Saira Banu: Whenever Dilip Kumar was around me, he shed the aura of a legend

Mumbai, Dec 11 (IANS) On Dilip Kumar’s 102nd birth anniversary on Wednesday, veteran actress Saira Banu has remembered her “Sahib” and recalled that whenever the legendary star was around her, he shed the aura of a legend and let the child within him emerge playful, carefree and unburdened by the weight of worldly chaos.

Saira took to Instagram, where she shared a video montage featuring memorable moments with Dilip Kumar, who passed away aged 98 in 2021.

For the caption, she wrote: “A few people walk into your life to stay, becoming a part of you in every possible way. That’s what happened when Dilip Sahib entered my life to stay with me forever. We are one in our thoughts and being.”

“The days may change, and the seasons may pass, but Sahib has always been there, walking with me hand in hand. Today, on his birthday, I reflect on what a gift he is not just to me but to everyone fortunate enough to know him.”

She said that to the world, Dilip Kumar was the epitome of mannerisms, poise, chivalry, and a presence that could silence a room.

“Yet, whenever he was around me, he became something else entirely. He shed the aura of a legend and let the child within him emerge playful, carefree, unburdened by the weight of worldly chaos. He laughed with ease, teased with the innocence of a boy, and lost himself in the simplest of moments, as though the world beyond us had ceased to exist.”

She shared an anecdote about Dilip Kumar.

“One thing I can say for certain about Sahib is that he could never sit still. He loved to travel. Whenever he had days off from shooting, he would ask us to accompany him to beautiful destinations.”

“My brother Sultan’s children, others in the family, and I would often join him on these trips, creating some of our fondest memories together.”

Sharing a memory, Banu noted: “His spontaneity still amazes me. I remember one such moment vividly. I had gone to the airport just to see him off, bidding him goodbye as he prepared to leave. He turned to me and asked, “Saira, what are you up to?” I casually replied, “My shoot got canceled, so nothing.”

“What happened next left me astonished that he took me along with him! In those days, flight tickets were booked directly at the counter. Sahib promptly sent his secretary to secure a ticket for me and took me along with him.”

“Now, picture this: I was dressed in a simple cotton salwar kameez, with no change of clothes and no preparation whatsoever. Yet, Sahib brought me to this grand wedding. I attended the entire ceremony in that simple attire, while Dilip Sahib walked beside me, hand in hand. His simplicity defined him, and it was this very trait that allowed him to effortlessly surprise me and draw me into his world…”

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