RIP Dilip Kumar: A legend who will never be forgotten

Bollywood legend Dilip Kumar passed away on Thursday, hours after being hospitalised due to breathlessness. He was 98.

The thespian, born in Peshawar in 1922, made his big-screen debut with the 1944 release Jwar Bhata, which failed to leave an impact. He subsequently acted in Pratima and Milan, garnering limited attention with his work

Tasting success

Dilip Kumar finally tasted success with Jugnu, the highest-grossing movie of 1947. It was directed by Shaukat Hussain Rizvi and featured Noor Jehan, who had previously acted in blockbusters such as Anmol Ghadi and Badi Maa, as the leading lady. Two years later, he collaborated with Raj Kapoor-- the future 'Showman' -- for the classic romantic drama Andaz, which emerged as a big hit.

Also read: Veteran actor Dilip Kumar passes away at 98

Making his presence felt

The original 'King Khan' consolidated his standing in the industry in the 1950s with well-received films such as Deedar, Daag, Amar, Azaad, Huchul and Insaniyat. The 1955 release Devdas, directed by the ace filmmaker Bimal Roy, proved to be a gamechanger for the then fast-rising hero as it garnered a fair deal of international attention.

His ability to do justice to dark and intense roles prompted critics to refer to him as the 'Tragedy King'. Some of his other notable films from that decade include Madhumati, Paigham, co-starring Raaj Kumar, and Naya Daur, which featured the iconic race sequence.

Mughal-e-Azam and more

In 1960, he became an inseparable part of Hindi cinema when he essayed the role of Prince Salim, the future Mughal ruler Jahangir, in K Asif's magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam, which emerged as a bonafide blockbuster. His scenes with Prithviraj Kapoor, who played Akbar, were intense and are considered to be the backbone of the timeless classic. His romantic scenes with Madhubala, the reel Anarkali, were another highlight of the film and hit the right notes because of the natural chemistry between the legends.

Around the same time, he was offered the lead role in the 1962 classic Lawrence of Arabia but turned it down. The film eventually went with Egyptian star Omar Sharif. 'Saab' later revealed that he felt Shariff played the role "far better" than he could have.

Also read: Dilip Kumar: The undisputed 'Tragedy King'

Twin magic

Kumar suffered a few setbacks in the years to follow as Leader and Dil Diya Dard Liya underperformed at the box office. He bounced back with the 1967 release Ram Aur Shyam, a remake of Sr NTR's Telugu classic Ramudu Bheemudu. It featured him in a double role and served as strong proof of his versatility as an actor. Interestingly, Ramudu Bheemudu was also remade in Tamil as Enga Veettu Pillai with MGR in the lead.

Setbacks

The original 'King Khan' suffered setbacks in the 1970s as most of his films didn't live up to the expectations. He also faced competition from younger heroes. Kumar tried to revive his career with the 1976 release Bairaag, featuring him in three distinct roles, but that didn't happen as the biggie proved to be a commercial failure. He nonetheless regarded it as one of the finest films of his career.

The second innings

Kumar regained his lost mojo in the 1980s with the commercially-successful multi starrers Vidhaata and Kranti. He acted alongside Amitabh Bachchan in Shakti, which is regarded as a classic despite being an average grosser. The matinee idol received rave reviews for his work in Mashaal, co-starring Anil Kapoor. His other notable films from the 80s include Duniya and Kanoon Apna Apna.

The last stand

Kumar reunited with Raaj Kumar, more than three decades after Paigham, for the 1991 movie Saudagar, which emerged as a success. His chemistry with the Tiranga actor and the 'Imli Ka Boota' song are widely regarded as the biggest highlights of the evergreen classic. His last movie Qilla hit the screens in 1998.

A golden legacy

Kumar shared a good rapport with contemporaries Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. The three stellar artistes formed what was informally known as the 'Trimurti' of Hindi cinema. He married actor Saira Banu, nearly 20 years his junior in 1966 when he was at his peak. Several superstars-- right from Shah Rukh Khan to Kamal Haasan-- have been deeply inspired by his work, which makes him the idol of the idols.

His death marks the end of an era.