Bollywood Legend Dilip Saab No More

Mohammed Yusuf Khan, known professionally and popularly as Dilip Kumar, passed away at the age of 98 at Mumbai's PD Hinduja Hospital. Dr Jali Parkar, the pulmonilogist, confirmed the death. "With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, a few minutes ago," family friend Faisal Farooqui wrote in a tweet from the actor's official account. "We are from God and to Him we return."

He was admitted to the hospital on June 30 after experiencing breathlessness, said Faisal. Dilip Kumar was admitted to the hospital on June 6 due to a similar complaint. After being diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion, which is a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs, the Bollywood veteran underwent a successful pleural aspiration procedure. After five days, he was discharged.

Last year, Dilip Kumar lost his two brothers to Covid-19 in a span of two weeks. On the other hand, Dilip Kumar had been kept in the dark about their deaths. 

Dilip Kumar debuted as an actor in the film Jwar Bhata (1944), produced by Bombay Talkies. In a career spanning over five decades, Kumar worked in over 65 films. Kumar is known for roles in films such as the romantic Andaz (1949), the swashbuckling Aan (1952), the social drama Daag (1952), the dramatic Devdas (1955), the comical Azaad (1955), the epic historical Mughal-e-Azam (1960), the social dacoit crime drama Gunga Jamuna (1961), and the comedy Ram Aur Shyam (1967).

In 1976, Kumar took a five-year break from film performances and returned with a character role in the film Kranti (1981) and continued his career playing leading roles in films such as Shakti (1982), Mashaal (1984), Karma (1986) and Saudagar (1991). His last film was Qila (1998).

Dilip Kumar had a long relationship with actress Madhubala but never married her. He married actress Saira Banu in 1966. He was staying with his wife in Bandra, a suburb of Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra in India.