Dilip Kumar, India’s enduring film legend through the decades, died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday after prolonged illness, his family and doctors treating him said. He was 98. The actor, known to generations of film-goers as ‘tragedy king’ for his portrayal of the brooding, intense romantic in classics such as Mughal-e-Azam and Devdas, is survived by his wife Saira Banu. The last rites will be held at 5 pm at the Juhu Qabrastan at Santacruz Mumbai, a post from his Twitter handle said. Kumar, who embodied the best of India through his work and seven decades in public life, had been admitted to the Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility in Khar, since last Tuesday. “He passed away due to prolonged illness at 7.30 am,” Dr Jalil Parkar, who had been treating Kumar, said.
“With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, a few minutes ago. We are from God and to Him we return,” family friend Faisal Farooqui posted from the actor’s Twitter handle at 8.01 am. The Hindi cinema veteran, the last of the golden troika with Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, was admitted to hospital last month following episodes of breathlessness. Kumar, born Yousuf Khan in Peshawar on December 11, 1922, was diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion, a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs, and underwent a successful pleural aspiration procedure. He was discharged after five days only to be admitted to the hospital again. Condolence messages for the much-loved star, whose death truly epitomised the end of an era, poured in from all quarters with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi joining political leaders, the film fraternity and others to express their grief.
