Kumar, Dilip << koo MAHR, dee LEEP >> (1922-2021), was considered one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. India’s motion-picture industry is known as Bollywood . Kumar was popularly known as “the tragedy king” because of his many notable roles in motion-picture tragedies. In 1954, Kumar became the first actor to receive a Filmfare Award for best actor. Filmfare Awards are presented annually for artistic and technical excellence in filmmaking in the Hindi language . The Indian magazine Filmfare presents the awards. Kumar won the award for the romantic drama Daag (1952). He also won the Filmfare best actor award for Azaad and Devdas (both 1955), Naya Daur (1957), Kohinoor (1960), Leader (1964), Ram Aur Shyam (1967), and Shakti (1982). Kumar won a Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993. In 1994, he received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the Indian motion-picture industry’s highest honor. Kumar acted in more than 60 films.
Kumar was born on Dec. 11, 1922, in Peshawar, in what is now Pakistan . His real name was Muhammad Yusuf Khan. He moved with his family to Bombay (now Mumbai ) in the 1930’s. In 1942, he was introduced by a family friend to the Indian actress Devika Rani. She offered Khan a job in films. Rani was the widow of Himanshu Rai, with whom she had founded Bombay Talkies, a motion-picture company in Bombay. Rani helped Khan enter the Bollywood film industry. She also suggested he take the screen name Dilip Kumar. Kumar made his motion-picture debut in 1944 in the drama Jwar Bhata as a wandering musician. He gained notice in 1947 for his portrayal of a rascally college student in the romantic musical Jugnu. Kumar became a star in the hit romantic melodrama Andaz (1949).
Kumar’s other notable films include Mela (1948), Deedar (1951), Aan (1952), Amar (1954), Madhumati and Yahudi (both 1958), Mughal-E-Azam (1960), Gunga Jumna (1961), Kranti (1981), Vidhaata (1982), Mashaal (1984), Karma (1986), and Saudagar (1991).
In 1998, Kumar received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian award. He retired from acting that same year. Kumar served as a member of India’s Parliament from 2000 to 2006.
Kumar married the Indian actress Saira Banu in 1966. Kumar’s brother Nasir Khan was also a motion-picture actor. Kumar died on July 7, 2021.
