Dilip Kumar birthday: Legendary actor turns 95

Dilip Kumar, who has wowed actors across many generations by his acting skills, will have a quiet birthday celebration this year owing to his health.

Mumbai: Legendary actor of Hindi cinema – Dilip Kumar – has turned 95 today. The thespian, who has wowed actors across many generations by his acting skills, will have a quiet birthday celebration this year owing to his health.

His wife Saira Banu took to Twitter to update his fans and well-wishers about his health and birthday plans.

His tweets read: "Dilip Saab is much better and has been treated for pneumonia. Allah ka shukr hai. Gonna post latest pic  in next tweet. –FF

Message from Saira Banu: On Dilip Saab's birthday, as we get together as a family with Saab's brothers, sisters, relatives and some close friends, my thoughts reach out to all the wonderful fans and well wishers for the duas and prayers for Dilip Saab. A million thanks. 1/n

2/n What are we planning for the birthday, I am being asked repeatedly. Well, for those who don't know what we have been doing every year-it’s a day when our residence turns into a gorgeous fairyland with flowers and floral arrangements from loving visitors which means a lot.

3/n Every year on Saab’s birthday our house is open all day for friends and family to come and spend quality time with Dilip Saab. But tomm. will be bit restricted as doctors have advised Saab to be protected from any infection.

4/n If you have read Dilip Saab's autobiography you would be familiar with his quote.... that the warmth of the clasp of the hand of strangers who approach him to tell him how much they liked his work is bigger than any award for him. God bless all of you. (sic)."

Saira Banu plans will treat him to his favourite delicacies, biryani and vanilla ice cream, on the occasion.

"He loves biryani and that will be made for him but I will give him only little as he is unwell. He is also fond of vanilla ice cream, I will ask the doctors if we can give him a little bit of that too. Then we will have a birthday cake," Banu said in an interview with PTI.

"We will not have a grand birthday party as he is not keeping well. The immune system is not so good after he was down with pneumonia. I cannot let him exert now," she added.

Banu has also planned to buy Kumar a new pair of shirt and trousers.

"Dilip Sahab is fond of good and simple clothes. He likes cotton shirts and trousers and matching shoes and socks. He has a huge collection of shoes, which he has from world over.

"Every year I order things of his choice. He is not a materialistic man. He doesn't like expensive gifts. My one consistent gift to him every year is my love, which keeps intensifying," she said.

“It is going to be his 95th birthday. I know lakhs of people wish and pray for his good health and it touches my heart. To see so much love and respect for him is heart-warming. I thank the lord for being so kind,” she concluded.

Born as Muhammad Yousuf Khan in Peshawar, (now in Pakistan), Kumar was touted as the `ultimate method actor` by Oscar winning director Satyajit Ray. His debut movie Jwar Bhata did not do too well at the box office, and finally Jugnu released in 1947 kick started his career.

But the industry remembers him in the role of Shahzada Salim in K. Asif`s epic historical film Mughal-e-Azam. The movie is one of the highest grossing movies in the history of Bollywood. Another movie he is remembered for is Devdas.

He has got the Guinness World Record for winning the maximum number of awards by an Indian actor, with 8 Filmfare awards for Best Actor amongst others.

Dilip Sahab was honoured with the Padma Bhushan award in 1991, the Dada Saheb Phalke award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015 for his contribution to Indian cinema.

Earlier in August 2017, the actor was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital due to dehydration and urinary tract infection but later his health condition improved and he was taken back to his residence.

(With agency inputs)