MUMBAI, JUNE 10: **
Dilip Kumar’s autobiography ‘The Substance and the Shadow’ was released at a glittering event here on Monday evening. The exhaustive memoir of Hindi cinema’s 91-year-old-thespian has been penned by former journalist Udaya Tara Nayar.
The star-studded event had the who’s who of Bollywood, a list including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Aamir Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Priyanka Chopra. Also present were industrialist Anil Ambani and wife Tina Ambani and mother Kokilaben. Veteran actor Vyjayanthimala who was Kumar‘s co-star in movies like Naya Daur and Devdas, lit the inaugural lamp at the launch.
The legend’s wife, Saira Banu walked in a dazzling green saree and was right alongside her husband, who was on a wheelchair, through the evening. From Kumar’s point of view, a lot of what has been written about him so far is ‘full of distortions and misinformation’ and this books sets the record straight while highlighting in graphic detail his ‘fairly tale’ marriage.
Prior to the event, Banu said: “Please pray that the dedication we have written the book, it is received by readers in the same way. Every chapter is important and you all will read something that you have not read before about him.”
The book details the 91-year old legend’s ups and downs in his much-talked about relationships, marriage and movies. Born Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, Kumar spent his childhood in Maharashtra and left home to start a canteen. This was he time he was spotted as a potential actor.
Described as ‘the ultimate method actor’ by the great filmaker Satyajit Ray, Kumar made his debut in 1944 with Jwar Bhata, and thereafter dedicated six decades of his life working in top hits such as Mela, Naya Daur, Aan, Devdas, Madhumati and Mughal-E-Azam.
After a five-year break, he started his ‘second innings’ with Kranti (1981), after which he appeared in a series of movies such as Vidhaata, Shakti, Mashaal, Karma, Saudagar and Qila with his last appearance in 1998.
***He was honoured with Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award in 1991, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and Pakistan’s highest civilian award Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998, for his contributions towards Indian cinema. He was also nominated to Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of Indian Parliament for a term.
The legendary actor also holds the Guinness World Record for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor.
A connoisseur of the arts, Dilip Kumar is also a voracious reader of literary works in Urdu, Persian and English, a highly gifted multilingual orator, an excellent mimic and a superb dancer.
***As Yusuf Khan, the substance and Dilip Kumar as his shadow, Nayar documented the title signifying how as one walks, the shadow grows larger than the actual image. Eventually, Dilip Kumar became bigger than Yusuf Khan.
Credit: From Yusuf Khan to Dilip Kumar,***
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