By Neaz Subhan
WEDNESDAY last, India and the world lost the iconic and phenomenal thespian of cinema, Dilip Kumar. From his first film, “Jwar Bhata”, in 1944 to his last, “Qila”, in 1998, he gave fifty-four years of his life to on-screen entertainment and for which fans are eternally grateful. Those works will remain a reservoir for comfort and entertainment.
Born Mohammed Yusuf Khan on December 11, 1922, his dedication to acting and the inspiration he provided to many, including megastars like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Shah Rukh Khan, will probably remain unsurpassed for a long time to come.

While his death may not have come as a shock given the fragility of his life at ninety-eight years, it was nevertheless painful for his loyal fans across the globe and of course, his loving and beautiful wife, the actress, Saira Banu.
The younger generation of Bollywood movie fans may not have been as fortunate as their parents or grandparents in terms of authentically experiencing the fruits of labour of Dilip’s craftsmanship in acting, which was laced with unscripted nuances and subtleties. He was a director’s dream to work with and is credited for introducing method acting to cinema. That distinguished him from the others.

He was compared to another embracer of method acting technique, Hollywood’s Marlon Brando. A New York Times article stated that Dilip claimed to have used the technique first. Despite both now in the great beyond, I believe the debate over from whom that technique originated, will live on.
That quality epitomised Dilip and was very evident in the way he approached his work; from learning to play the sitar for a song sequence in the movie “Kohinoor” to running around the studio compound so that he could enter the set at the point of exhaustion for his death scene in the movie “Gunga Jamuna”.

He claimed he was an actor who evolved a method and Amitabh Bachchan in an interview sometime ago pointed out that whenever the history of Indian cinema would be written, it would always have before Dilip Kumar and after Dilip Kumar. From that, Bachchan is very clear that Dilip is the benchmark of Indian cinema.
That in itself speaks of the immense talent Dilip possessed and the reverence other superstars have for him. Those who worked with him and those who would have seen his films, would not dispute. Here in Guyana, as a boy growing up, the elders often spoke passionately and with adulation for stars at that time and Dilip’s name seemed the reflexive first. There were others of that era including the formidable Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. As good as they were, Dilip was unmatched; he was the major household name for many years during my childhood.

At that time, cinema was generally the main form of entertainment and the many related conversations were natural. Those were the days when posters of Bollywood stars and movies were the preferred choice for wall decoration for many. That removed any doubt of admiration and was the manifestation of that prevailing passion, almost an obsession.
Many of his films were relatable to the masses and many may not have only seen themselves through him, but may have been empowered by the trials and triumphs of the beloved protagonist he effortlessly portrayed.

Handsome and a gifted natural actor, over time, Dilip earned the title as the “Tragedy King”, having acted in a number of serious films. With the proclivity of immersing himself into the characters he played, such tragic and depressing but award-winning roles took a toll on him and he suffered briefly from depression. His doctor advised he do lighthearted roles. That, not only demonstrated his range as an actor and the unfortunate effect of the tragic roles, but served to exemplify his commitment to the art form and, in many ways, his penchant for method acting.
His entry into the film industry seemed destined despite not necessarily harbouring a desire for such. According to the New York Times, Dilip wanted to play cricket or soccer professionally. However, the family’s financial situation forced him to look for work elsewhere. Through a chance encounter, a former teacher introduced him to then popular India actress, Devika Rani, who asked if he would consider becoming an actor.

With a dire need of work, any work, he was confused but the money persuaded. Rani advised that it would be better if he took a Hindu screen name to obscure his Muslim background since it would help his career. That was the beginning of the unforgettable megastar, Dilip Kumar. He won eight Filmfare awards for Best Actor from nineteen nominations. That’s the most wins for that award by an actor and which was equalled by Shah Rukh Khan many years later.
As someone in the performing arts and with a ceaseless passion, I learnt from Dilip Kumar especially from his performance in the 1951 film “Deedar” which I had the privilege and challenge to adapt for a stage play. There are millions around the world who would have been inspired and benefitted from his craft. He was arguably the greatest actor out of India and his films are invaluable sources of learning in addition to their theatrical values.

His name will always be foremost during any discussion on Indian cinema and has been indelibly etched in history. Like me, many actors are grateful that he graced the screen for it’s difficult to imagine cinema without his priceless contributions and the lessons imparted.
Some of his unforgettable performances are in “Mela” (1948), “Andaz” (1949), “Aan” (1952),“Daag” (1952), “Devdas” (1955), “NayaDaur” (1957), “Yahudi” (1958), “Madhumati” (1958), Paigham (1959), “Mughal-e-Azam” (1960), which is deemed the highest grossing film in India when adjusted for inflation, “Kranti” (1981) and “Shakti” (1982) with Amitabh Bachchan.