Dharmendra: “Dilip Saab Changed My Life”

The iconic actor Dharmendra who  turned 86  on December  8,remembered his idol Dilip Kumar on December 11.

 “This  is one day I never forget.  If  Dilip Saab had been  alive he would have been 99 on December 11. Some months have passed  since he left us. I feel a whole lifetime has  gone by since he left. His influence on my  life and personality was  remarkable. I became  an   actor because  I wanted to be like Yusuf Saab. I think every actor in Hindi cinema wants  to be like him. I would see his films repeatedly, try to  say my dialogues like him.”

Dharmendra remained close to Dilip Saab and his wife Saira Banu  until Dilip Saab death. “I was always welcome at their  home. Saira and I did many films together  even after  their marriage. I am very  fond of her and vice versa. After Yusuf Saab’s death she has  become  a recluse. We all tried to reach out to her. But she preferred to be alone.”

On the occasion  on his  99^th birthday Subhash Ghai’s  film school  , Whistling  Woods  organized a homage to  Dilip Kumar.

Says  Dharmendra, “Saira was there. I was  so happy to see her. I was  glad to celebrate  my idol’s birth anniversary with her.Even Subhash Ghai is  a  big fan.”

Dharmendra says his birthday celebrations were eclipsed  by the ghastly national tragedy.  “We lost our national hero General Bipin Rawat on my birthday. I cancelled all celebrations. Every year now  I will be reminded  of this terrible  tragedy on my birthday. In any case there is  nothing to  celebrate. There is  only misery and  hardship everywhere.”