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Hema Malini Was An Admirer Of Dilip Kumar; Says 'I Liked Dilip Kumar-Vyjayanthimala Jodi A Lot'
Legendary actor Dilip Kumar breathed his last today (July 7, 2021) at Khar Hinduja hospital in Mumbai after prolonged illness. He was 98. The news of his demise has shattered not just the film fraternity, but also millions of fans across the globe.
Veteran actress Hema Malini who shared screen space with the thespian in the 1981 film Kranti, shared her fond memories with him. She also said that with Kumar's demise, we have lost the last pillar of Bollywood.
ETimes quoted the Sholay actress as saying, "Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar were the three pillars of Bollywood. Each one had a distinct style of acting. With Raj saab I started my career in Hindi films. With Dev saab I was fortunate to do 7-8 movies. He was very fond of me. However, unfortunately I never got an opportunity to be paired opposite Dilip Saab."
Speaking about the only time she got an opportunity to work with Kumar in Kranti, Hema Malini said, "But I was not paired opposite him. He played the role of my father-in-law."
She further added, "His wife Saira Ji made a TV show in which they showcased the journey of actors who are dancers. So, one episode was based on me, which was directed by him. It was shot in my house and I enjoyed being a part of the project which Dilip saab was working on so passionately."
The actress told the tabloid that she was an admirer of Dilip Kumar and loved watching his films. "I liked Dilip Kumar-Vyjayanthimala jodi a lot and so, I enjoyed watching films like Ganga Jamuna, Sunghursh and Leader."
Hema Malini said that when she was offered Seeta Aur Geeta, she wondered if people would compare her with Dilip Kumar's Ram Aur Shyam as both the films featured the protagonist in a double role.
"When I was offered the film Seeta Aur Geeta, I wondered if people would compare me with Dilip ji as it was similar to his film Ram Aur Shyam. He was a very sweet person and every time we met woh kisse sunanae lag jaate the about how they would shoot films back then without the advent of technology and so many facilities, which was always very interesting to hear," she was quoted as saying.
Hema Malini also recounted how the legendary star and his wife Saira Banu attended her daughter Esha's wedding despite Kumar's health condition.
"It was very sweet of him to attend my daughter Esha's (Deol Takhtani) wedding. He wasn't able to walk. It was so beautiful and admirable to see Saira ji holding his hand and leading the way. We had made special arrangements for him to enter the venue so that he avoids the crowd. I felt happy that he came all the way and showered Esha and Bharat (husband) with his blessings," ETimes quoted her as saying.
The actress concluded by saying, "Through the years I kept in touch with Saira ji. Once a month I would make a call to her to know about Dilip ji's health. Every time he was hospitalised we prayed for him, but this time he left all of us."
Indeed, Dilip Kumar's passing away has left a huge, irreplacable void in Hindi cinema!
