Legendary Indian actor Dilip Kumar passes away

Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar, one of the finest stars in the golden age of Indian cinema, died on Wednesday at the age of 98.

Dilip Kumar had been battling illness for a long time.

“With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, few minutes ago,” Faisal Farooqui tweeted from Dilip Kumar’s official account.

Starting out as a fruit seller, Kumar fought early failure and family disapproval to become one of Bollywood’s most accomplished and respected film stars.

The veteran Indian actor, real name Yusuf Khan, was born in Peshawar, Pakistan on December 10, 1922.

Nicknamed as the ‘Tragedy King’ of Bollywood, the veteran actor’s career spanned over six decades.

He appeared in some of Indian cinema’s most iconic and landmark films including Mughal-e-Azam, Devdas, Naya Daur, Andaz, Madhumati, Ram Aur Shyam, and Ganga Jamuna.

But he missed out on international fame after turning down the chance to play Sherif Ali in David Lean’s 1962 classic ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. The part went to an Egyptian actor, Omar Sharif.

Dilip Kumar received many awards, including the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan, and the Dada Saheb Phalke award. He also received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian honor.

Dilip Kumar won several cinematic awards and was the first-ever winner of the Filmfare Best Actor prize. He won eight Filmfare Best Actor awards, a record he shares with Shah Rukh Khan.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was the first to condole Dilip Kumar’s death. Gandhi tweeted, “My heartfelt condolences to the family, friends & fans of Dilip Kumar Ji. His extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema will be remembered for generations to come.”