1959).
He formed popular on-screen pairings with many of the top actresses at the time including
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala (born 13 August 1936) is a former Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of thirteen wi ...
,
Madhubala
Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era, ...
,
Nargis
Nargis Dutt (born Fatima Rashid; 1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981) was an Indian actress and politician who worked in Hindi cinema. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she made her screen debut in a minor role ...
,
Nimmi
Nawab Bano (18 February 1933 – 25 March 2020), better known by her stage name Nimmi, was an Indian screen actress who achieved stardom in the 1950s and early 1960s in Hindi films. She was one of the leading actresses of the "golden era" of Hin ...
,
Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari (born Mahjabeen Bano; 1 August 1933 – 31 March 1972) was an Indian actress and poet, who worked in Hindi films. Popularly known as ''The Tragedy Queen'', she was active between 1939 and 1972. Kumari is widely considered one of ...
and
Kamini Kaushal
Kamini Kaushal (born as Uma Kashyap, 24 February 1927) is an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films and television. She is noted for her roles in films such as '' Neecha Nagar'' (1946), which won the 1946 Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) at Cannes ...
.
Together with fellow contemporaries
Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of ...
and
Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was o ...
, he dominated the 1950s which is considered a part of the golden era of Hindi cinema. Though the three did not appear in any one film together, Kumar did appear with Raj Kapoor in '' Andaz'' (1949) and Dev Anand in ''Insaniyat''.
Several of his films established his screen image as the "Tragedy King".
Kumar briefly suffered from depression due to portraying many tragic roles and on the advice of his psychiatrist, he also took on light-hearted roles.
Mehboob Khan
Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...
's big-budget 1952 swashbuckling musical ''
Aan
''Aan'' (Hindi: आन, Urdu: آن, translation: ''Pride''), released as ''The Savage Princess'' in the United Kingdom and United States, is a 1952 Indian Bollywood adventure film, produced and directed by Mehboob Khan. It was India's first t ...
'' featured him in one of his first lighter roles
and marked his first film to be shot in
technicolor
Technicolor is a series of color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades.
Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films running through a special ...
. ''Aan'' was the first Indian film to have a wide release across Europe with a lavish premiere in London. ''Aan'' was the highest-grossing Indian film ever at the time, domestically
and overseas.
He had further success with lighter roles as a thief in the comedy ''
Azaad'' (1955), and as a royal prince in the musical ''
Kohinoor'' (1960).
By this time, he had developed his distinct, signature style of understated acting of mumbling his dialogues while giving myriad expressions and meanings to lines that his characters uttered.
He was the first actor to win the
Filmfare Best Actor Award
The Filmfare Award for Best Actor is an award, begun in 1954, presented annually at the Filmfare Awards to an actor via a jury. This is given by '' Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi (Bollywood) films. The award was firs ...
(for ''Daag'') and went on to win it a further seven times. 9 of his 21 films in the 1950s were ranked in the Top 30 highest-grossing films of the decade.
In the 1950s, Kumar became the first Indian actor to charge per film.
1960s: ''Mughal-e-Azam'' and venture into production
In 1960, he portrayed
Prince Salim
Nur-ud-Din Muhammad Salim (30 August 1569 – 28 October 1627), known by his imperial name Jahangir (; ), was the fourth Mughal Emperor, who ruled from 1605 until he died in 1627. He was named after the Indian Sufi saint, Salim Chishti.
Ear ...
in
K. Asif's big-budget epic
historical film
A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romances, adventure films, and swa ...
''
Mughal-e-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
'', which was the
highest-grossing film
Films generate income from several revenue streams, including theatrical exhibition, home video, television broadcast rights, and merchandising. However, theatrical box-office earnings are the primary metric for trade publications in asse ...
in Indian film history for 15 years until it was surpassed by the 1975 film ''
Sholay
''Sholay'' (, ) is a 1975 Indian Hindi-language action-adventure film directed by Ramesh Sippy, produced by his father G. P. Sippy, and written by Salim–Javed. The film is about two criminals, Veeru (Dharmendra) and Jai (Amitabh Bachchan), ...
''. If adjusted for inflation, ''Mughal-e-Azam'' was the highest-grossing Indian film through to the early 2010s, equivalent to over
1000 crore in 2011.
The film was originally shot in black and white, with only two songs and the climax scenes shot in colour. 44 years after its original release, it was fully
colourised and theatrically re-released in 2004 and was once again a box office success.
In 1961, Kumar wrote, produced, and starred in ''
Ganga Jamuna'' opposite his brother
Nasir Khan, playing the title roles. Kumar produced the film under his production company Citizens and it would be the only film he produced. He chose the shade of saree that his co-star
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala (born 13 August 1936) is a former Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of thirteen wi ...
would wear in every scene. The film received the
National Film Award
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directora ...
for
Second Best Feature Film in Hindi, the
Paul Revere
Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, Sons of Liberty member, and Patriot and Founding Father. He is best known for his midnight ride to al ...
Silver Bowl at the
Boston International Film Festival
The Boston International Film Festival is a film festival in the United States held in Boston, Massachusetts which showcases over 90 films annually.
Established in 2003 by film producer Patrick Jerome, the festival features independent films from ...
, the Special Honour Diploma from the
Czechoslovak
Czechoslovak may refer to:
*A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93)
**First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38)
**Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39)
**Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60)
**Fourth Czechoslovak Repub ...
Academy of Arts in
Prague
Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...
, and the Special Prize at the
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival ( cs, Mezinárodní filmový festival Karlovy Vary) is a film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has beco ...
.
In 1962, British director
David Lean
Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics '' The Bridge on the Rive ...
offered him the role of "Sherif Ali" in his film ''
Lawrence of Arabia
Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–19 ...
'' (1962), but Kumar declined to perform in the movie. The role eventually went to
Omar Sharif
Omar Sharif ( ar, عمر الشريف ; born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub , 10 April 193210 July 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the ...
, the Egyptian actor. Kumar commented in his much later released autobiography, "he thought Omar Sharif had played the role far better than he himself could have". Kumar was also being considered for a leading role opposite
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
in a film that Lean was working on called ''Taj Mahal'', before the project was cancelled.
His next film ''
Leader
Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...
'' (1964) was a below-average grosser at the box office. Kumar was also credited with writing the story of this film. His next film ''
Dil Diya Dard Liya
''Dil Diya Dard Liya'' is a 1966 Hindi romance film based upon Emily Brontë's 1847 novel ''Wuthering Heights''. The film is directed by Abdur Rashid Kardar and Dilip Kumar. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, Pran, and Johnny ...
'' (1966) was Kumar's first box office flop in a decade. It was rumoured that he had ghost directed the film but the final credit was given to
Abdul Rashid Kardar
Abdur Rashid Kardar (1904–1989) was an Indian film actor, director and producer. He is credited with establishing the film industry in the Bhati Gate locality of Lahore, British India (now in Pakistan).[dual role
A dual role (also known as a double role) refers to one actor playing two roles in a single production. Dual roles (or a larger number of roles for an actor) may be deliberately written into a script, or may instead be a choice made during produc ...]
of
twins
Twins are two offspring produced by the same pregnancy.MedicineNet > Definition of TwinLast Editorial Review: 19 June 2000 Twins can be either ''monozygotic'' ('identical'), meaning that they develop from one zygote, which splits and forms two em ...
separated at birth in the hit film ''
Ram Aur Shyam
''Ram Aur Shyam'' ( English: ''Ram And Shyam'') is a 1967 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film directed by Tapi Chanakya. The film is a remake of Chanakya's 1964 Telugu film '' Ramudu Bheemudu''. It stars Dilip Kumar in a double role as twi ...
''. In 1968, he starred alongside
Manoj Kumar
Harikrishan Goswami (born 24 July 1937), better known by his screen name Manoj Kumar, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for acting and making films with patriotic themes ...
in ''
Aadmi'' which was an average grosser at the box office. That same year, he starred in ''
Sunghursh
''Sunghursh'' is a 1968 Indian Hindi film directed and produced by Harnam Singh Rawail. It is based on a short story ''Layli Asmaner Ayna'' in Bengali language by Jnanpith Award-winning writer Mahasweta Devi, which presents a fictionalised ac ...
'' with
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala (born 13 August 1936) is a former Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of thirteen wi ...
which was their last film together which created a total of seven hit films together.
1970s: Career slump
In 1970, Kumar played the title role in ''
Gopi
Gopi ( sa, गोपी, ) or Gopika in Hinduism are worshipped as the consorts and devotees of Krishna within the Vaishnavism and Krishnaism traditions for their unconditional love and devotion ('' Bhakti'') to god Krishna as described in the ...
'' which marked his first pairing with wife
Saira Banu
Saira Banu (born 23 August 1944) is a former Indian actress who mainly worked in Hindi language films. She was one of the most popular actresses in her heyday in the Indian film industry in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Career
Saira Banu was the ...
and was a box office success. That same year, he acted opposite Banu again in the
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the ...
language film ''
Sagina Mahato
''Sagina Mahato'' is a 1970 Bengali film. Produced by Shri J. K. Kapur and directed by Tapan Sinha, the film stars Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu. The film is based on the true story of the labour movement of 1942–43, told through with fictiona ...
''. This was his only appearance in a Bengali film. In 1972, he once again played dual roles as twin brothers in ''
Dastaan'' which was a box office flop and began a decline in Kumar's career as a leading man. A Hindi remake of ''Sagina Mahato'', simply titled ''
Sagina
''Sagina'' (like '' Colobanthus'' called "pearlworts") is a genus of 20–30 species of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. These are flowering herbs native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere extending south to tropical ...
'' was made in 1974 with both Kumar and Banu reprising their roles which also failed to do well at the box office. In 1976, he played triple roles as a father and twin sons in ''
Bairaag
''Bairaag'' () is a 1976 Hindi-language film. Produced by the duo Mushir-Riaz, it is directed by Asit Sen. The film stars Dilip Kumar, who received a Filmfare nomination for Best Actor for playing a triple role. ''Bairaag'' also stars Saira Ban ...
''. Though his performance in triple roles was acclaimed, the film was his third consecutive failure at the box office. He personally regarded
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 24 December 1987), also popularly known as M.G.R., was an Indian politician, actor, philanthropist, and filmmaker who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1977 until his death in 1987 ...
's performance in ''
Enga Veettu Pillai
''Enga Veettu Pillai'' () is a 1965 Indian Tamil-language masala film written by Sakthi T. K. Krishnasamy and directed by Chanakya. A remake of his own 1964 Telugu film ''Ramudu Bheemudu'', it stars M. G. Ramachandran and B. Saroja Devi, with ...
'' better than his role in ''Ram Aur Shyam''. He regards his performance in ''Bairaag'' much higher than that of ''Ram Aur Shyam''. The rise of actors like
Rajesh Khanna
Rajesh Khanna () (; born Jatin Khanna; 29 December 1942 – 18 July 2012) was an Indian actor, film producer and politician who worked in Hindi films. He is called as the "First Superstar of Hindi cinema", he consecutively starred in a recor ...
,
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
and
Sanjeev Kumar
Sanjeev Kumar (born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala; 9 July 1938 – 6 November 1985) was an Indian actor. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrill ...
led to Kumar losing film offers from 1970 to 1980. He took a five-year hiatus from films from 1976 to 1981.
Meghnad Desai, Baron Desai
Meghnad Jagdishchandra Desai, Baron Desai (born 10 July 1940) is a India-born naturalised British economist and former Labour politician. He stood unsuccessfully for the position of Lord Speaker in the House of Lords in 2011. He has been a ...
(2004), ''Nehru's hero Dilip Kumar in the life of India'', Lotus Collection, Roli Books, .
1980s: Return to success
In 1981, he returned to films as a character actor playing mature elderly roles. His comeback film was the star-studded historical epic ''
Kranti
''Kranti'' () is a 1981 Indian historical drama film, produced and directed by Manoj Kumar, with the story and screenplay written by Salim–Javed. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Dilip Kumar in the title role along with Manoj Kumar, S ...
'' which was the biggest hit of the year. Appearing alongside an ensemble cast including
Manoj Kumar
Harikrishan Goswami (born 24 July 1937), better known by his screen name Manoj Kumar, is an Indian actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, lyricist and editor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is known for acting and making films with patriotic themes ...
,
Shashi Kapoor
Shashi Kapoor (pronounced �əʃi kəpuːɾ (born Balbir Raj Kapoor; 18 March 1938 – 4 December 2017) was an Indian actor and film producer who is best known for his work in Hindi films. A recipient of several accolades, including four Natio ...
,
Hema Malini
Hema Malini (born 16 October 1948) is an Indian actress, director, producer, and politician. She is primarily known for her work in Hindi films. Known for starring in both comic and dramatic roles, she is one of the most popular and successful ...
and
Shatrughan Sinha
Shatrughan Prasad Sinha (born 9 December 1945) is an Indian actor and politician. He is a Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Asansol constituency as a member of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). Earlier he was elected as Member of Parliame ...
, he played the title role as a revolutionary fighting for India's independence from British rule.
[Top Earners 1980–1989 (Figures in Ind Rs)](_blank)
Box Office India. Retrieved 31 July 2011. In the post-''Kranti'' phase, Kumar reinvented himself to play the "Angry Old Man" to great effect in a series of films like ''
Vidhaata
Vidhaata ( ''Creator'') is a 1982 Indian action drama film directed by Subhash Ghai and produced by Gulshan Rai under his own production company Trimurti Films. It stars Dilip Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Padmini Kolhapure, M ...
'' (1982), ''
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
'' (1982), ''
Duniya'' (1984), etc''.'' In 1982, he collaborated with director
Subhash Ghai Subhash may refer to:
People
* Subhash Agarwal, Indian professional player and coach of English billiards and snooker
* Subhash Awchat (born 1960), Indian artist and author based in Mumbai
* Subhash Bapurao Wankhede (born 1963), Indian politician ...
for the first time with ''Vidhaata'', in which he starred alongside
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though ...
,
Sanjeev Kumar
Sanjeev Kumar (born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala; 9 July 1938 – 6 November 1985) was an Indian actor. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrill ...
and
Shammi Kapoor
Shammi Kapoor (born Shamsher Raj Kapoor; (pronounced �ʌmːi kʌpuːɾ 21 October 1931 – 14 August 2011) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of two Filmfare Awards, winning in the categories of Best Actor f ...
. ''Vidhaata'' was the highest grossing film of the year. Later that year he starred alongside
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
in
Ramesh Sippy
Ramesh Sippy (born 23 January 1947) is an Indian film director and producer in Hindi cinema. He is particularly known for directing '' Sholay'' (1975), which is regarded as one of the most influential Indian film ever made. The Government ...
's ''
Shakti
In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and rep ...
'', which was an average grosser at the box office, but won him critical acclaim and his eighth and final Filmfare Award for Best Actor. In 1984, he starred in
Yash Chopra
Yash Raj Chopra (27 September 1932 21 October 2012) was an Indian film director and film producer who worked in Hindi cinema. The founding chairman of the film production and distribution company Yash Raj Films, Chopra was the recipient of se ...
's social crime drama ''
Mashaal
''Mashaal'' () is a 1984 Bollywood action film. Produced and directed by Yash Chopra, it starred Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman, Anil Kapoor and Rati Agnihotri. The role played by Anil Kapoor was first offered to Amitabh Bachchan and then to ...
'' opposite
Anil Kapoor
Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi films, besides television and international films and television. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a producer, Kap ...
, which failed at the box office, but his performance was critically acclaimed. He also appeared alongside
Rishi Kapoor
Rishi Raj Kapoor (4 September 1952 — 30 April 2020) was an Indian actor, film director and producer who worked in Hindi films. He was the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards and a National Film Award.
Born into t ...
in ''
Duniya'' (1984) and
Jeetendra
Ravi Kapoor ( ; born 7 April 1942), known mononymously by his screen name Jeetendra, is an Indian actor who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He also serves as the chairman of the Balaji Telefilms and Balaji Motion Pictures.
Early li ...
in ''
Dharm Adhikari
''Dharm Adhikari'' () is a 1986 Hindi-language action film, produced by U.V. Suryanarayana Raju under the Gopi Krishna Movies banner, presented by Krishnam Raju and directed by K. Raghavendra Rao. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Jeetendra, Srid ...
'' (1986).
His second collaboration with Subhash Ghai came with the 1986 ensemble action film ''
Karma
Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptively ...
''. ''Karma'' marked the first film which paired him opposite fellow veteran actress
Nutan
Nutan Samarth Bahl (4 June 1936 – 21 February 1991), known mononymously as Nutan, was an Indian actress who worked in Hindi films. In a career spanning nearly four decades, she appeared in more than 70 films, mostly as a protagonist, in both b ...
, although they were paired in an incomplete and unreleased film in the 1950s titled ''Shikwa''.
He acted opposite Nutan again in the 1989 action film ''
Kanoon Apna Apna
''Kanoon Apna Apna'' () is a 1989 Indian Hindi-language action-drama film starring Dilip Kumar, Nutan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit in pivotal roles. The film was a remake of Telugu film ''Collector Gari Abbai''.
Plot
The Collector of Anokhapur, J ...
'' which also reunited him with Sanjay Dutt.
1990s: Directorial debut and final works
In 1990, he co-starred with
Govinda
Govinda (), also rendered Govind and Gobind, is an epithet of Vishnu which is also used for his avatars such as Krishna. The name appears as the 187th and the 539th name of Vishnu in '' Vishnu Sahasranama''. The name is also popularly addresse ...
in the action thriller ''
Izzatdaar
''Izzatdaar'' is a 1990 Indian Hindi-language film starring Dilip Kumar, Govinda, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Shafi Inamdar and South Indian actor Raghuvaran in his Bollywood film debut.
Synopsis
Dilip Kumar plays the role of a man set up and ...
''. In 1991, Kumar starred alongside fellow veteran actor
Raaj Kumar
Raaj Kumar (born Kulbhushan Pandit; 8 October 1926 3 July 1996) was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi films. He appeared in the Oscar-nominated 1957 film '' Mother India'' and starred in over 70 Hindi films in a career that spanned over fo ...
in ''
Saudagar'', his third and last film with director Subhash Ghai. This was his second film with Raaj Kumar after 1959's ''
Paigham
''Paigham'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by S. S. Vasan. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala in lead roles, with Raaj Kumar, Pandari Bai, B. Saroja Devi, Motilal, Johnny Walker in other important roles ...
''. ''Saudagar'' was to be Kumar's penultimate film and last box office success. In 1994, he won the
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, initially named Raj Kapoor Award for Lifetime Achievement after Raj Kapoor is given by the ''Filmfare'' magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.
List of honourees
† - Indicates t ...
for his contributions to the industry.
In 1991, producer
Sudhakar Bokade who had previously worked with Kumar in ''Izzatdaar'' announced a film titled ''Kalinga'' which would officially mark Kumar's directorial debut after he had allegedly previously ghost directed ''
Ganga Jamuna'' (1961) and ''
Dil Diya Dard Liya
''Dil Diya Dard Liya'' is a 1966 Hindi romance film based upon Emily Brontë's 1847 novel ''Wuthering Heights''. The film is directed by Abdur Rashid Kardar and Dilip Kumar. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, Pran, and Johnny ...
'' (1967). Kumar was also set to star in the title role with the cast including
Raj Babbar
Raj Babbar (born 23 June 1952) is an Indian Hindi and Punjabi film actor and politician belonging to Indian National Congress. three-time member of the Lok Sabha and a two-time member of the Upper House of the Indian Parliament. He was the Pre ...
, Raj Kiran (Hindi film actor), Raj Kiran, Amitoj Mann and Meenakshi Seshadri. After being delayed for several years ''Kalinga'' was eventually shelved in 1996 with 70% filming completed.
In 1998, Kumar made his last film appearance in the box office flop ''
Qila {{other uses
Qila ( ar, قلعة), alternatively transliterated as Kilaa, is an Arabic word meaning a fort or castle. The term is also used in various Indo-Iranian languages. Qila often occurs in place-names.
India
;Forts
* Aligarh Qila
* Rohtas ...
'', where he played dual roles as an evil landowner who is murdered and as his twin brother who tries to solve the mystery of his death.
2000s–2021: Shelved projects and political career
In 2001, Kumar was set to appear in a film titled ''Asar – The Impact'' alongside Ajay Devgan and Priyanka Chopra, which was shelved due to Kumar's declining health. He was also set to appear in
Subhash Ghai Subhash may refer to:
People
* Subhash Agarwal, Indian professional player and coach of English billiards and snooker
* Subhash Awchat (born 1960), Indian artist and author based in Mumbai
* Subhash Bapurao Wankhede (born 1963), Indian politician ...
's war film ''Mother Land'', alongside
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
and
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
, but this film was shelved after Khan decided to leave the project.
His classic films ''
Mughal-e-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
'' and ''
Naya Daur'' were fully colourised and re-released in cinemas in 2004 and 2008 respectively. An unreleased film he had shot and completed titled ''Aag Ka Dariya'' was set for a theatrical release in 2013 but has not been released to date.
Kumar was a member of the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 80, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legisl ...
, the upper house of India's parliament, from 2000 to 2006. He was nominated by the Indian National Congress to represent
Maharashtra. Kumar utilised a significant portion of his MPLADS fund towards the construction and improvement of the Bandstand Promenade and the gardens at Bandra Fort at Lands End in Bandra.
Personal life

Kumar and
Madhubala
Madhubala (born Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi; 14 February 1933 – 23 February 1969) was an Indian actress and producer who worked in Hindi-language films. She ranked as one of the highest-paid entertainers in India in the post-independence era, ...
were drawn to each other during the shooting of ''
Tarana
''Tarana'' is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain words (e.g. "odani", "todani", "tadeem" and "yalali") based on Persian and Arabic phonemes are rendered at a medium (''madhya laya'') or fast (''drut laya'' ...
'' (1951). They remained in a relationship for seven years until the Naya Daur (1957 film)#Production, Naya Daur court case, during which Kumar testified against Madhubala and her father, ending their relationship. They never worked together again after ''
Mughal-e-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
'' (1960). Kumar later expressed in his autobiography, "Was I in love with Madhubala as the newspapers and magazines reported at that time? As an answer to this oft-repeated question straight from the horse’s mouth, I must admit that I was attracted to her both as a fine co-star and as a person who had some of the attributes I hoped to find in a woman at that age and time...She, as I said earlier, was very sprightly and vivacious and, as such, she could draw me out of my shyness and reticence effortlessly." However, Kumar shared in his biography that contrary to popular notion, Madhubala’s father Ataullah Khan wasn’t opposed to their match but instead, wanted to turn this marriage into a business venture which did not land well with him. In the late 1950s,
Vyjayanthimala
Vyjayanthimala (born 13 August 1936) is a former Indian actress, dancer and parliamentarian. She is the recipient of several accolades, including two BFJA Awards and five Filmfare Awards. She made her screen debut at the age of thirteen wi ...
was linked by gossip magazines to Kumar, who has acted with her the most compared to any other actress, which resulted in great on-screen chemistry between them. While working for his home production ''
Gunga Jumna
''Ganga Jamna'' (ISO 15919: ''Gaṅgā Jamunā''), also transliterated as ''Ganga Jamuna'' or ''Gunga Jumna'', is a 1961 Indian crime drama film, written and produced by Dilip Kumar, and directed by Nitin Bose, with dialogues written by Waja ...
'' (1961), Kumar reportedly handpicked the shade of sari that Vyjayanthimala would wear in every scene.

In 1966, Kumar married actress
Saira Banu
Saira Banu (born 23 August 1944) is a former Indian actress who mainly worked in Hindi language films. She was one of the most popular actresses in her heyday in the Indian film industry in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Career
Saira Banu was the ...
, who was 22 years younger than him. He later married Hyderabad socialite Asma Sahiba, taking her as a second wife in 1981. That marriage ended in January 1983. Banu and he lived in
Bandra
Bandra (Indian English, æːɳɖɾa also known as Vandre (Help:IPA/Marathi, �aːn̪d̪ɾe is an upscale coastal suburb located in Mumbai (Bombay) area of the Konkan division, Maharashtra, India. The suburb is located to the immediate nor ...
. They did not have any children. In his autobiography, ''Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow'', he revealed that Banu had conceived in 1972, but developed complications in the pregnancy, leading to the child's death. Following this, they did not try to have children again, believing it to be God's will.
Kumar was fluent in his native
Hindko
Hindko (, romanized: , ) is a cover term for a diverse group of Lahnda dialects spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in several areas in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and P ...
as well as Urdu,
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
, Pashto, Punjabi language, Punjabi, Marathi language, Marathi, English language, English,
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the ...
, Gujarati language, Gujarati, Persian language, Persian, and the Bhojpuri language, Bhojpuri and Awadhi language, Awadhi dialects.
He was also a great music enthusiast and also learnt how to play the sitar for a film.
He loved cricket and played it often. He led a cricket team against
Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: �aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of ...
in a friendly cricket match held for charity. Both growing up in
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
and in Bombay, Dilip Kumar and his family had a close relationship with the Kapoor family.
His younger brother
Nasir Khan (1924–1974) was also a noted film actor. Two of his younger brothers died after testing positive for COVID-19 in 2020.
Death
Dilip Kumar died at Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, on 7 July 2021 at 7:30 am, aged 98.
He died after a prolonged illness. He had been suffering from several age-related issues, in addition to testicular cancer and pleural effusion. The Government of Maharashtra approved his burial with state honours under COVID-19 pandemic, COVID-19 restrictions at the Juhu Muslim Cemetery that same day.
Expressing their condolences, Prime Minister of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated in a tweet that Kumar would be remembered as a cinematic legend, while the President of India, President, Ram Nath Kovind, stated that "he was loved across the subcontinent".
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, also expressed condolences for his death and remembered his efforts in raising funds for the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in a tweet. The former President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, also expressed condolences to Kumar and his family.
Artistry and legacy

Kumar is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Cinema of India, Indian cinema,
[
* <
* ] and Film industry, cinema in general. Kumar was a pioneer of
method acting
Method acting, informally known as The Method, is a range of training and rehearsal techniques, as formulated by a number of different theatre practitioners, that seeks to encourage sincere and expressive performances through identifying with, u ...
, predating Hollywood method actors such as Marlon Brando. He inspired many great Cinema of India, Indian cinema actors from contemporaries like Balraj Sahni to succeeding generations of artists, including
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
,
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
, Kamal Haasan, Mammootty, Aamir Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Nawazuddin Siddiqui among others.
[
*
*
*
* ] Kumar, who pioneered his own form of method acting without any acting school experience, was described as "''the ultimate method actor''" by renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray, despite not having worked with him.
Kumar was popularly referred to as "''Abhinay Samrat''" (
Hindi
Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of North India, northern, Central India, centr ...
for "Emperor of Acting") by the audience. He was also dubbed in the media as "''Tragedy King''" because of the acclaimed dramatic roles he took early in his career and is also retrospectively known as "''Khans of Bollywood, The First Khan''" of Bollywood.
[
* ] Other than these, of recent, he is often referred in the media as "''The Kohinoor of Indian cinema''". Kumar was the biggest Indian star of the 1950s and 1960s era,
a national icon and the country's highest paid actor during this period.
[
*
*
*] His prolific period as a leading artist coincides with what retrospectively came to be known as the "''Golden Age of Hindi cinema''", with him playing a key role in its legacy. Film historian Maithili Rao states, "He towered like a mountain in the middle of Hindi film history, obscuring his predecessors and dwarfing his contemporaries."
He is retrospectively recognised as "''The First Superstar of Indian cinema''". He became one of the earliest and most revered stars in the history of Indian cinema having legions of fans across the Indian subcontinent, subcontinent and among the South Asia, South Asian diaspora worldwide. In 2013, on the occasion of centenary of Indian cinema, he was declared the "Biggest superstar of all time" by Filmfare after winning a poll of the same title with 31% votes.
As of 2020, he is by far, the most successful Hindi cinema, Bollywood star of all time with over eighty percent box-office successes.
Trade analysts have acknowledged that many of his films were commercially successful despite their heavy theme and non-commercial nature because the masses gathered in cinemas across India only to see him act, a unique feat as anything such hasn't happened with any other actor. This had been particularly apparent in the late 1940s and early 1950s, a period in which he got the title of "''Tragedy King''" in media outlets.
In the review of the last film of his initial phase, the 1976 musical ''
Bairaag
''Bairaag'' () is a 1976 Hindi-language film. Produced by the duo Mushir-Riaz, it is directed by Asit Sen. The film stars Dilip Kumar, who received a Filmfare nomination for Best Actor for playing a triple role. ''Bairaag'' also stars Saira Ban ...
'', The Hindu, remarked, "For more than 25 years Dilip Kumar was the king at the box office. His name was almost a guarantee of success not only at the time of the release of the film but even in re-runs his films made more money than fresh releases of many of his contemporaries." Renowned director, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, called him "a phenomenon at the time", stating all his films had the hype, "he was absolutely, almost a one-man industry".
In the second phase of his career, which saw him playing mature roles that were the main leads of his films driving them to huge success, Box Office India notes, "This was the part of his illustrious career which sets him apart from all other actors as no one else has managed to such success as a character artist."
Renowned actor Irrfan Khan, remarked, "Till date, no other actor has had that kind of an impact on people’s hearts. The kind of combination he brought along – of an actor and a star – was never seen before him. It started with him, and ended with him. His career, his working style, his personal lifestyle or his choice of films, nothing sets a wrong example. He is a true legend. These days, the word ‘''legend''’ is used loosely, but I strongly believe that he is the only one who deserves to be called ''the legend''".
Accolades

Kumar, Raj Kapoor and
Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was o ...
together formed "the golden trio" of Indian cinema in 1950s and 1960s, with camaraderie between the three contemporary actors, all renowned for their own style. Kumar was the biggest Indian star of this era,
[
*
*] a national icon, holding the status of a matinée idol. He was the country's highest paid actor during this period.
From the independence of India in 1947 to the late 2010s, Kumar held the record of performing in the highest number of highest-grossing films of the year (9 films), until his record was broken by Salman Khan, who performed in 10 such films. However, as per new reports from Box Office India, highest grossing Indian film in 1991 was Kumar's Saudagar (1991 film), ''Saudagar'' (1991) instead of Khan's ''Saajan'' (1991), thus perhaps re-establishing his record.
He is the only actor in India to have delivered at least one bonafide "hit" at the box office for 15 years straight, from 1947 to 1961. He also did not give a single flop in a period of 15 years and a span of 19 films straight from 1952 to 1965.
According to many sources, he is the only Indian actor to have more than one film (3 or 4) among the top 10 List of highest-grossing films in India, highest grossing films of Indian cinema when adjusted for ticket-price inflation. These films are ''
Naya Daur'' (1957), ''
Mughal-e-Azam
''Mughal-e-Azam'' () is a 1960 Indian epic historical drama film produced and directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Durga Khote, it follows the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim (who went on ...
'' (1960), Gunga Jumna, ''Gunga Jumna'' (1961), and ''
Kranti
''Kranti'' () is a 1981 Indian historical drama film, produced and directed by Manoj Kumar, with the story and screenplay written by Salim–Javed. It stars an ensemble cast, consisting of Dilip Kumar in the title role along with Manoj Kumar, S ...
'' (1981).
Over his career, Kumar received eight Filmfare Award for Best Actor, Filmfare Awards for Best Actor (with 19 total nominations), the most of any actor (and was also its inaugural recipient), and a
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award, initially named Raj Kapoor Award for Lifetime Achievement after Raj Kapoor is given by the ''Filmfare'' magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.
List of honourees
† - Indicates t ...
(1993). He holds the record for most consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Actor#Superlatives, Filmfare award for Best Actor wins. He also received a Special Recognition Filmfare Award at the 50th Filmfare Awards for being one of the first recipients of Filmfare Awards along with Lata Mangeshkar and Naushad, Naushad Ali.
Kumar was appointed Sheriff of Mumbai (an honorary position) for 1980. The
Government of India
The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...
honoured Kumar with the
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "distinguished servi ...
in 1991, the
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in the field of cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadc ...
in 1994 and the
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan ("Lotus Decoration") is the second-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna. Instituted on 2 January 1954, the award is given for "exceptional and distinguished service". All persons without ...
in 2015. The Government of Andhra Pradesh honoured Kumar with NTR National Award in 1997. He was honoured with CNN-IBN's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. The Government of Madhya Pradesh honoured Kumar with Rashtriya Kishore Kumar Samman in 2015.
The
Government of Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...
conferred Kumar with the
Nishan-e-Imtiaz
The Nishan-e-Imtiaz (; ) is one of the state organized civil decorations of Pakistan.
It is awarded for achievements towards world recognition for Pakistan or outstanding service for the country. However, the award is not limited to citizens ...
, the highest civilian award in Pakistan, in 1998.
The ruling political party of Shiv Sena in
Maharashtra, India, had objected to this award and questioned Kumar's patriotism. However, in 1999, in consultation with the then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Kumar retained the award. Vajpayee declared, "There is no doubt about film star Dilip Kumar's patriotism and commitment to the nation." Kumar later said in his autobiography that returning it "could have only soured relations further and produced bad vibes between India and Pakistan."
Many believe this incident prolonged his wait for Bharat Ratna.
The House of Dilip Kumar in
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, Pakistan, was declared as a national heritage monument in 2014 by the then Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Kumar was voted the "Greatest Indian Actor of All Time" in a Rediff.com, Rediff Readers poll in 2011. He holds the Guinness World Records, Guinness World Record for having received the most awards by an Indian actor. He was honoured by the ''World Book of Records'' on his 97th birthday for his "matchless contribution to Indian cinema and promoting social causes".
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kumar, Dilip
1922 births
2021 deaths
Indian male film actors
Film directors from Mumbai
Film producers from Mumbai
Indian male voice actors
Recipients of Nishan-e-Imtiaz
Hindi-language film directors
Male actors in Hindi cinema
Sheriffs of Mumbai
Rajya Sabha members from Maharashtra, Kumar Dilip
Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients
Indian actor-politicians
Male actors from Mumbai
People from Peshawar
20th-century Indian male actors
Recipients of the Padma Vibhushan in arts
Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in arts
Filmfare Awards winners
Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Method actors