Team Clarion
MUMBAI — Bollywood veteran actor Dilip Kumar passed away here on Wednesday due to age-related illness, his family has confirmed. He was 98.
He died at the private Hinduja Hospital where he had been admitted for certain breathing issues, according to news agency IANS.
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
He was also popularly known as the First Khan of Bollywood. Born on December 11, 1922 as Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, he began his acting career with the screen name, Dilip Kumar.
First Khan of Bollywood holds the record for winning the maximum number of Filmfare awards. He was the inaugural recipient of the award and won the best actor Filmfare Award eight times, reports ANI. In his five-decade-long career, he contributed to Hindi cinema in different ways, including the introduction of the method acting technique.
Dilip Kumar was conferred the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. In the same year, he was honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award and was later conferred the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.
Dilip Kumar, lovingly known as Dilip Saab, got married with the then Bollywood diva Saira Banu, who was 22 years younger than him, in the year 1966.
Prime Minister Narenrda Modi condoled his demise as he tweeted: “He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoles the death of veteran actor“.
Dilip Kumar Ji will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled. His passing away is a loss to our cultural world. Condolences to his family, friends and innumerable admirers. RIP.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 7, 2021
Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan shared a picture with Dilip Kumar on Instagram and wrote, “My idol Dilip Saheb .. lost .. never before never after .. “an epic era has drawn curtains .. never to happen again “ Peace and duas.
Bollywood film star Akshay Kumar said, “To the world many others may be heroes. To us actors, he was The Hero. #DilipKumar sir has taken an entire era of Indian cinema away with him.”
