Bollywood’s Tragedy King Dilip Kumar Dies: 10 Lesser Known Facts About Him

One of the most noted Indian actor, film producer, and philanthropist Dilip Kumar passed away at the age of 98 in Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai on July 7, 2021 due to prolonged sickness.  

Dilip Kumar was a well-known actor. However, not many people know that his real name was not Dilip Kumar. He was Mohammed Yusuf Khan, born on December 11, 1922, in Qissa Khawani Bazaar area, Peshawar, which is now in Pakistan.  

He was one of the 12 children born to Lala Ghulam Sarwar Khan and Ayesha Begum.  

A farming background 

Dilip Kumar’s father was a known fruit merchant of his area. He owned orchards in Peshawar, which is in India at that time. Later, he owned orchards in Deolali, Nashik.  

Here are some hidden facts about this legend of Indian cinema: 

• Dilip Kumar’s father was a fruit merchant. 

• Dilip Kumar acted in 65 films.

• He is also known as the “First Khan.”

• He created a record for bagging the mostnumber of Filmfare awards for the Best Actor category.  

• Dilip Kumar was in a relationship with Madhubala for a long period, but did not marry her. 

• Dilip Kumar had gone completely unnoticed in his debut film JwarBhata in 1944.  

• His first hit film was Jugnu, released in 1947. The audience was awed by his dazzling performance. 

• Dilip Kumar ran a sandwich stall at the Army Club of Pune before entering Indian cinema. This was to contribute to household income. He also wanted to open a business in Mumbai, but fate had other plans for him. 

• Dilip Kumar was a cricket enthusiast and a music lover. He played cricket and learned to play sitar too. 

• Jogger’s Park in Bandra was the idea of Dilip Kumar, along with Sunil Dutt and Oliver Andrade. 

How did Dilip Kumar got his name? 

When Mohammad Yusuf Khan met Dr. Masani in 1943, the latter introduced him to actor Devika Rani, who was the then owner of Bombay Talkies, a famous film studio in Malad area. It was Devika Rani who requested Mohammad Yusuf Khan to get a screen name and “Dilip Kumar” was born!  

An actor beyond compare 

Dilip Kumar was a teetotaller in real life, but his scintillating performance in Devdas left the audience awestruck. The way he played the character of a drunkard man driven by one-sided love and on the path to self destruction cannot be described by in words. And given the fact that he was a teetotaller, this becomes an even more admirable fact.  

Dilip Kumar, in his autobiography ‘The Substance and the Shadow’ says, “I had no clue what acting in front of a camera was. It was something to be studied, learned, and practiced.” 

Krishi Jagran pays tribute to the legendary Bollywood actor. May his soul rest in peace.