Legendary
actor
Dilip
Kumar's
demise
on
July
7
has
left
millions
of
fans
across
the
globe
shattered.
The
film
fraternity
is
in
deep
shock
and
grief.
One
of
Indian
cinema's
respected
singers
Lata
Mangeshkar
who
considered
Kumar
as
her
elder
brother,
friend
and
guide,
too
is
heartbroken
on
his
passing
away.
In
a
chat
with
ETimes,
Mangeshkar
shared
some
of
her
fond
memories
with
the
late
actor.
She
revealed
that
she
first
met
the
Devdas
actor
in
a
Mumbai
suburban
train.
ETimes
quoted
her
as
saying,
"My
first
meeting
with
Yusufsaab
was
on
a
Mumbai
suburban
train.
This
was
years
ago
-
I
think,
in
1946
or
'47.
I,
Anil-da
(music
director
Anil
Biswas)
and
one
of
his
assistants
were
on
our
way
to
Malad.
A
tall,
young
man
hopped
into
the
compartment
at
Bandra.
Anil-da
asked
him
to
join
us.
"Yeh
ladki
kaun
hai
(Who
is
this
girl?)" he
asked."
Mangeshkar
said
that
when
Anil
Biswas
introduced
her
to
him
as
a
young
Maharashtrian
playback
singer,
Kumar
jokingly
said
that
Maharashtrians
are
hardly
well-versed
in
Urdu
and
their
Urdu
pronunciation
smells
of
'daalbhaat.'
That
very
day,
the
veteran
singer
decided
to
learn
Urdu.
"Anil-da
introduced
me
to
him,
saying,
"This
is
a
young
playback
singer,
she
is
very
good.
She
is
a
Maharashtrian.
Yusufsaab
remarked
jokingly,
"Maharashtrians
are
hardly
well-versed
in
Urdu.
Their
Urdu
'talaffuz
(pronunciation)' smells
of
'daalbhaat'."
That
very
day
I
asked
(music
director)
Mohammad
Shafisaab
if
he
could
look
for
an
Urdu
tutor
for
me.
Today,
when
someone
praises
my
Urdu
'talaffuz'
I
quietly
thank
Yusufsaab.
His
light-hearted
remark
made
me
study
Urdu,
which
is
a
beautiful
language.
Yusufsaab's
Urdu
was
impeccable;
it
was
music
to
the
ears,"
the
tabloid
quoted
Lata
Mangeshkar
as
saying.
She
further
continued
that
they
both
got
busy
with
their
respective
work
and
lives.
However,
whenever
they
would
bump
into
each
other,
Kumar
would
greet
her
with
affection
and
she
would
touch
his
feet.
"I've
seen
most
of
Yusufsaab's
films
-
Deedar,
Madhumati,
Aan,
Daag,
Yahudi,
Aadmi...
almost
all
-
in
cinema
halls.
Watching
Yusufsaab
on
the
silver
screen
was
a
fascinating
experience.
His
sheer
presence
on
celluloid
was
magnetic:
a
heady
mix
-
grace,
style,
dignity
and
acting
abilities;
his
faraway,
brooding
glances
said
it
all," Lata
told
ETimes.
Further,
she
also
talked
about
her
experience
of
singing
a
song
with
Dilip
Kumar
for
Hrishikesh
Mukherjee's
film
Musafir.
"It
was
Hrishi-da's
brainwave
to
ask
Yusufsaab
to
sing
a
duet
with
me.
Salil-da
(music
director)
put
him
through
the
paces.
Yusufsaab
began
in
the
true
tradition
of
classical
music
-
aalaap,
taan
and
so
forth.
He
sang
to
his
heart's
content
and
then
we
recorded
the
song.
And
I
must
tell
you
that
people
liked
it
-
'Laagi
naahi
chchute
raam...'.
Connoisseurs
remember
the
song
to
this
day,"
the
singer
opened
up.
In
the
same
interview,
Lata
also
recounted
her
last
meeting
with
the
thespian
and
shared,
"Over
the
years
Yusufsaab's
health
began
to
deteriorate.
I
had
a
strong
urge
to
meet
him.
My
niece
Rachana
(Shah)
accompanied
me
to
his
Pali
Hill
residence.
This
was
in
December
2014.
Saira-ji
(Dilip
Kumar's
wife)
took
me
to
Yusufsaab's
room.
We
all
knew
that
his
memory
was
fast
fading.
But,
he
hardly
took
any
time
to
recognise
me.
He
smiled
and
said,
"Come
in.
A
big
chair,
saddled
with
a
gadda,
was
meant
for
him;
but
he
insisted
on
sitting
on
a
sofa,
next
to
me.
When
food
was
brought
in,
I
fed
him
maalpuwa
and
paneer
tikka.
He
ate
heartily
-
and
smiled.
When
I
reminded
him
of
the
Musafir
song,
he
grinned.
A
big,
happy
grin."