Few Facts About Legendary Actor Dilip Kumar That You Might Not Have Known!

Legendary Bollywood film actor Dilip Kumar has been in the news lately due to his health. He was hospitalised after he complained of breathlessness but is reportedly stable now. The 98-year-old actor is one of the pioneers of Indian cinema and is famously referred to as the ‘Tragedy King of Bollywood’. Take a look at a few lesser-known facts about the star. Read on.

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Dilip Kumar’s real name is actually Mohammed Yusuf Khan, and he is often referred to as the ‘first Khan of Bollywood.’ He was born in the year 1922 and spent his childhood years in Nashik with Raj Kapoor. In the year 1940, Dilip Kumar reportedly left his home following a spat with his father. He then relocated to Pune and started a small sandwich stall.

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After two years, he stepped into the Indian film industry in 1942 and his first job was for Bombay talkies. He was a screenwriter and would get 1,250 rupees per month for his job. Devika Rani aka the first lady of Indian cinema asked him to change his name to Dilip Kumar. He then marked his film debut in the year 1944 with Jwar Bhata, which was considered a flop.

Even though his initial films were not successful, he rose to fame after starring in Andaaz alongside Raj Kapoor and Nargis. In the film, he played the role of Dilip, and it was considered to be his breakthrough performance. After that, he delivered several successful blockbusters back to back such as Jogan, Hulchul, Daag etc. He used to play quite intense roles in the 1950s which earned him the title of ‘Tragedy King of Bollywood’. His highest-grossing film to date remains Mughal-e-Azam in which he played the role of Prince Salim, alongside Madhubala as Anarkali.

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Throughout the span of his illustrious career, Dilip Kumar has won several accolades and awards for his prolific performances. He was the first to win the Filmfare Best Actor award in 1956. In fact, he holds the Guinness World Record for winning maximum awards as an actor. On the personal front, he is married to former actress Saira Banu who is 22 years younger than him.

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