When Dilip Kumar introduced Saira Banu to Madhubala on the sets of Mughal-e-Azam

Mumbai, Dec 19: The late veteran superstar Dilip Kumar, in an old interview of his with Lehren TV, was seen revealing how he had introduced his wife, Saira Banu, to his legendary co-star Madhubala decades ago.

Talking about meeting Saira Banu for the first time ever in his life, Dilip Kumar said in the interview, “My first impression of Saira ji was that she was very young. I knew her even before she entered the film industry.”

He added, “She was just a little girl when she appeared briefly at the beginning of ‘Mughal-e-Azam. I introduced her to Madhubala. I used to pick her up and make her sit on a stool; that was the beginning.”

The actor also spoke about his reaction when Saira later decided to pursue a career in the film industry. He said, “When she expressed her desire to join the film industry, I was initially opposed to it. I used to think, what would girls do in the film industry? She was well educated and had studied in England. I felt it was time for her to get married to a nice person, so why films?”

He added, “However, she was determined to pursue acting, and the rest of the story is better told by her than by me.”

Not many know that Dilip Kumar and Madhubala had reportedly dated for a few years before parting ways due to Dilip's personal reasons with her and her father.

Talking about Dilip and Saira, the couple married in 1966, when the actress was only 22 years old, while Dilip Kumar was 44 years old. The couple had an age gap of 22 years.

For the uninitiated, the legendary veteran Dilip Kumar passed away on July 7, 2021, at the age of 98, after a prolonged illness.

The actor left behind a cinematic legacy spanning more than six decades and is still remembered for his iconic performances in films like Devdas, Mughal-e-Azam, Ganga Jamuna, Naya Daur, Ram Aur Shyam, Kranti, and many more.

--IANS