Legendary
actor
Dilip
Kumar's
demise
on
July
7
was
a
day
of
great
grief
and
sorrow
for
the
film
industry
and
marked
the
end
of
an
era.
The
actor
who
passed
away
at
the
age
of
98
is
survived
by
his
wife
and
actress
Saira
Banu
who
had
stood
by
him
like
a
rock
during
his
last
days.
Dilip
Kumar
and
Saira
Banu
had
tied
the
knot
on
October
11,
1966,
and
had
since
then
been
an
example
of
togetherness
and
true
companionship.
However,
the
couple
never
had
any
children.
Tthe
thespian
in
an
earlier
interview
had
revealed
that
Saira
and
he
never
had
any
regrets
about
the
same.
In
an
earlier
2012
interview
with
Hindustan
Times,
Dilip
Kumar
had
spoken
about
the
same
and
had
said,
"It
would
have
been
great
if
we
had
our
own
kids.
But
we
have
no
regrets.
We
are
both
submissive
to
the
will
of
God.
As
for
incompleteness,
I
must
tell
you
that
neither
Saira
nor
I
can
complain
of
a
lack
of
contentment."
However,
the
Naya
Daur
actor
also
stressed
that
he
and
Saira
Banu
never
felt
incomplete
due
to
their
immediate
close-knitted
family
and
relatives.
The
actor
had
said,
"It
is
enough
for
us
that
we
have
our
families
to
share
our
happiness
and
our
small
dismays
with.
Mine
is
a
large
family,
with
so
many
nieces
and
nephews
and
their
families
of
growing
kids
speaking
the
language
of
today,
which
is
as
bewildering
as
it
is
befitting
the
times
they
are
living
in.
Saira's
is
a
small
family
comprising
her
brother
Sultan
and
his
kids
and
grandchildren.
We
feel
we
are
lucky
to
be
there
for
them
when
they
need
us."
Furthermore,
Dilip
Kumar
had
stated
that
despite
having
no
heir
of
his
own,
he
wishes
that
young
actors
of
today
will
be
there
to
carry
forward
his
legacy
in
the
field
of
cinema.
The
Mughal-e-Azam
actor
had
revealed,
"I
already
see
so
many
actors
eager
to
carry
forward
what
I
established
in
my
time.
When
a
bright
young
actor
comes
up
to
me
and
says,
'Sir,
I
wish
to
follow
your
work
and
walk
the
path
you
paved
for
us
with
your
foresight,'
I
am
filled
with
a
sense
of
awe
and
gratitude
to
the
Almighty
for
having
taken
me
through
the
paces
of
finding
my
way
in
a
profession
I
had
no
preparation
to
be
in."