CINEMA –  A rare peek into the life of the legendary actor Dilip Kumar DEEPAK MAHAAN

There are actors and then there is Dilip Kumar. Like Mount Everest, he is beyond comparison. His one-film-at-a-time rule means his body of work is meagre. But is it astounding! As the creator of film acting grammar, Dilip Kumar has not only endeared himself to masses across all continents but also set benchmarks that have become difficult to surpass.

While Dilip Kumar’s public persona, extraordinary performances and achievements are part of folk lore, his personal domain remains largely untouched since he is fiercely protective of his privacy. However, by a wonderful quirk of fate, I recently chanced upon several fascinating facts about his personal life which revealed that he is a devoted home bird. The peep into this thespian’s life, courtesy his gracious and charming wife Saira Banu, only reconfirmed that ‘Sahab’, as Saira fondly addresses her hubby, “isn’t just a synonym for excellence but also a man of incredible traits”.

Inspecting the vast memorabilia of Saira Banu’s personal collection of photographs and videos, I discovered that the actor, who gave face to many Mohammed Rafi melodies on screen, is a fine singer himself. He may have enacted the bhajan “Sukh Ke Sab Saathi” in “Gopi” to perfection but he also sings the same with great relish at home. Sharing a video where Dilip Kumar sings in harmony with Kalyanji-Anandji’s harmonium, Saira confides, “Crooning Rafi Sahab’s love songs as well as recitation of Urdu couplets are Sahab’s way of teasing and romancing.” An old photograph makes her declare that Rafi magic rules their household and that she is one-up on her husband since she has sung a duet with Rafi Sahab in “Aman”! But she is convinced that none can beat her hubby at ‘Antakshri’ “since he remembers many old film songs… he knows an apt couplet for every occasion”!

Urdu and Persian poems acquire a spiritual eloquence on Dilip Kumar’s lips. Each word and inflection is adorned with such perfect caress and delicate throw that the simplest of couplets adorn a heavenly charm. Videos of his overseas tours show how he mesmerises audiences with his profound and extempore oration in English and Hindi and like his dialogue delivery; his repartee is equally stunning and enjoyable. “Contrary to his image of a serious man”, Saira discloses, “Sahab is a fun loving person who can keep you in splits for hours”. Videos of family functions show him regaling friends and relatives with witty anecdotes and his emotive eyes come into full play even in ordinary conversations.”

She reveals, “Sahab is like a child at heart who loves to live every moment”, even as we witness scenes from Kashmir where he playfully targets his wife with a barrage of snow balls! The beauty queen remembers “shooting outdoors with him was a lovely affair” as Sahab would “always take extra care of not just my comfort but the needs of an entire film unit”.

Saira says, “Sahab always had a penchant for cricket” but how good a cricketer he was is revealed on tape by none other than the sterling Indian cricket captain of yesteryears, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. Recalling the era when film stars and cricketers frequently collaborated for charitable causes, Pataudi elaborates, “Dilip Sahab was a difficult batsman to dislodge and once even hit the first ball of an established first class bowler for a six at Brabourne Stadium!” This vehement desire to excel made Dilip Kumar learn sitaar for “Madhuban Mein Raadhika Naache Re” song sequence of “Kohinoor”. While that effort is well recorded in media, not too many are aware that he is an equally proficient exponent of the trumpet. Not only does he play the difficult instrument in complete tandem with the local brass bands whenever the mood takes him he is also a robust dancer at family celebrations; some of his moves could surely make Shammi Kapoor or Helen envious!

As Saira shares pictures and stories of Dilip Kumar’s long and dedicated work for the National Association for the Blind (NAB), an old family aide tells me how the thespian never missed the annual event of the NAB train run for fund raising. Sipping tea and glancing at a TV advertisement, Saira informs “Sahab refused to model for many an august brand, despite lucrative offers over the years” since he deemed it “a demeaning way of money making”.

Going over the treasure chest of Saira’s sacred memories, I was surprised one day to find Dilip Sahab walk into the penthouse lounge. The affection with which Saira and he greeted each other showed how their celestial bond has grown stronger and fonder over the years. Even though I was meeting the legendary actor after several years, I felt time had not been able to dim his cherubic smile and spirit despite his poor health. Time stood still for me as he held my hand and patted my back; and though the silences were longer, his measured sentences were still worth their weight in gold. Like the whole nation, I wish and pray that this coming birthday (December 11) is one of many more to come in Dilip Kumar’s memorable journey.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Friday Review / by Deepak Mahan / December 06th, 2013

With the demise of the great singer Manna Dey, Hindi film music has lost its last pillar of eminence. It’s a known fact that the legendary singer was very pally with yet another legend Muhammad Rafi and they loved to fly kite apart from singing. Very few people are aware that there was a time in the sixties when Manna Dey almost decided to quit film music and go back to Calcutta to devote his life to classical music. Thanks to Rafi, he changed his decision and stayed back in Bombay, much to the delight of the lovers of music. This happened in 1959.

Bade Ghulam Ali Khan had heard of Manna Dey and was all praise for his command over classical music. Once he got to listen to Manna Dey’s pure classical thumris and raag-based compositions in a programme in Jaipur, Rajasthan. So impressed was Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahab that he wrote a letter to Manna Dey. But it was written in Urdu!! Manna Dey rushed to Muhammad Rafi and requested him to read it for him. Rafi read the contents of the letter aloud simplifying its high-falutin Urdu in simple Hindustani.

The letter stated: ‘Main aapki aawaaz-o-andaaz se nihayat hi mutasir hua. Choonki aaghaaz se mein is tarah ki mausiqi ka paristar-o-pairokaar raha hoon, meri aapse iltija hai ki aap Bambai se Calcutte laut jaayein aur wahin pakki mausiqi (shastriya sangeet) ki khidmat karein. Ye filmon ke gaane gaana maia’ar se khaarij logon ka kaam hai aur Bambai namuradon ki basti hai. Ise tarq karein aur aap jiske liye banay gaye hain, woh kaam anjaam dein..’ (Your voice and style impressed me no end. Since I’ve always been a die-hard practitioner of classical music, I request you to leave Bombay and go back to Calcutta for the sake of classical music. Inferior people sing film songs. Moreover, Bombay’s fraught with lowly people. Please leave it and do what you’ve been made for.’

Truth dawned on Manna Dey and he decided to leave Bombay. But Rafi didn’t let him quit and somehow convinced him to change the decision. Manna Dey narrated this incident on Doordarshan immediately after the death of Rafi in 1980 and wept in the studio. There was no rivalry. Anyone in place of Rafi would have been happy at the thought of his/her rival leaving the scene. Manna also helped Rafi to come out of his self-imposed hibernation in 1964 when Rafi didn’t sing for six months as someone advised him in Mecca to sing only for Allah. Those were different times and different people. Now both the stalwarts are no longer amidst us. But their memories are forever with us.

source: http://www.milligazette.com / The Milli Gazette / Home> Offline News> National / by Sumit S Paul    sumitmaclean@hotmail.com , The Milli Gazette / October 24th, 2013

Aamir Khan says his colleagues’ good work makes him happy, and lavished praise on his contemporary Salman Khan, describing him as “powerhouse of star power”.

At India Today Group’s Agenda Aaj Tak conclave Wednesday, Aamir was asked about the Khan rivalry between Salman, Shah Rukh Khan and himself.

He said: “I can answer for myself. I don’t have any negative thoughts about competition with anyone and I thank my ammi (mother) for it.”

“It’s not in my nature. I understand that there are people who think otherwise, but it’s not in me to look at another person’s work, and think, ‘How come he did so well? How will I do as well?’ I just don’t feel like this.”

“When I saw Sanju (Sanjay Dutt) in ‘Munnabhai M.B.B.S.’ and ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’, I was so happy with his work, or even when I saw Ranbir (Kapoor) in ‘Barfi!’,” he added.

The 48-year-old, who is awaiting the release of action adventure film “Dhoom 3” later this month, then went on to praise Salman’s magic.

“Salman is my friend. He is a bigger star than me. When I see him in ‘Dabangg’, I feel very happy. Salman doesn’t need to do anything. He is a powerhouse of star power.”

” Woh sirf belt hilaata hai, chashme theek karta hai, and see his magic. I have no competitive feeling,” said Aamir, who is known to be a meticulous method actor.

At the event, Aamir received a request to either perform a bit of tap dance that he has learnt for “Dhoom 3” or to show his perfect body.

He did none.

Then pointing to the difference between himself and Salman, he quipped: “Salman would have done it both – tap dance and he would have shown his six-pack as well.”

“I am a shy kind of person,” he said.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Entertainment> Report / Agency: IANS / Wednesday – December 04th, 2013