The passing of Asha Bhosle on Sunday in Mumbai has left a profound void in Indian music. For veteran actor Saira Banu, the loss is both personal and deeply emotional.

“I had spoken to her during Ramzan, but then I didn’t realise that would be our last conversation. When I heard about her health, it was a complete shock,” she tells us, adding, “I saw a video of her at a function (cricketer Arjun Tendulkar’s wedding in March). She looked so weak. I had never imagined she would become unwell so suddenly.”

Looking back at their early years, Banu, 81, paints a vivid portrait of Bhosle’s warmth. “Lata bai (Bhosle’s sister, late veteran Lata Mangeshkar) sang for me most of the time. But whenever Asha tai recorded for me, she would be in a playful mood,” she shares.

Banu recalls shooting for the 1961 film Junglee, when she was “very young” and her voice was “quite thin”: “While singing (in the recording studio), Asha tai would gesture towards her throat, as if to say that she was matching my softer pitch. It would make me laugh endlessly!”

Beyond the humour, Banu also remembers Asha’s personality, which she believes is the reason behind her legacy. “There was something regal about her presence. She carried herself beautifully,” she says.

“She and Lata bai were like family. Dilip sa’ab (Kumar, late actor and Banu’s husband) and I shared so many moments with them: music, conversations, food. Losing her feels like losing a part of that world. It’s a void that can never truly be filled,” she ends.

A wonderful man has left us today. Manoj Kumar ji and I worked together in Shaadi [1962], Purab Aur Paschim [1970], and Balidaan [1971]. As soon as my first film Junglee [1961] became a big hit, I received many offers, among which was Shaadi. I used to be awkward while doing romantic songs. I had requested my dance director Satya Narayan ji to have one of his dancers as a stand-in for me, for the first song, Aaj ki raat naya chand. Manoj ji was very understanding. When my solo shots were being filmed, he’d quietly move away from the set.

A few years later, my family and I were attending a première at Metro cinema. After the film ended, I noticed Manoj ji at a distance, signalling something to my brother Sultan, but we could not reach him due to the crowd. The next day, he called my brother and suggested casting me in Upkar [1967]. I was also considered for Neel Kamal [1968]. Unfortunately, my dates were committed to other ventures. So, there went my chance of doing two films with Manoj ji!

His idol was Dilip [Kumar] Saab and when I married him, I could see that they both were close—always venturing together to make different types of omelettes, and indulging in sher-o-shayari. While shooting a scene in Aadmi [1969], Manoj ji started emulating Saab so much that Saab joked, “Yaar tu meri tarah shots kar le, main koi aur tarika nikalta hoon!”

After our shaadi, Saab and I had decided that I would not continue with my film career. But as luck would have it, one of the films I had signed just before the wedding was Purab Aur Paschim. After Saab and my wedding, Manoj ji came home and declared that he would shelve his project if Saab did not allow me to feature in it. Later, when I took ill during the shoot, Saab told Manoj ji that he could have me replaced. But Manoj ji said that he would rather shelve the film than replace me. I will always respect him for this magnanimous gesture.

In Balidaan [1971], Manoj ji played a dacoit. His wife Shashi was very close to us, and used to tell me, “How will he play a daaku? He won’t sit on the horse as he is very scared.” She joked that even if a bee came into the bedroom, Manoj ji would hide and tell her to drive it out.

When Dilip Saab starred in Kranti [1981], Manoj ji kept a special screening for me and my friends. After the show, when he asked me my thoughts about the movie, I said, “I missed seeing more of Saab in the movie.” To this, Manoj ji said that he wished that Saab would be in every frame.

It's a classic real-life story of an eternal romance. Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar tied the knot on October 11, 1966, and 57 years later, she is as much in love with him as she was when they started out as a couple. India’s most eligible bachelor at the time, he initially maintained a respectful distance on and off the screen given their massive (20-year) age difference before eventually falling for her enchanting beauty, innocence, and devotion for him. Unlike today’s high-profile destination weddings, the legend of Indian cinema, Dilip Kumar, married a young Saira Banu in a homely ceremony in Mumbai. “So many gatecrashed our wedding that we ran out of food,” chuckles the actress. On her wedding anniversary, she looks back at her real-life fairytale. Excerpts…

I wanted two things in life. I wanted to marry the man of my dreams and I wanted to be a film star like my mother Naseem Banu. Both my dreams were fulfilled. I couldn’t have asked for more. My mother wanted me to study further and become a lawyer, as she couldn’t do that. She never wanted me to be an actor, but I wanted to be like her. As far as Dilip sahib is concerned, I was obsessed with him as a teenager ever since I saw his film ‘Aan’ (1952) in London. I studied there at the time. I fancied men like James Dean, Rock Hudson and Elvis Presley. I had their photos on my wall. Calling Dilip sahib a crush would be wrong. I was head over heels in love with him. I was smitten to the point that I envied Vyjayanthimala because one of the promotional stills of Madhumati (1958) had Dilip sahib almost kissing her forehead. That pose was way too intimate and bold for those times. I remember taking a pair of scissors and cutting her out from that photo (laughs). I became a fan of hers later. I call her akka (elder sister) and she calls me an angel. We got closer over the years. She was pleasantly amused when I recounted this incident to her.

Our families knew each other and had common interests like music. His younger sister was close to my mother so we would often have these get-togethers. I returned from London and met him for the first time at a dinner party hosted by the legendary filmmaker Mehboob Khan (known for ‘Mother India’) and his wife, who I fondly called Akhtar aunty. He was dressed in a plain white shirt and trousers. He was so simple and humble despite the fame. There was this luminous aura around him. A girl like me, who was shy and introverted, would retire to my room as soon as someone knocked on our door, something changed. As soon as I saw him, I went up to him and blurted, “Aap mere saath kaam kijiye.” He had seen me as a little girl, so showing me his grey strands, he replied with a smile, “Kya tumne mere grey baal dekhe hai?” I told him they make him look distinguished. At the dinner table he added, “I eat like a pig.” He refused to work with me even after Junglee (1961) became a hit, as he was conscious of the age gap. The part played by Mumtaz in Ram Aur Shyam (1967) was initially offered to me, but he said she is too young to work with me. I kept saying, “I am big enough to work with you.” That’s when he realized I was serious about him.

The day was August 23, 1966, and it changed my life. My mother had invited him for my birthday at our new Pali Hill residence. He was shooting in Chennai for Ram Aur Shyam and flew all the way back just for my birthday. ‘You have grown into a beautiful girl,’ he said that evening. I was dying to hear those words for years! The man was finally attracted to me. For the next few days, he travelled from Madras to Bombay every other night and had dinner with me. At the end of 10-11 days, he said, ‘I am constantly flying in and out. Will you consider one thing? Will you marry me?’ Thrilled but a bit surprised, I asked, ‘How many girls have you said this to!’ He was the most eligible bachelor of that time, and I had barely acted in films for four years. When he approached my grandmother and asked for my hand, I knew he was serious. The media and public were equally puzzled, I guess.

Not at all. It’s a real-life Cinderella story. It felt like sharing a throne. I got Dilip Kumar! I would have married him in rags if need be. Uss Zamane mein tailor hua karte the. My bridal outfit was simply stitched. No fancy jewellery either as we planned the wedding in 3 days. Security was not so high as it is today so there were gatecrashers. We ran out of food on our wedding day, so people had to go fetch more.

Ours was a great love story. We would exchange notes through the air hostesses when he would be obliged to go sit with someone else for some time. I wrote to him that I missed him and wanted him back beside me. If he was away for a week, I would leave 7 notes under his folded shirts in the bag so he could wake up to that each day. He was a gracious man who never spoke ill of anyone including the ones who wronged him. He wasn’t judgmental and always spoke the truth. He encouraged me to see the good in people. The age gap didn’t matter because I learnt so much from him. We loved sports… Tennis, Golf, football. He was extremely fit.

I never gave credence to these girlfriend theories. I was the wife. He never spoke about his past girlfriends. I never asked either. Unki merese shaadi ho gayi. Mujhe duniya mil gayi. I didn’t care about the linkup stories as the media can be irresponsible. I was also linked to a dashing cricketer, who was the Indian captain. I won’t take names, but I had never seen the guy in my life. The first time we saw him was at Wimbledon.

I hope your generation gets to see what he was like as a person. I made my Instagram debut for this purpose. Koi bhi shaadi ya relationship mein, ‘Sabar aur adab’ (patience and respect) ki bohot zaroorat hai. If sahib and I had an argument, it wouldn’t last for more than ten minutes. You must communicate. He was the one who never raised his voice but his silence was unbearable. I, with my own choice, would be the first to apologize. He wasn’t the man who had ego or would throw his weight around. To me, marriage is a perfect union based on love, faith and immense unspoken understanding. If you make a mistake, you should have no shame in saying sorry.

She was the “chand ka tukda” next door, ever-so-ravishing, and loved her figure-hugging salwar suits, beehive bun with a slight fringe and the acting calibre of a veteran. He was the sombre legend, who was two decades her senior. But, no one batted an eyelid when super stars Saira Banu and “saab” Dilip Kumar said they were made for each other.

A year-and-a-half after he passed away following a prolonged struggle with prostate cancer, the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) is celebrating 100 years of Dilip Kumar on his birth anniversary, today.

“It was a marriage of 56 years,” she tells us over the phone, apologizing for not being able to meet in person. Banu, 78, is nursing a cold and busy with the centenary preparations, but there is an eagerness in her voice to talk about her eternal love. “There was a great understanding between us, as husband and wife. Relationship is liye chali ke shuru se hee duniya jaanti hai, I was madly in love with him. And he gave me so much love in return.”

She is able to paint a vivid picture of her first sighting Kumar when she was 12. “I was schooling in London,” she says in between sips of water, “and my mother, Naseem Banu, was invited as guest of honour to the La Scala theatre in London for the premiere of saab’s film Aan. I was in pigtails, but the moment I saw him, I plummeted into love.”

The Mehboob Productions 1952 film, says Banu, was the first Dilip Kumar film she watched. “My mother knew that if I ever were to marry, it would only be him. So, in some way, our relationship goes back 66 years.”

Kumar, though, considered her a “bachchi”. “We were family friends, so he’d visit our home and treat me like a child. In fact, even after I tasted stardom with my debut film Junglee in 1961, he refused to act with me in several films.”

Had it not been for Kumar’s refusal to work with Banu, she would have been one of the female leads in Vijaya Productions, Ram Aur Shyam, in place of Mumtaz or Waheeda Rahman. “I was informed that saab had refused to work with me saying I would look very young opposite him on screen.”

Five years later, in October 1966, they were married. She was 22 and he, 44. It is said Banu’s mother played cupid. “Dhoom machh gayi thi!” she recalls of the time their engagement news leaked in the press. “People had never seen us together on screen and now, we were to get married. It was something out of the ordinary.” 

An outdoor shoot in Kolkata had to be wrapped up and reshot at an indoor studio in Mumbai because it was getting impossible to shoot among fans. “Just before we were to marry,” she remembers, “we happened to be in Kolkata. I had to do an outdoor shoot, and saab was finishing some script work. When we landed, there was a huge crowd of fans waiting at the airport. At that time, we weren’t surrounded by security, and fans had gathered on the tarmac. Some had found their way inside the airplane too! It became impossible for the shoot to continue, so we had to pack up and return to Bombay.” 

It’s what led the couple to get married in a hurry minus preparations, wedding cards or wedding dress. “He said, let’s just go to Bombay and exchange wedding bands in a simple ceremony. It was all done in five days.” Banu, who was a glamorous dresser, missed having an elaborate wedding dress. Her mother had to get the tailor to stitch a brocade gharara in haste. “Saab got himself a Jodhpuri suit,” she adds. “It was unplanned and unusual, and still we had thousands barge into the garden venue.”

Interestingly, Banu herself decided she would no longer act; Kumar didn’t stop her. He had not watched any of her films. “He saw some rushes of Shagird (1967) and told me that it would be unfortunate if he stopped me from working. He said the love I had for my art, and how good I was at it, was visible on celluloid. He could not take that away from me.”

The 1968 hit film Padosan, produced by comedian Mehmood, and Purab Aur Paschim (1970) by actor, director and writer Manoj Kumar, were written with Banu in mind. “Both of them came to saab and asked for ijazat to cast me as lead. If they couldn’t, they’d shelve the films.”

The love and respect is palpable in the melancholia Banu enveloped herself in after his death. Within a month, she fell violently ill. “I could barely breathe,” she remembers of the time she was rushed to intensive care. “I have not stepped out of the house since, barring visits to the hospital and doctor.”

This is atypical for someone who was out and about, and loved to go on long drives with Kumar. “My family and staff sometimes insist that I step out. Sitting in his car for the first time after his death was traumatic. Bahot dil kharab hua tha, bahot rona aaya tha. Sometimes, I do take a short drive along Carter Road in his car and reminisce about the times he’d be by my side.”

FHF is preparing to screen four of Kumar’s iconic films, Ram Aur Shyam, Aan, Devdas and Shakti, for the Hero of Heroes celebrations scheduled for this weekend, across PVR cinemas in 20 cities. Banu is going to make an exception, and step out of their Pali Hill home. “If I can, I will stay back to watch Aan, but I know it will be hard. Even today when I see him on television, mujhse bardasht nahin hota.”

This celebration is special for more reasons than one. That it’s an effort to restore classics of Indian cinema makes it an important one for Banu. “It’s a pity that studios are being brought down and the classics are biting dust. We can only watch the old films on television. FHF should be applauded for bringing some of these back to the big screen.”

Had Kumar been alive, the house, like with every birthday, would have been flooded with flowers, says Banu. They’d receive so many blooms from well wishers, friends and fans that they’d distribute them across various hospitals. “He was not the ordinary celebrity,” Banu says, adding, “He was a humanitarian. From when he was as young as 25, he started working for the blind and physically disabled. Together with industry veterans, he’d drum up support from the industry to help those affected by famine and flood. We’d ride on trucks to collect money and clothes for the poor.”

Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar at a function in Mumbai, 2005. Pics/Getty Images

Saira Banu during the unveiling of Dilip Kumar’s mural on his 99th birthday in 2021, a few months after the actor’s death

“Allah ka shukr hai Dilip saab ghar wapas aa gaye,” expresses Saira Banu, as her husband, legendary actor Dilip Kumar got discharged from a Mumbai hospital yesterday. The 98-year-old icon was hospitalised after complaining of breathlessness on June 6, following which he was diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion.

“Jitna hum shukriya adaa karein unn sabka jinhone Dilip saab ki tandurusti ke liye duayein kari, woh kum hai. He is back home. Now, we’ll continue to treat him with antibiotics because he had water logging in his lungs,” Banu tells us, adding that it has been a “very crucial and critical” time for them. “He is doing well now. God willing with all your prayers, he’ll continue to do well at home as well,” she adds.

The ongoing pandemic made handling the health scare more challenging for the family. “We’ve been fortunate that people love him, and rallied around him as soon as they got to know about his health — from the doctors to his personal staff. They spent day and night taking care of him.” she adds.

As soon as the news of Kumar’s health came out, celebrities including Dharmendra, Manoj Bajpayee among others, sent their good wishes for his speedy recovery. Some even stepped out to meet him at the hospital. Banu is grateful to all those who sent in positive wishes for the actor, who starred in cinematic gems such as Devdas (1955), Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Ram Aur Shyam (1967). “Someone did a hawan in America, some went to a church all night to pray. Koi masjid gaya. How can I be grateful enough for all this,” she concludes, urging everyone to “continue sending in prayers for Dilip saab”.

On August 15, at around 6.45 pm, Shah Rukh Khan dropped by Dilip Kumar's Bandra residence to visit the ailing legend. Saira Banu informs Mirror that the actor had called earlier, when Dilip saab was hospitalised, apologising for not being there as he was travelling for the promotions of his upcoming film, Jab Harry Met Sejal. “On Tuesday, he called to say that he wanted to see saab and since he's like family, I told him he was welcome to come by anytime. He came with his daughter Suhana who I had seen as a child and who has grown into a tall and beautiful young girl,“ she says affectionately.

She recalls her first meeting with SRK decades ago, at a star-studded event, in Dubai. The actor was new to the industry then and had been signed by Hema Malini for her directorial debut, Dil Aashna Hai. “We went for the muhurat of the film too. Dilip saab gave the ceremonial clap which was picturised on Shah Rukh,“ Saira reminisces. “I have always said that if we had a son, he might have looked like Shah Rukh. Both he and saab are a lot alike and have similar hair, which is why I like to run my fingers through Shah Rukh's when we meet. This time he asked me, 'Aaj aap mere baalon ko haath nahin laga rahi hain?' I was happy to,“ she says.

So, what did they discuss over coffee, you wonder. She won't share details but admits that they did talk about films, in particular Devdas. “Shah Rukh pointed out that in one particular scene in his Devdas, he looked very much like Dilip saab. We haven't seen his last three-four films because we have been going through some tough times these last few years. When I told him this, Shah Rukh told me to tell him when we wanted to see the films and he would organise a screening for us at his private theatre in his bungalow, Mannat. I've never been there before but years ago, he had taken saab's autograph on a life-size poster of Madhubala as Anarkali holding her Salim tightly after Badshah Akbar catches them romancing in the garden. I'm told that he has had that mounted in his screening theatre,“ she says, raving about how down-to-earth the actor is despite his phenomenal stardom and how he was really concerned and enquiring about Dilip saab's treatment.

Admitting that Dilip saab was drowsy from all the medicines that evening, she smiles over how Shah Rukh sat close to him, hugged him gently and kissed him on the forehead. “I even saw him chanting a dua under his breath and blowing it on saab's face. He was there for saab's 89th birthday too and sat close to us, holding his hand and mine,“ she says, remembering a Filmfare shoot a few years ago, commemorating 100 years of Indian cinema, with Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh on the terrace of their bungalow. “It was beautiful seeing the legends from three generations in action and interaction. It was a moment of history caught in a frame and all those present had tears in their eyes.“

It's not just Shah Rukh. Saira has fond words for the other two Khans - Aamir and Salman - as well. She points out that Aamir is always just a call away in case of an emergency or even a request from some member of the family to a meeting. “He goes out of his way to comply with such requests and is constantly in touch. So is family friend Salim Khan and his son Salman. They often drop by, on festivals and occasions like saab's birthday. Shah Rukh was the one who was difficult to reach over the last two-three years. When I pointed this out to him, he admitted that he has been out of the country on shoots a lot but promised to be more connected now. Saab's taught me that it's important to be accessible to senior actors when they are old and ailing,“ says Saira, recalling visits with Dilip saab to Raj Kapoor, Om Prakash and Ashok Kumar when they were unwell. “These youngsters are good boys, God bless them!“

News of thespian Dilip Kumar's century-old ancestral home in Peshawar (Pakistan) collapsing because of its dilapidated condition, surfaced on Friday. While it is being said that a replica will be constructed on the site soon, we spoke to Saira Banu to know her thoughts on the incident.

The veteran actress and wife of the legendary actor, stated, “I haven't told Dilip sahab about it yet, he will be extremely saddened. He was a teenager when his family moved to Maharashtra. He spent the first 10-12 years of his life there. However, going by how humble and down to earth he is, he will say, 'God gives us everything and everything returns to Allah'; so he won't worry about it too much.“

Speaking of the house, she added, “It was declared a heritage site. The government (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) had said that they will resurrect it and turn it into a museum and a library, which was a splendid idea. I wish it had been followed through. We used to get lots of messages from sahab's fans from across the border regarding it. I am very disappointed as this is a huge let-down not just for me, but all his fans. It feels like the end of a relationship.“

Saira got emotional while remembering her last visit to the ancestral home. She recalled, “When we visited the haveli many years ago, the house was a tad dilapidated and was occupied by other residents. We were hounded by fans so much that it was impossible for us to get access to the house. I am told every year on the occasion of sahab's birthday (December 11), there would be celebrations at the house. Such precious memories we have of it.“

She is, however, optimistic about the future. “Many promises have been made, but there is an internal tussle going on. I really hope that the museum and library become a reality and the house is reconstructed, as it's a heritage site. When we go to the US, houses of Roy Rogers and Michael Jackson are a special attraction as they are iconic artistes. Likewise, visiting the haveli (situated in Mohalla Khuda Dad near the historic Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar) would have been a treat for Dilip sahab's fans,“ she concluded.

It's almost 9 pm on Sunday. Saira Banu is out on a drive with Dilip Kumar. The familiar routine brings a sense of com panionship and contentment. “Dilip saab has always enjoyed a drive by the sea. Earlier, he'd go before sunset but now he needs to rest more, so after a stroll in the house and some light snacks, we set out around this time towards the airport, along Juhu, down Bandra-Kurla or towards the sea-link which is a favourite point, returning home to a light dinner,“ she informs.

Today the couple will bring in their golden anniversary quietly with close family and friends and for Saira who since she was 12 had fervently wished to be Mrs Dilip Kumar, these 50 years with the thespian have been a dream come true. As a girl living in London, she'd accompanied her mother, beauty queen-turned-actress Naseem Banu to a theatre in the Queen's city for the premiere of a Dilip Kumar starrer, probably Aan. Her 'angel-faced' mother was often a chief guest at such galas but what made this one different was that the minute Saira saw the dashing hero, she fell head-over-heels in love with him.

WHERE'S MY HERO?
“After that whenever we were down in Mumbai on a holiday, I'd accompany my mother to Mehboob Studio or film parties where we would invariably bump into him,“ she laughs, recalling how heartbroken she was when Dilip Kumar didn't turn up for the premiere of K Asif's Mughal-e-Azam. She candidly confesses that those days she wasn't too familiar with the beautiful, flowery, ornate Urdu and the disappointment of not seeing her 'hero' spoilt the momentous occasion, but over the years she's grown to relish the dialogues and the imagery they create, penned by Amanullah Khan (Zeenat Aman's father), Wajahat Mirza, Kamaal Amrohi and Ehsaan Rizvi, some of them mouthed by her very own Shehzada Salim.

To her chagrin, Dilip Kumar who was twice her age, treated her like a kid and turned down offers to be cast opposite her after Saira Banu brought colour and youthful exuberance into Hindi cinema with Subodh Mukerjee's 1961 romance Junglee, which, she is quick to point out, was the first film in Eastmancolor to be printed in India. Junglee was followed by other hits, including Bluff Master (1963), Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1954), April Fool (1964) and Shagird (1967), yet Dilip Kumar refused to be cast opposite her in Ram Aur Shyam (1967) insisting she was too young for him. The role went to Mumtaz. Neither of them had any clue then that six months later she would be his wife.

WILL YOU MARRY ME?
The equation changed almost overnight when Saira turned 22. Her mother invited all her directors and co-actors like Dev Anand and Sanjay Khan to a double celebration at their new home - her birthday and a house-warming party. Dilip Kumar was living in Chennai at the time but flew down for the party. And it was on the evening of August 23, 1966, that he realised for the first time that 'chhoti bachchi' Saira had grown into a beautiful young lady. “He told me this as we shook hands and the next day phoned, saying 'Yusuf bol raha hoon.' I knew instantly who was calling but teased him saying, 'Kaun Yusuf?' He laughed knowing I was pulling his leg and admitted to having enjoyed the party,“ Saira Banu reminisces.

After that evening, every couple of days he would fly down to spend time with Saira and her family and after a few weeks told her he wanted to marry her. Refusing to believe that he was serious she wondered how many others he had proposed to and he responded saying she was the first and he really wanted to settle down with her. The next day he came over and officially asked her grandmother and mother for her hand saying he wanted a simple nikaah. On October 2, 1966, they were engaged and the date of the wedding was fixed for November 4.


RUSH RUSH NIKAAH
“But as soon as the news of our engagement broke, after the initial surprise, the overwhelmed fans started running amok on the sets of our respective films making shooting difficult for us. We were incidentally in Kolkata at the same time. When we landed in the City of Joy the fans spilled into the tarmac and when we scurried into their our car, they lifted it up. “At the hotel we had to be smuggled in through the kitchen entrance to our suites, but they soon discovered our room numbers and came pounding on our doors,“ flashbacks Saira.

In the wake of the madness Dilip Kumar decided to push up the date of the wedding. Naseem Banu flew back to Mumbai to find a maulvi who could perform the nikaah soon. “We left Kolkata on October 8. On October 11, just nine days after we got engaged, I became Mrs Dilip Kumar. There was no time to get cards printed, there were gatecrashers galore at the wedding, the food ran out quickly forcing my mother and brother to make SOS call to hotels, but I was in seventh heaven,“ she laughs.

She admits that while they are both quite different from each other, they paradoxically share a lot in common, including their love for Indian classical music (Dilip Kumar is a sitar player himself) and sports. She played net ball and was a regular swimmer. He didn't get into a pool, embarrassed by his body hair, but was a really good cricketer and football player. Later, he started playing badminton with Saira joining him and she remembers that in Chennai he had a covered court at home where he enjoyed many a sweaty game. Both of them were also keen riders.

WHY COPY HIM?
Living with Dilip Kumar, an institution in himself, educated Saira in the finer nuances of cinema. Her husband wasn't just an actor but was involved in every aspect of filmmaking and brought out the best in his co-stars. “Of course, that didn't make me any less nervous when I faced the camera with him for the first time for Gopi (right). I was surprised that despite giving my best, the scene wasn't coming off till dialogue writer and lyricist, Rajendra Krishanji, took me into a corner and asked me why despite being a successful artiste, I was trying to copy Dilip Kumar, particularly his dialogue delivery. My mouth fell open in surprise then but today, I can laugh at the incident and marvel at how my husband left everyone around him, including me, awe-struck,“ Saira raves.

She acknowledges that with him for guidance, her performances matured and became more natural. Shagird and Padosan rate high amongst the light romances but it was in more intense dramas like Bairaag and Sagina Mahato (left), she admits, that she emerged as a performer. She goes on to add that when Manoj Kumar approached Dilp Kumar for permission to cast her in Purab Aur Paschim which had been written with Saira in mind, insisting that if she didn't do it, he'd scrap the film, he was quick to give his nod.

Quiz her on her Dilip Kumar faves and she lists Ganga Jumna, Kohinoor, Leader, Ram Aur Shyam, Devdas and Paigaam, making a special mention of a scene in the latter where he's sitting with Vyjayanthimala and creates a fictitious character to make her jealous. “No other actor had the kind of intensity he did. When he looked into the camera, it didn't seem like he was acting. If anyone else showed the same intensity, he was quick to salute them. That's the reason he liked Amitabh Bachchan's work so much,“ she says.

CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT HIM
A golden jubilee is a dream for most couples who may not even last out the seven-year itch. How have they stayed together for 50 years? “Every marriage has its ups and downs but we were blessed with more patience in our time. Everyone knows we went through rough weather in the early 1980s (after Dilip Kumar married Asma) but the good side has outweighed the aberration and helped me forget and forgive. I love the man and cannot live without him,“ she says. Opening up about that “year of distress“ she says that her grandmother, mother and brother surrounded her with love and told her repeatedly that it was a mistake he had made and she should bide her time, sab theek ho jayega.

On his part, she says, her husband admitted to the mistake and assured her it would never happen again. “In that one year we had a clear understanding not to spend even half a day away from each other and though the divorce came through only after a year because we didn't want to make a mockery of that marriage, he had given me his assurance in writing that he had done away with the mistake much earlier,“ she informs.

HUSBAND COMES FIRST
She agrees that it's not easy for two people to live together and advises young girls not to rush into marriage unless they are sure, and when they do tie the knot, to exercise patience. “It's tough to give up your career and your identity and walk five steps behind your partner, bask in his limelight rather than your own, find your happiness in his,“ acknowledges Saira who at the peak of her stardom consciously took a decision to give more time to her husband and family and has not regretted it even once in these years. “There's a lot to celebrate...I'd have hated to be just a famous heroine with no family life. Relationships are very important to me. My husband comes first in my life, being a star was not as important as being his wife,“ she avers.

She was rewarded for her patience and perseverance when the couple celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in 1991 with a big bash. Her whole family and the industry were at their home that evening and a special photograph was clicked on the occasion. “Since then many couples visiting us have posed together before it or got themselves clicked like that. This anniversary will be a quiet celebration with just family and a few close friends but I want another photograph taken which I can place beside that one,“ she smiles.

She goes on to share that veteran actress Shammi had presented her 25 years ago with a silver photo frame with a photograph which when you took out revealed the message, “May silver turn to gold...“

Back in 1991 Saira had laughed at the thought of a golden anniversary because it had seemed so far away. But today, when she's celebrating a 50-year run with the man she's loved all her life, she can only thank God for all the beautiful moments and the memories they have made along the way...

Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar turns 93 today. The legendary actor has been accepting birthday wishes since late last night. His wife Saira Banu told us that the birthday itself would be a low-key affair to show solidarity to those affected by the Chennai floods.

Saira said, “We are deeply saddened by the tragedy. We decided not to celebrate Sahab's birthday at an inopportune time like this. My husband and I had lived in Chennai for a few years after our marriage and the city holds a special place in our hearts. We are also in touch with Suchindra Bali, son of Vyjayanthimala, whose family is based there. Thankfully, the area where they stay hasn't been hit so badly.“ The actress added they have also become quite superstitious and want to tread carefully. She explained, “We celebrated Sahab's 89th birthday with grandeur but soon after that, he fell sick. Nazar lag jaati hai so since then, it's always been a quiet family affair. His close friends are likely to come over and spend time with him.“

However, what makes the occasion special this year is the felicitation that will follow. The actor will be honoured with the Padma Vibhushan (the country's secondhighest civilian award) at home on December 13. Though the award was conferred earlier this year, he was unable to attend the ceremony in April at the Rashtrapati Bhavan owing to illness.

Saira said, “We got a call from Raj Bhavan and were informed that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will honour Dilip Sahab at home two days after his birthday. This makes it special.“