On July 7, 2021, India lost yet another legend. Veteran actor and politician Dilip Kumar passed away, owing to age-related ailments in Mumbai. The Padma Vibhushan awardee was 98 at the time of his death. In today's FAQ, we will tell you about the deceased actor's life, his films and much more.
Did you know that Dilip Kumar isn't his birth name?
Kumar was born Mohammed Yusuf Khan in 1922 in Peshawar, which was then a part of British India. He was one of the 12 children of Lala Ghulam Sarwar Khan and his wife Ayesha Begum. He grew up with another Bollywood veteran Raj Kapoor.
Why is he called the first Khan of Bollywood?
Even though Kumar was popularly known by his stage name, he has always been referred to as the "First Khan" of Bollywood. Noted filmmaker Satyajit Ray once called him the 'ultimate method actor'. For acting in a few of the most noted tragedies of Indian cinema, Kumar was also called the 'Tragedy King'. He played Prince Salim in Mughal-e-Azam and Devdas in Devdas (1955).
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How did he enter the world of acting?
At the age of 22, he acted in a commercial failure Jwar Bhata. His first hit, however, was Jugnu, which was released in 1947. His breakthrough film was Andaz, in which he acted with Raj Kapoor and Nargis Dutt. Mughal-E-Azam was released in 1960. His last film was Qila, released in 1998.
How many awards has he won?
Kumar holds the Guinness World Record for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor. Apart from the three Padma awards, multiple national film awards, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and nine Filmfare Awards. He was also a Rajya Sabha MP from 2000 to 2006.
