Veteran actor and film legend Dilip Kumar dies at 98

Film legend Dilip Kumar, who had been suffering from age-related ailments for the past several years, died at the Hinduja hospital in Khar, Mumbai, at 7.30am today. The Padma Vibhushan awardee was 98.

The news was confirmed by the actor's spokesperson, Faisal Farooqui, on social media. 

Dilip Kumar, who had been in and out of hospital for the past few years, was admitted to the Hinduja hospital on 6 June after complaining of breathlessness. Several prominent names, including Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar, paid a visit to the actor.

Born Muhammad Yusuf Khan in the pre-Independence North West Frontier Province, Dilip Kumar made his debut in the drama Jwar Bhata (1944), going on to become one of the biggest stars of Hindi cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. Alongside Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, he formed a triumvirate that led the industry in its post-Independence infancy. His stirring performances in films such as Andaz (1949), Daag (1952), Devdas (1955), Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Gunga Jumna (1961), among many others, redefined the craft of acting for several generations.

The actor was the initial recipient of the Filmfare Best Actor award, and holds the joint record with Shah Rukh Khan of winning the highest number of Filmfare awards (eight in all).

Dilip Kumar was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1991 and the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, in 2015. He is also the only Indian to be awarded Pakistan's highest civilian honour, the Nishan-e-Imtiaz.

The actor was presented with the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1994. Dilip Kumar was a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament, from 2000 to 2006 and sheriff of Mumbai from 1979 to 1982.

He is survived by actress Saira Banu, his wife of 55 years.

Prime minister Narendra Modi shared his condolences with the family on social media. 

Correction, 8 July 2021: An earlier version of this report said Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar had been married for 45 years. In fact, they would have completed 55 years of marriage in October.