Peshawar: Legendary Indian thespian Dilip Kumar was not just an actor but an institution. People like Dilip Kumar are born once in a century, Pakistan’s Senator Mohsin Aziz said Monday. He incidentally is a nephew of Dilip Kumar who died last week.
A condolence meet was organised here in the memory of Kumar. The Pakistani lawmaker threw light on Kumar’s life, career, character and his attachment with Peshawar where he was born.
Kumar was born December 11, 1922 at his ancestral home in Qissa Khawani Bazaar area of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. His original name was Yousuf Khan.
“Actors like Kumar are born once in a century. He was not just an actor, but an institution,” Aziz said. “He was a thorough gentleman and down to earth person who won hearts of thousands and millions of people through his hard work,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader said. “He was a great social worker and contributed generously for humanity,” added Aziz.
In 1998, the Pakistan government honoured Kumar with the ‘Nishan-e-Imtiaz’ – the country’s highest civilian award.
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Pakistan’s top leadership and people showed their adulation for the legendary actor last week. President Arif Alvi described Kumar as ‘an outstanding actor, a humble man, and a dignified personality’.
“Sorry to see Dilip Kumar (Yusuf Khan) depart from his worldly abode. An outstanding actor, a humble man, and a dignified personality. Condolences to the immediate family and his huge family of admirers. May his soul rest in peace,” Alvi had tweeted.
Often known as the Nehruvian hero, Kumar did his first film Jwar Bhata in 1944 and his last Qila in 1998, 54 years later. The five-decade career included hits like Mughal-e-Azam, Devdas, Naya Daur, and Ram Aur Shyam. Later Kumar graduated to character roles in films like Shakti and Karma.
The actor is survived by his wife Saira Banu.