Dilip Kumar Passes Away: ‘What He Did In His Initial Films, Is What The Best Actors Are Doing Today,’ Says Shakti Kapoor- EXCLUSIVE
Dilip Kumar’s Dharm Adhikari co-star Shakti Kapoor, remembers the thespian who passed away today
Dilip Kumar had a very fulfilling and royal life till he passed away today at the age of 98. He was respected not just by his colleagues but by generations to come, and every person who had been in contact with the thespian has only good things to say about him.
Shakti Kapoor got to work with Dilip sahab in multiple films including Karma, Dharm Adhikari and Izzatdaar, and he is all praise for the late actor. “He was a very learned man and an institution in himself. I told my kids that in case they want to learn Urdu and understand what language means in this industry, they should watch a lot of Dilip Kumar films. When I was in the Film Institute in Pune, we used to have a written test about actors of the world. I was 20 and I used to write that the best actor I ever found in this world, and that will never come again was DIlip Kumar and he was better than any international actor,” he shares. ALSO READ: Dilip Kumar Dies At 98: Jeetendra On Bidding A Final Goodbye To The Thespian Says, ‘There Will Never Be Another Like Him'
Shakti goes on to add that he was always impressed by Dilip sahab’s performances as they were so stress free. “At a time when people were doing loud acting, doing dialogue delivery in a particularly funny way, this guy was still doing performances that we are doing today. What he did in his initial films, is what the best actors are doing today. He had been a splendid actor since day 1. He did love, romance, tragedy and everything else. We called him the tragedy king and no one could do what he did. He was very soft spoken and I had never seen him angry on set or offset, he was a very dignified man,” he says. ALSO READ: Subhash Ghai Shares Fond Memories Of Shooting With Dilip Kumar, 'He Would Meet Even Strangers With The Most Genuine Smile' - EXCLUSIVE
Dilip sahab didn’t just teach acting to the industry people but also how to lead their life in a dignified way. Shakti says that very few people in his life have impressed him. “One is Mr Bachchan with whom I have done 28 films, and the other was Mr Dilip Kumar. The way he carried himself and how he got involved in his work, he had a very different way of doing it. He would rehearse and rehearse till he started feeling the dialogues,” he reveals, adding that on the personal level, he learnt discipline, decency, a dignified way of leading life and demanding respect the way he used to give others, from him.
Shakti remembers fondly that when he entered the film industry, he had a very different notion about it. “I thought that Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar owned the industry and the rest all just roamed around them. I worked with Dev Anand, but didn’t get that chance with Raj Kapoor. Although, I met him a lot of times and when I got married, my wife took me to his house to get his blessings and then I worked with Dilip sahab too. So, I got the chance to meet the three best people in the world. They were the best actors and there was no one above them, like in singers there was no one above Kishore Kumar, Mukesh and Md Rafi,” he asserts.
Not just Dilip Sahab, but Shakti is also in awe of his wife Saira Banu. “My heart goes out to Saira Banu ji. I have never seen a wife as devoted to her husband as she was. In today’s time when couples get divorced in four-five years, he made him live till 98. She wanted him to cross the century but even 98 is as good as a century with the life that he led. The first chance that I’d get, I would like to touch her feet. Wives like these are no more seen. You won’t find a woman greater than Saira Banu ji today. They didn’t have children and everything for her was her husband. To dress him daily, take him to events, celebrate his birthdays and make Dilip Kumar look as handsome as ever till he was in front of the camera, was an amazing thing she did. Hats off to Saira Banu ji,” he concludes.
Image Source: Instagram/shaktikapoor/dilipkumarfc, spotboye archives
Image Source: Instagram/shaktikapoor/dilipkumarfc, spotboye archives
