Shabana Azmi
The world lost a gem as actor Dilip Kumar breathed his last on July 7. The legendary actor was admitted to the hospital in Mumbai on June 30 due to age-related illnesses. He passed away on Wednesday in the presence of his loving wife Saira Banu. As he left a void in everyone's hearts, many film and TV celebrities took to social media to share their memories with the actor. Veteran Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi also shared a throwback picture with Dilip Kumar from their meet with Sharad Pawar during the Mumbai riots.
In the picture, Shabana Azmi and Dilip Kumar can be seen holding files as they discus something with the political leader. Azmi wrote, "During the Mumbai riots #Dilip Saheb and me with #Sharad Pawar ji."
On Wednesday, Shabana Azmi had mourned the sad demise of Dilip Kumar and wrote an emotional note on Twitter. She said, "Adieu Dilip Saab. Unknown to you I have been your Eklavya.Thank you for the movies. Thank you for the language. Thank you for the dignity. Thank you for being socially responsible. Thank you."
The actress also visited Dilip Kumar's home to pay her last respect to the actor before the funeral.
Shabana Azmi at Dilip Kumar's house
Azmi's husband noted lyricist-writer Javed Akhtar also paid tribute to Dilip Kumar and said the screen icon was ahead of his time and was an "epitome of dignity, graciousness and refinement". "The one adjective I associate most with Dilip Saab is dignity. Besides being an excellent actor he was an epitome of dignity, graciousness and refinement. He was way ahead of his time," Akhtar, who served as a writer on Kumar’s films like "Mashaal", "Kranti" and "Duniya", said.
Akhtar said the screen icon, who pioneered the natural style of acting in films when most of his contemporaries were known for their mannerisms, was an institution of acting for future generations. "Dilip Saab did not go to any training institute but he became a training institution for generations of actors that came after him. He provided wheels to the younger generation who may not even know who invented the vehicle on which they ride," he added.
Dilip Kumar is most famous for his work in films like "Mughal-e-Azam", "Devdas", "Naya Daur", and "Ram Aur Shyam", "Shakti" and "Karma", among others.
