Today, all of us woke up to the sad news of Dilip Kumar passing away at the age of 98.
While the teary-eyed country mourns the demise of the legend, we bring you some lesser-known facts about him.
1. Dilip Kumar- NOT His Real Name
Born in Peshawar, Pakistan, Dilip Kumar Saab’s real name is Mohammed Yusuf Khan. Apparently, he was the first Bollywood actor who hailed from Pakistan.
2. From Sandwich Seller To An Actor Par Excellence
In 1940, after arguing with his father, Dilip Kumar had reportedly left his house and went to Pune. With the help of a Parsi café owner, he set up a sandwich stall at the Army club.
3. When Yusuf Khan Became Dilip Kumar
Did you know it was actress Devika Rani, the owner of Bombay Talkies, who asked Yusuf to change his name? Before signing his first film ‘Jwar Bhata’ (1944), he became Dilip Kumar.
4. Triple Role
Dilip Kumar was the only actor to play a triple role in a movie. Curious to know the film? Well, the movie title is ‘Biaraag’ (1976).
5. The First ‘Best Actor’ & His Unbeatable Record
Yes, Dilip Ji was the first actor to receive the Filmfare Awards for ‘Best Actor’. Adding another feather to his cap, he was the only one who had won the ‘Best Actor’ award for three consecutive years– 1955, 1956, and 1957.
Not many people know that he shares a record with SRK- 8 times they had received the Filmfare Best Actor Awards.
6. Married Life With Saira Banu & Asma Rehman
Despite the age difference of 22 years, Dilip Kumar’s over 5-decade-long married life with actress Saira Banu is nothing less than an epic love story. However, in 1981, Dilip Ji had tied the knot with Hyderabad-based Asma Rehman, while he was already married to Saira Banu. Dilip-Asma’s marriage ended in 1983.
7. Multilingual
According to media reports, Dilip Kumar Saab could speak several languages, including Pashto, Hindko, Urdu, Hindi, and English.