A Class Apart

The original Badshah of Bollywood Dilip turns 84 on the 11th of December. Born in December 1922 Dilip Kumar has worked for the position he holds in the industry today. Every actor of caliber since has aped him - be it Rajendra Kumar, Manoj Kumar or Amitabh Bacchan and Shahrukh Khan and the array who have since been imitating Amitabh Bacchan are actually imitations twice removed, from the original Dilip Kumar.

But Dilip Kumar has always remained a class apart. He is the only star who can wear a dhoti/kurta and look sophisticated (Ganga Jamuna); the only star who could dance as if dancing could be the only expression of his exuberance (notwithstanding Shammi Kapoor the boisterous dancer); the only star who could play Devdas with such heart wrenching intensity that the fictional character gained from his performance; the only star who was dubbed ‘tragedy king’ but could do comedy with complete savoir faire (Leader, Kohinoor, Azaad); the only star whose idea of romance was not to whisper sweet nothings into his beloved’s ear but to tease her so mercilessly that she threw up her hands in despair (Paigam, Leader, Gunga Jamuna, Kohinoor).

All roles suited him. Or should that read he suited all roles? Mughal-E-Azam showed him at his passionate best… who can ever forget the prince whose silence expressed his fury better than any dialogue could? Such authenticity did he bring to every role that one could believe completely in Dilip Kumar the yokel (Ram aur Shyam), Dilip Kumar the wastrel (Daag, Footpath), Dilip Kumar the prince and the pauper.

Mohammad Yusuf Khan alias Dilip Kumar never trained in any acting school yet there was a method to his acting long before method acting caught on in film circles in India. It must be mentioned that this actor incomparable sang his first song in Hrishikesh Mukerji’s film Musafir- the number, a thumri with Lata Mangeshkar… goes ‘laagi nahin choote rama chahey jiya jaaye’ and it exemplifies the sort of input he brought  into any project he took up.

He learnt to play the sitar for Kohinoor and every movement he made in Madhumati has been copied. One cannot call him a spontaneous actor - his studied style of acting made him a force to contend with and in the 55 years he’s been in the film industry, one has never seen him lose this tremendous mastery over his persona.

Born in Pakistan, the young Yousuf ran away to Pune after an altercation with his father-earned his living there till Mumbai beckoned him for his vocation. He signed his first film Jawar Bhata in 1946 and came to be identified with the hero he played in films like Jugnu, Shikasht, Mela, Deedar, Andaaz, Babul, Daag, Footpath - the forlorn tragic lover gained from the voice of Talat Mahmood who sang for most of his films.

But despite the tag, Dilip Kumar had a flair for comedy which was strongly reminiscent of Jerry Lewis. He was obviously influenced by that absent minded professor. Since the forties, his career reflected his incredible talent and he’s become a source book for actors. It was the 70’s decade that saw his career reach a standstill but the 80’s saw him back with perfect panache in films like Kranti, Shakti, Saudagar, Karma, Vidhata.

Unfortunately Dilip Kumar’s personal life has always been turbulent. His standing in the industry gets him unwittingly pulled into controversies where none existed and every move he’s made has received public scrutiny. It is definitely undeserved for he is first an artiste and should be seen as one but perhaps that’s the price one has to pay for such high voltage success?

Today in the sunset years he remembers more the years of childhood before partition, eating fruits playing with the buffaloes at home and sleeping peacefully with handmade blankets to beat the Peshawar cold and says that’s the stuff of life. Those are the memories he relishes and today those are the moments he relives

Dilip Kumar is regarded as arguably the greatest actor ever to grace the Indian silver screen. His performances have been regarded as the epitome of emoting in Indian Cinema. Though he has done all kinds of films - he balanced a lightweight Shabnam (1949) with the intense Andaaz (1949), the ultra-serious Daag (1952) with the swashbuckling Aan (1952), the heavy Devdas (1955) with the entertainer Azaad (1955), he is mainly remembered as the King of Tragedy.

He was born in Peshawar (now Pakistan) as Yusuf Khan in a Pathan Family of 12 children who later moved to Maharashtra as fruit merchants. From being the assistant manager in an army canteen, he set up his own fruit stall.

In Bombay, he was given his first break by Devika Rani, who cast him as the hero of Bombay Talkies Jwar Bhatta (1944). He attained stardom with Jugnu (1947) opposite singing diva Noorjehan.

The success of Shaheed (1948) and Mela (1948), a Devdas type of film set Dilip Kumar off in a chain of films were he played a doomed lover - Andaaz (1949), which made him a superstar, Babul (1950), Jogan (1950), Deedar (1951), Udan Khatola (1955) and of course Devdas. But at times his heavy mannerisms acquired in his tragedy roles gave his characters a heavy-handedness that could be quite difficult to take - like in Devdas and particularly in the adaptation of Wuthering Heights - Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966).

Playing mostly serious roles however began to take its toll on him and on psychiatric advice he switched over to do more light-hearted musical films and what's more actually appeared quite at home in them. (Azaad, and Kohinoor (1960)).

Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Ganga Jamuna (1961) marked the peak of Dilip Kumar's career. But though his performance as Salim in the former has often been rated as among his best ever, he actually looks strangely uncomfortable in the film. Ganga Jamuna however was a flawless performance and perhaps the greatest of his career. His Bhojpuri dialect in the film was perfect and it was shocking he lost the Filmfare Award that year to Raj Kapoor for Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960).

He married actress Saira Bano in 1966 and was absolutely brilliant in the comedy Ram Aur Shyam (1967) essaying a double role and displaying razor sharp comic timing but his career ran out of steam in the 1970s.

Taking a break from acting, he made a grand comeback in character roles with Manoj Kumar's Kranti (1981) and Ramesh Sippy's Shakti (1982) where his larger than life author-backed role confirmed his legendary status. It was yet another brilliant performance. To quote one of the writers of the film, Salim Khan...

"We were amazed that he has given a whole new dimension to the character we had written. It happens very rarely that you have a competent script and the film goes beyond what you imagined…Dilip Kumar understood the character and enhanced it his own way."

Shakti was also perhaps Director Ramesh Sippy's best film. But unfortunately the film failed at the box-office. It won Dilip Kumar yet another Filmfare Award for Best Actor though.

Dilip Kumar has continued to do strong central character roles in films though his first official directorial venture Kalinga is yet to be released.

Interestingly, Dilip Kumar refused Guru Dutt's Pyaasa (1957) feeling that the character of the poet Vijay in the film was just an extension of his role in Devdas. And turned down 20th Century Fox's offer of The Rains Came and David Lean's offer of the role which ultimately went to Omar Sharif in Lawrence of Arabia (1962). To quote him

"In your own bazaar you enjoy a certain status. What's the point of venturing out into fields unknown where you have no say? No contact with the subject matter."

Dilip Kumar's acting has inspired many Indian actors to try and copy his style but none have even remotely been able to match him. Which just goes on to prove that Dilip Kumar was sorry… is truly one and one of a kind.

Dilip Kumar

Madhubala and Dilip Kumar met seven years later on the sets of Tarana when she was eighteen years old. During the shooting she sent her hairdresser with a note written in Urdu together with a red rose asking him to accept it if he loved her, which intrigued and amused Dilip Kumar and naturally he accepted the rose.

Dilip Kumar and Premnath became friends whilst working together in Anand and realised they were being two timed by Madhubala. Premanth later became involved with Bina Rai whom he married but he remained friends with Madhubala even after his marriage. She was immature and had a confused state of mind.

Dilip Kumar was angry and never forgave her, even though their relationship lasted seven
years he never married Madhubala. However she truly loved him and desperately wanted to marry him.

She had to endure Dilips' coldness for nine years during the shooting of Mughal-e-Azam. Madhubala knew that she had the role of a lifetime even though her ill health prevailed her from shooting but she had the determination to revive herself and continue with the shooting.

K Asif was obsessed with realism and ignorant of Madhubala's illness used real chains on her, which used
to deeply cut her and make her skin go blue, her father tried to persuade him to use plastic chains but to no avail. Madhubala's laughter and sparkle had gone during this period maybe it was due to the heartache she felt as Dilip's attitude towards her was so cold.

On 5 August Mugha-e-azam was released which was a major blockbuster. She didn't receive the filmfare award that she rightly deserved as they were normally obtained by foul play in those days and Madhubala was too proud to stoop to such levels

'Devdas and I still don't see eye to eye' Thespian Dilip Kumar relives his role as Indian cinema's most tragic hero

Sarat Chandra Chatterjee's classic finds itself cinematically interpreted for the third time. Only this time, it comes neatly packaged with yuppie stars, designer costumes and an England-returned, rather well fed Devdas.

The first production, in 1935, with the inimitable K L Saigal, was made when cinema was in its infancy. But it remains a classic that hardened K L Saigal fans swear by even today. The magical score and lyrics of unforgettable tunes like Dukh ke ab din beetat naahin and Balam aye baso more man mein,

penned by the 19-year-old Kidar Sharma, still retain their quality ofeternal freshness.

In P C Barua's Devdas, K L Saigal immortalised himself as the doomed lover and influenced every love tragedy thereafter. He even put in a cameo appearance in the Bengali version of Devdas made again by Barua.

The second effort with the unsurpassed Dilip Kumar as Devdas, is the one that most people remember with. The mention of Devdas conjures up only one image -- Dilip Kumar. The film also brought Vyjayantimala (as Chandramukhi) into the limelight, asserting her position as an actress rather than a dancer. And Paro reinforced Suchitra Sen's quiet mystique.

On the eve of the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus, Lata Khubchandani persuades Dilip Kumar to rewind to his 1955 film:

Dilip Kumar saw a psychoanalyst after acting as Devdas
Devinder Bir Kaur

The Thespian: Life and Films of Dilip Kumar
by Urmila Lanba

DILIP Kumar has often been asked to write his autobiography. The gentleman that he is, he has always refused on the grounds that he would be hurting too many people (read heroines). But the present book on the thespian gives an insight into the life and works of Hindi cinema’s greatest actor. Those of us who have grown up on Dilip Kumar’s films and lived through his peak years will feel completely updated about the events in his life. There is hardly any area of Dilip Kumar’s life which has not been explored. So we have chapters on his early life, family, entry into films, his heroines, acting skills, marriage, the Asma episode and his flirting with politics. How can one overlook the priceless pictures from his movies, personal photographs and the sketch M.F. Husain made of the actor specially for the writer? The writer, Urmila Lanba, has certainly taken pains and spent several years in bringing out the details by talking to his family members and those who have worked with him or have been associated with him in some form or another. Even his interviews of the past and the present and what the media has had to say about him — all have been artfully incorporated. She has meticulously mentioned her sources. However, one can’t get rid of the feeling that the man himself continues being elusive and remains an enigma.

The first section of the book, which deals with Yusuf Khan’s (Dilip Kumar’s real name) days in Peshawar, is indeed the most fascinating. Being an exceptionally good-looking child — very fair, with rosy cheeks and dark hair — his grandmother used to mark Yusuf’s face with a black kohl and shave off his hair. The periodic shaving of his head to ward off the evil eye was perhaps responsible for his thick, dark, lustrous thatch that he later wore in an attractive cut. But that experience of a shaven head and kohl-marked face may also have contributed to Yusuf’s introvert and exceedingly intense personality. Then, as a five-year-old child, he had the horror of accidentally being locked up in a room where the dead bodies of two young Shia boys lay. Years later he would draw emotions from these personal experiences, for instance, the anguish of his shaven head, or the frightening experience of having to spend hours with the deads bodies.

Yusuf, born on December 11, 1922, belonged to a family of six boys and six girls. He has always been emotionally attached to his family which he admits has kept him going. The writer has found out the details of the entire clan — who is married to whom and settled where. It’s interesting to note that several well-known film personalities like K. Asif, Begum Para and later Mazhar Khan were related to Yusuf’s family.

Yusuf Khan became Dilip Kumar in 1944 when he joined films and, perhaps, the legendary Devika Rani was responsible in giving him this name. His first release was Bombay Talkies’ Jwar Bhata, which left the critics unimpressed and did moderate business. It was only his third film Milan, in 1946, that brought Dilip Kumar his first box-office success and personal recognition. Thus began a long successful career spanning more than 50 years. The author has chronologised all his films, right uptil his last release Qila in 1998. We learn that Dilip Kumar, a well-read man, was fascinated by the character of Heathcliff from Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. He did three films, Arzoo, Sangdil and Dil Diya Dard Liya, based on the brooding persona of Heathcliff.

Dilip Kumar put in his all in the film Devdas made under Bimal Roy’s impeccable direction. The author narrates that there was an instance when the shooting for the day was over and everyone except Dilip Kumar had gone home. Dilip was planning to spend the night at the studio because the next day’s shot required an unshaven, sleepless look. That was Dilip spending a sleepless night in order to lend authencity to the next morning scene! He won the Filmfare award for his brilliant performance in this film. The public too loved him as Devdas and critics gave him excellent reviews. But Dilip had to seek his psychoanalyst’s advice after doing the consuming role. So when Azaad came it freed him from the shackles of being a tragic hero in film after film. And he went on to do Kohinoor, Leader and Ram aur Shyam; showing a flair for comedy as well.

Another interesting chapter in the book is on Dilip Kumar’s relationships with his heroines. But this portion only includes the views and comments of other film personalities. So we have film critic Rinki Bhattacharya, daughter of late Bimal Roy, note that in his younger days Dilip’s "name was linked with most of his heroines." Dilip underplayed his emotions, projecting both a certain helplessness and an inherent goodness of character, a deadly combination which never failed to appeal to women cinegoers.

Kamini Kaushal was probably the first woman Dilip fell in love with. Writer Ismat Chugtai once revealed that during the shooting of Arzoo, Kamini and Dilip would hold hands on the sets but would cover their hands with the film script! But Kamini was already married and divorces were rare. Family pressures on both sides were great and Kamini’s brother, who was in the Army, threatened Dilip. Under the circumstances, it was not surprising that their relationship should have ended.

Then came the beautiful, lively, giggly Madhubala with here million-dollar smile. She was just the person Dilip needed. But Madhu was dating Dilip on the one hand even while keeping actor Premnath on hold! She had been in love with Premnath prior to meeting Dilip. However, it was Madhu’s father who was ultimately responsible for the Madhubala-Dilip Kumar breakup.

Dilip Kumar, a highly eligible bachelor and heart-throb of millions, got married at the age of 45 to filmstar Saira Banu, who had arrived on the scene with her 1961 release Junglee. The marriage that took place in October 1966 has been described in great detail, but more interesting are the events that led to the momentous moment in the lives of the two stars. Thus, we are told of another strong contender Rajendra Kumar’s role in Saira’s life which only hastened her wedding to stalwart Dilip. Saira’s mother Naseem Banu also had a role to play. She persuaded Dilip to marry her dauther as "Islam khatre mein hai." After the marriage Saira never let her in-laws forget how young she was, and would address Dilip Kumar’s friends and colleagues as uncles!

None of the Dilip Kumar fans can forget the Asma episode (1980-83) in his life which not only caused a major upheavel in Saira’s life but also tarnished his image to a great extent. A chapter has been devoted to Dilip Kumar’s second marriage which became very messy. To his utter dismay he learnt that Asma had been in touch with her ex-husband all along and the two in fact were leaking out the news to the press. The experience left Dilip a very sad and disillusioned man. Dilip still does not wish to talk about it. All he is willing to say it that it was a mistake.

Indeed, the author, Urmila Lanba, a lawyer by profession, has done a lot of research and spent years in order to produce this goldmine on Dilip Kumar. A diehard Dilip Kumar fan has to thank her for such an exhaustive analysis of one of the greatest actors and most charming men the Indian film industry has every produced.