by Dilip Kumar
Over the years, we met often, and our relationship became more special after I married Meenakshi! Sairaji and Meenakshi are very close spiritually.
Dilip Sahab is a tall human being – an icon, and yet a friend – a timeless phenomenon, which the almighty exhibits only infrequently to show the faithful his benevolence and to rekindle their faith in him. And of these memories – it was truly said
God gave His children memory
That in life’s garden there might be
June roses in December …
*A 1966 film whose producer and director was A. R. Kardar.
*A hauntingly melodious song picturized on Dilip Kumar in the 1958 film Madhumati, sung by Mukesh, written by Shailendra and set to tune by Salil Chaudhury.
SAYESHA * WALTZING WITH THE LEGEND … PHUPHONANA
DANCING TO ME COMES AS NATURALLY AS breathing and I was the typical dancing diva at home! All of five years of age, I was giving my most spontaneous performance to an enraptured audience of my granduncle, my grandaunt and my mother! Little did I know that the man who asked for an encore, clapping enthusiastically along with his shrill whistle that made me cover my ears, and whom I called and revered as my granduncle, was the greatest actor in the Indian film fraternity! How many girls in the world can say they waltzed in real life, not on celluloid, with the great Dilip Kumar? None! Only me. That makes me feel really special!
He is the most loving, child-friendly grandparent and often took me for drives in his burgundy Mercedes, with the police jeep escorting the car, sometimes using the siren to clear the way. My child-like imagination ran riot at such times, and I believed that the paraphernalia was all for me! I definitely felt like royalty! When he walked at Joggers Park [in Bandra], I held his hand and skipped to keep pace with him. I always noticed that my grandaunt would gracefully slide away so that I could hold his hand. I have never seen devotion to a husband that parallels phuponani’s. There is not one day that I remember the two apart from each other. That makes their relationship incomparable.
I entered hand-in-hand with him and my grandaunt to the premiere of the coloured version of his movie Mughal-e-Azam [in 2004], which was when I experienced the hysteria that surrounded him, and the immense respect that he effortlessly commanded. His humble demeanour despite his legendary status kept me spellbound. He became a revelation that instant and I realized that phuphonana was beyond just my granduncle!
As I grew, I learnt some beautiful Urdu words from him. My best efforts would receive an encouraging ‘Umda’ (superb)! The most cherished movie song for me will always be Koi sagar dil ko behlata nahin from his movie Dil Diya Dard Liya* as I have sung this song with him innumerable times. His voice always matched beautifully with the expression in his eyes and he never sang a note out of tune!
Recently I saw his movie Mashaal, and the very famous scene in which he is trying to stop a car to take his dying wife to hospital. Then I saw Gunga Jumna and his death scene wrenched my heart. My soft and loving granduncle, metamorphosed into a dynamic, powerhouse performer within seconds. With no references for him, just self-study, he is unbelievable! Although he is admired for being the ultimate tragedy king on screen, in reality, phuphonana is fun loving, child-like and always ready for a new adventure. He has a wicked sense of humour, which he displays in the most unexpected circumstances that too without ever being caught.
I remember him advising me to speak slowly and keep a pleasant expression at all times. He never liked seeing me frown and would pull me up immediately. Such intricate observations and suggestions from him will remain etched in my memory forever.
I cannot thank god enough to be as fortunate as to be born, during the time where I could witness the presence of the thespian, the legend, and the genius of … my most loving granduncle, my phuphonana, Dilip Kumar!
I love you!
– Sayesha
*Sultan’s granddaughter.
*Sung by Mohammed Rafi, written by Shakeel Badayuni and set to tune by Naushad.
SHAHEEN * YOUSUF UNCLE AND ME …
DILIP KUMAR: THE LEGEND, THE ENIGMA, the thespian, the tragedy king; so many words describing him! However, I never even realized that I was living with such an iconic figure in the same home, till I was probably twelve. For me, he is the uncle who married my paternal aunt, Saira, and became a father-figure. Yousuf Uncle is one of a kind! My relationship with him is unique, as I have grown up with him witnessing my life. I have shared all my secrets with him, from my tantrums, to my crushes and he has been my confidant throughout my teenage adventures.
My first memory of him is blurry, but they say little children sometimes remember strange things and so I distinctly recollect him, carrying me in his palm, much above his head, swinging me to and fro, with me gurgling in delight and my aunt shrieking in horror: ‘Woh gir jayegi, woh gir jayegi! (She’ll fall down!) My aunt is quite gentle, having been one of two children, and he is definitely boisterous, coming from a family of more people than one can count!
Switzerland for many of us is synonymous with Yash Chopra’s movies. But for me, it’s the place I spent my school holidays with my family. The boat ride on Lake Geneva with Yousuf Uncle, the fact that he never carried enough money for anything really and had it not been for my aunt checking his wallet religiously, he would probably be stuck everywhere, as he does not remember numbers and of course we are talking about the days when no one had even heard of mobile phones!
I remember an instance when he insisted that his French could be rivalled by all of France, and he took me with him for a drive in Geneva. As luck would have it, a woman who did not know a word of English drove our taxi. Of course, Yousuf Uncle’s French was far from smattering, and soon we were miles away from a drive in the mountains that we requested, heading at top speed to an alien destination! At this time, I was fifteen, although, I probably looked older, and the taxi driver mistook me to be a young woman on a romantic excursion with him! Hungry, tired and a trifle frustrated, we asked for a restaurant to have some lunch. It was only after a few bites of the lovely sole fish on a waterfront café, when we realized to our horror that the driver had deposited us on a topless beach. All of Yousuf Uncle’s bravado suddenly vanished and he asked me to run with him towards the taxi, completely flummoxed at being in this situation with his niece! His expression was definitely a Kodak moment!
He is exactly the way I would have wanted my son to be. Yousuf Uncle is the typical man, and truly exuberates macho; yet has the most vulnerable look in eyes that can make anyone’s heart melt. He loves sports, and would never miss a cricket match or a football game. My childhood was spent holding his firkee while he flew the kite. I learnt to fly a kite thanks to him, but was never successful in defeating him although I made several failed attempts in our impromptu matches. But like all other things, he is just an absolute pro at kite flying! He spruces up omelettes that can give the best chef a run for his money; he has his own list of special ingredients that give a dish that extra edge: like ginger in an omelette accompanied by a dash of black pepper! He can buy saris for a woman like no one else. Also like a typical man, he never remembered birthdays or anniversaries. It would only be the arrival of all the other bouquets from friends that would ring a bell in his mind that perhaps it was an occasion that he needed to jog his memory about! On realizing the yearly faux pas, he would pack me off to the nearest florist at Bandstand saying, ‘Shaheen, main toh bhool gaya, aisa karo, zara jaldi jao, aur kuch phool banva lo, phir mujhe bula lena!’ [Shaheen, I have forgotten; so get a bouquet made, then call me.] Endless instructions would follow and I had to organize a huge display of flowers, mostly orchids that were rare in those days. I would spend hours having this arrangement made, with the whole florist [shop] at my service. Then I would ring him up from a landline, and he would sneak out of the house and come to inspect the bouquet. The next hour or two would be spent under the guidance of Mr Dilip Kumar, who at that moment, behaved like he was straight out of Ikebana classes! Now with the bouqu
et in tow, we would reach home and would then dramatically present my aunt the flowers, as if it was meant to be a surprise, and the occasion was never out of his memory at all. My aunt, a complete sucker for his affection, lapped it up effortlessly year after year gushing about ‘Sahab’ being so thoughtful!
Children fascinate him. When my daughter, Sayesha, was born, he told me several times that he always wondered what she was thinking as she slept in her cot, wishing he could get a glimpse of her dream! ‘What makes her smile as she sleeps,’ he would say! It is this curious nature, one of eternal wonderment that wants to learn or read all the time that probably makes him what he is.
One thing that all of us in the family got used to is his habit of rearranging the furniture to his own specifications every time there was a party! Yousuf Uncle always came home with a battalion of guests, who would obviously stay for dinner. The menu had to be simple but elaborate. There was no question of ordering from a hotel.
My sixteenth birthday will remain my most cherished one, as there was a family dinner organized, and he came home having bought around a hundred mogra gajras [jasmine strands] for me from the signal on the street in Bandra! That was his love. Bangalore is another fond memory! My aunt and uncle were dutifully being good parents, and took me to an ice-cream parlour on M. G. [Mahatma Gandhi] Road. These were the days when he ruled the industry. He was huge. Needless to say as we went into the ice-cream parlour, a massive crowd gathered outside! We had to rush out, only to find that our chauffeur had vanished to relieve himself! Now never short of ideas, Yousuf Uncle hailed a cab, jumped into the driver’s seat and sped away much to the amusement of the public! It was my best taxi ride ever!
I can go on but I don’t want to share it all right away. Suffice it to say that he is like no other. He has the prayers of millions and God blesses him. We are blessed because we have him in our lives.
Yousuf Uncle, I will always love you.
*Sultan’s daughter and Sayesha’s mother.
SALIM SHARIFEE *
I CAN’T DESCRIBE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH DILIP SAHAB AS ANYTHING but a bounty of destiny. I was a fan of Sahab from boyhood and it was my dream to meet him in person. I spoke about my wish to a family friend who knew Sahab quite well. He said he would try to arrange a meeting when he would be in Bombay. He must have spoken to Sahab about my ardent admiration and desire to meet him. And then the most unforgettable thing happened in my life one day when I was in Bombay for an important official meeting and was staying at the Taj in south Bombay. My diary had Sahab’s phone number; I dialled and the voice that answered at the other end was Sahab’s. I introduced myself and he recognized me at once as the young banker from Dubai. He said he was meeting somebody in south Bombay that afternoon and he asked me if he could drop by. I was speechless and couldn’t say a word! Then I told him I would be honoured and privileged and he must have sensed the thrill and nervousness in my voice. In his gentle voice he simply said: ‘I’ll be there as soon as I am free from my meeting.’
As I waited for Sahab in my room I couldn’t contain my excitement. I couldn’t believe it was all happening to me. As promised Sahab arrived and when I opened the door and actually saw him before me in his white high-collared shirt and white trousers you could have knocked me down with a feather.
We spent an hour chatting and all the time I was asking myself – is this really happening to me?
What swept me off my feet was Sahab’s unaffected warmth and humility. When I saw him to his car he said: ‘We must keep in touch and meet again.’ I couldn’t believe my ears.
Sahab is like an elder brother to me. He and I were simply destined to meet and bond in this life, I feel. I don’t remember a single special occasion when I have not been present at the bungalow and having the privilege of being seated by Sahab’s side along with Sahab’s brothers. When occasionally he gives us the privilege of having him and Sairaji as our guests at our humble home in Dubai, it was such a pleasure because he puts us at complete ease with his ability to become one of us. My children look forward to his visit with more delight than the visit of their grandfather, i.e., my father.
Sahab loves holidays in unusual places. He spoke to me from a government guest house in Jaisalmer [in Rajasthan] once and he was sounding so happy and excited like a child. He found the location very attractive and he was enjoying himself thoroughly. Another time I received an invitation from him to join him and Sairaji at Mercara, a forest location in Coorg [in Karnataka]. He was charmed by the raw beauty of the place and was very amused by the fact that Sairaji was getting scared of the gigantic butterflies and dragonflies fluttering all over the place.
Even in Mumbai when I go to meet him at Bandra, he’s quick to suggest that we go on a long drive and wind up the evening with an early dinner at the Taj. He loves to give his family and close friends surprise treats at any of the restaurants at the Taj, Mumbai. The first time Sahab took me to Rendezvous at the Taj, I was stunned because people sitting at tables and enjoying their conversation and food just stopped eating and heads turned towards us. Subsequently, I have got used to the awe and admiration Sahab commands wherever he goes. Whether it is Dubai or Mumbai, his mere presence at any place changes the aura and ambience of the place completely. He is a man of impeccable manners and royal taste and I shall not hesitate to admit that my own taste for clothes, food and living have changed for the better with my frequent interaction with Sahab.
Not a day passes without my viewing a Dilip Kumar movie. I have a collection of all his starrers. My favourite is Gunga Jumna. Irrespective of the umpteen viewings of the film, I get a lump in my throat when I watch the death scene in the climax.
*A family friend and an ardent admirer of Dilip Kumar.
DR R. C. SHARMA
I WAS INTRODUCED TO SAIRAJI BY HER KATHAK GURU, ROSHAN KUMARI, in 1987. I was to treat Sairaji’s grandmother Ammaji. When I arrived at Sairaji’s bungalow, I was escorted upstairs to Ammaji’s room. In the dining room I saw Dilip Kumar Sahab at the table enjoying a well-laid-out lunch with Sairaji and her famous mother, Naseem Banuji. He was so simple in his attire and appearance that in a single moment all the notions I had in my mind about film celebrities just dissolved into thin air. A layperson always imagines that a star would put on airs and here I was standing in front of the country’s most revered star and he was talking and joking and eating with his fingers like any of us!
Dilip Sahab met me warmly, excused himself, and went to his room. I examined Ammaji and prescribed medicines for her and left. It was at the next meeting that I really got to know the man he is. Ammaji developed a sudden problem and I was summoned to see her at 10 p.m. When I reached the bungalow the most anxious person in the house was Dilip Sahab. He was by her bedside, stroking her brow and talking to her softly. I prescribed a medicine that unfortunately was not available in any of the chemists’ shops nearby. Dilip Sahab held me by my hand and said: ‘Doctor, I am coming with you, I know where it is available, let us go.’
We brought the medicine and administered it. Sahab did not rest till Ammaji was breathing and feeling better. That night I saw not Dilip Kumar but a loving man deeply concerned about someone who obviously meant a lot to him.
As the years went by I was slowly getting to know many other facets of the superb actor I had admired during my college days. He was concerned about all the members of his family and Sairaji’s family as well as the servants and office staff. He thanked me more than once when I responded to an SOS call at night and rushed to the bungalow. When I told him I was doing my duty he said: ‘Doctor, you don’t know how reassuring it is to have a doctor at hand when someone develops a serious condition.’
He reads voraciously on all subjects, including medicine. He addressed a medical conference once and all of us from the medical fraternity listened spellbound to his speech, which was replete with information about the latest developments in the field. Nobody could tell that he was an actor and medicine was not his subject.
In 1999
we had to take a decision about which hospital to choose for an open-heart surgery that had to be done on him. All his friends suggested hospitals in the countries such as the USA, the UK and Canada. Dilip Sahab put his foot down and insisted that the surgery be done in India. He said: ‘I am an Indian and our doctors and surgeons are the best in the world.’ There was a surge of requests from all the hospitals in Mumbai to bring him to them. He chose the Lilavati Hospital (in Bandra) and Dr Ramakant Panda (one the top cardiologists of India) performed the surgery. He went through the procedure cheerfully and joked with all of us about his heart. Indeed, his heart is of gold – pure 24 carat!
I have been going for a walk with him to the Joggers Park (in Bandra) practically every day. We go very late (around 9 p.m.) to avoid the crowds. Even at that hour fans wait to see him. He is a a warm human being who will not turn a deaf ear to anyone who tries to tell him something. At the gate, invariably his purse gets lightened as some distressed man or woman stops to ask for help. When people praise him he becomes more humble.
I was in Jaipur with him once. Sairaji sent me to take care of him as he was slightly unwell. There, I received the bad news that my grandmother had passed away. He at once arranged a car and driver to take me to the Rajasthan village where she had died. He never treated me like a paid family physician, but as a member of his family. He attended all our family functions and knew my close relatives.
He is a man who has walked with Jawaharlal Nehru, received the highest honours and still has the world at his feet almost two decades after he voluntarily stopped accepting films, but has never lost the common touch.
RAMESH SIPPY
AS A YOUNGSTER WHO WANTED TO BE A part of the wondrous world of films, I cherished a desire to direct a film, in which Dilip Kumar would act. Like other aspirants of my generation I grew up watching Gunga Jumna, Devdas, Azaad, Kohinoor, etc., and marvelled at the way he performed.