Legendary actor Dilip Kumar dies at 98 due to prolonged illness

He had been admitted to the ICU of the Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility.

Actor Dilip Kumar attends the launch of his autobiography in Mumbai. File photo.

Dilip Kumar, India’s enduring film legend through the decades, died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday after prolonged illness, his family and doctors treating him said. He was 98.

The actor, known to generations of film-goers as ‘tragedy king’ for his portrayal of the brooding, intense romantic in classics such as Mughal-e-Azam and Devdas , had been admitted to the Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility in Khar, since last Tuesday.

“He passed away due to prolonged illness at 7.30 a.m.,” Dr. Jalil Parkar, who had been treating Kumar, told PTI .

"With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, few minutes ago. We are from God and to Him we return," family friend Faisal Farooqui posted from the actor's Twitter handle at 8.01 a.m.

Born as Muhammad Yusuf Khan on 11 December 1922, yesteryear actor Dilip Kumar’s career spanned six decades. The name Dilip Kumar was given by Hindi author Bhagwati Charan Varma.

He married Saira Banu in 1966. Saira and Dilip Kumar were seen together in the movies Gopi (1970) and Jwar Bhata (1944).

He entered the film industry with the movie Jwar Bhata (in picture) in 1944. But it couldn’t hit the box-office. His first major hit was Jugnu in 1947 in which he starred alongside Noor Jehan.

And the hit list continued with movies – Shaheed (1948), Andaz (1949), Devdas (1955), Mughal-e-Azam (1960).

Also known as Tragedy King, he is acclaimed as one the greatest actors ever in Indian cinema. Seen is the 'Filmfare Magazine Collectors’ Edition Cover' featuring Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan, celebrating of 100 Years of Indian Cinema.

For his tragic roles in the movies like Jogan (1950), Deedar (1951), Devdas (1955), Yahudi (1958) and Madhumati (1958) earned him the name ‘Tragedy King’

To prove himself as a versatile actor, he started taking up many light roles in movies like Azaad (1955), Naya Daur (1957), Kohinoor (1960) and Ganga Jamuna (1961). A still from the movie Ganga Jamuna.

Dilip Kumar's on-screen chemistry Vyjayanthimala worked well. They paired toegether in seven films. Picture shows Vyjayanthimala as Chandramukhi in Devdas.

He has entered the Guinness Book of World Records for winning maximum number of awards by an Indian actor. In the picture, actor Dilip Kumar at his Lifetime achievement award function in 2009.

Dilip Kumar was the first to receive a Filmfare Best Actor Award for the movie Daag (1952) and holds the record for receiving most number of Best Actor awards (8 times sharing with Shah Rukh Khan).

However, in 1970s his movies Gopi (1970), Dastaan (1972) and Bairaag (1976) failed at the box-offices and his career graph started falling.

After taking a five-year break, in 1981 the legendary actor came with a blockbuster hit Kranti.

He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1991, Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998, the highest civilian award by the Government of Pakistan.

Lord Meghnad Desai, Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Governance at the London School of Economics, with the book authored by him on actor Dilip Kumar.

A still from Devdas. The timeless Saratchandra Chatterjee novel was treated impeccably by Bimal Roy in this 1955 movie starring Dilip Kumar, Suchitra Sen, Vyjayanthimala and Motilal.

Dilip Kumar performed a dual role in Ram and Shyam in 1967. The movie was originally made in Telugu as Ramudu Bheemudu in 1964 with Telugu Superstar NTR and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister in the lead and remade in Tamil as Enga Veettu Pillai in 1965 with matinee idol and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MGR in the lead.

Saudagar: This Dilip Kumar-Raj Kumar starrer is a story involving two friends turning into foes. Incidentally this was the debut movie for Manisha Koirala. The film released in 1991.

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Kumar, who was married to actor Saira Banu, had been in and out of hospital the last one month and his family had hoped that he would get better.

The Hindi cinema veteran, the last of the golden troika with Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, was admitted to hospital last month following episodes of breathlessness.

He was then diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion, a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs, and underwent a successful pleural aspiration procedure. He was discharged after five days only to be admitted to the hospital again.

Kumar, born Yousuf Khan and often known as the Nehruvian hero, did his first film Jwar Bhata in 1944 and his last Qila in 1998, 54 years later. The five-decade career included Mughal-e-Azam , Devdas , Naya Daur , and Ram Aur Shyam , and later, as he graduated to character roles, Shakti and Karma .