The late veteran superstar Dilip Kumar, in an old interview with Lehren TV, revealed how he introduced his wife, Saira Banu, to his legendary co-star Madhubala decades ago.
First Impressions
Talking about meeting Saira Banu for the first time, Dilip Kumar shared, “My first impression of Saira ji was that she was very young. I knew her even before she entered the film industry.” He reminisced, “She was just a little girl when she appeared briefly at the beginning of ‘Mughal-e-Azam.’ I introduced her to Madhubala. I used to pick her up and make her sit on a stool; that was the beginning.”
Saira’s Career Decision
The actor also discussed his initial reaction when Saira expressed her desire to pursue a career in films. He mentioned, “When she expressed her desire to join the film industry, I was initially opposed to it. I used to think, what would girls do in the film industry? She was well educated and had studied in England. I felt it was time for her to get married to a nice person, so why films?” He acknowledged, “However, she was determined to pursue acting, and the rest of the story is better told by her than by me.”
Dilip and Madhubala
Not many know that Dilip Kumar and Madhubala reportedly dated for a few years before parting ways due to Dilip’s personal reasons with her and her father.
Marriage and Legacy
Dilip and Saira married in 1966 when she was just 22 years old, while Dilip Kumar was 44, marking a notable age gap of 22 years.
For those unfamiliar, the legendary Dilip Kumar passed away on July 7, 2021, at the age of 98 after a prolonged illness. He left behind a cinematic legacy spanning more than six decades and is still celebrated for his iconic performances in films like Devdas, Mughal-e-Azam, Ganga Jamuna, Naya Daur, Ram Aur Shyam, Kranti, and many others.