INDIA Mourns Demise of Cinematic Legend Dilip Kumar

Prime Minister  Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Mamata Banerjee and other Chief Ministers joined millions of grieving Indians soon after they heard about the passing away of Dilip Kumar, an iconic superstar, at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday, July 7. He was suffering from prolonged illness. Doctor Jalil Parkar, who was treating him,  said “He passed away due to prolonged illness at 7.30 am.” Devdas, Sagina  Mahato, Mughal-E-Azam and other films reflect his inborn acting talent. Incidentally, Sagina Mahato directed by famed Tapan Sinha, was his first and last Bangla movie. He was   98 and is survived by Saira Banu, a former Bollywood actress, and other relatives. Popularly called the Tragedy King of Indian movies, he was born as Mohammed Yusuf Khan in Peshawar now in Pakistan  and was also a film producer and philanthropist. He is best known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is credited for bringing a distinct form of method acting technique to cinema and was a source of inspiration to budding as well as established actors. He was the recipient of  The Dada Sahib Phalke Award, the highest medallion in recognition of his life-long contribution to cinema, Padmashree and countless trophies for his memorable performance on celluloid. He was a doyen of Indian cinema and a prolific entertainer. Cinema lovers will miss him for his invaluable contribution, said Odisha  CM Navin Patnaik. As tributes flooded social media,  President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted: “Dilip Kumar summarised in himself a history of emerging India. The thespian’s charm transcended all boundaries, and he was loved across the subcontinent. With his demise, an era ends. Dilip Saab will live forever in the heart of India. Condolences to family and countless fans.” Prime Minister Modi tweeted: “Dilip Kumar Ji will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled. His passing away is a loss to our cultural world”. Pic courtesy: Siasat.com

.