Dilip Kumar no more; Veteran actor dies at 98

Dilip Kumar, had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility, since Tuesday.He had been frequently ill for months.

A family friend Faisal Farooqui posted from the actor's Twitter handle, “With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, few minutes ago. We are from God and to Him we return,"

With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, few minutes ago.

We are from God and to Him we return. - Faisal Farooqui

— Dilip Kumar (@TheDilipKumar) July 7, 2021

The veteran actor had been in and out of hospitals in the last one month and the family was hoping he would get better.

Kumar is the pioneer of realistic acting. He was the first one who brought the element of realism in acting in Bollywood.

The legend is survived by his wife, Saira Banu, a Bollywood actress herself. The couple have no children.

Born in December 1922 in Peshawar - in what is now Pakistan - before the partition of India. Like some of his Muslim contemporaries, he took on a Hindu name ‘Dilip Kumar’ when he joined the Hindi film industry. His real name was Yusuf Khan. 

The legend made his acting debut in 1944 with Jwar Bhata and acted in over 65 films in his film career.

In 1947, a drama ‘Jugnu’ opposite Noor Jehan, was the first major hit for Kumar.

He became famous as the ‘Tragedy King’, but he also showed his superb comic timing in films including Daag (1954), Devdas (1955), Azaad (1956), Naya Daur (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Ganga Jamuna (1961), Ram Aur Shyam (1967), Dastaan (1972), Kranti (1981), and Karma (1986).

The ‘Tragedy King’ was last seen in ‘Qila’ in 1998.