Dilip Kumar is doing a lot better, Saira Banu reassures fans

Even as India copes with the spread of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, yesteryear actress Saira Banu has reassured fans that her husband, the great actor Dilip Kumar, is doing well. The 97-year old has been suffering from repeated bouts of ill-health in recent years.

In an audio message for the thespian's fans, Saira Banu said, "I wanted to tell you all that Dilip saheb is doing a lot better. He was complaining of backache and had to be taken to Lilavati hospital. So we went, and now we are back."

Dilip Kumar aka Yusuf Khan has been struggling with age-related illness in recent years. In 2018, the Mughal-e-Azam (1960) star was admitted to the Lilavati hospital after he complained of severe chest congestion.

Since his retirement from the silver screen almost two decades ago, Dilip Kumar has mostly been away from the spotlight, making only very rare public appearances. Even those ceased after he entered the tenth decade of his eventful life.

Recently, Saira Banu appealed to the Maharashtra government to help keep Dilip Kumar's property out of the hands of builders. In March last year, the Bombay high court set aside an arbitration panel order asking the actor to give an undertaking that he would not 'alienate, encumber or part with' his former bungalow at Pali Hill in Bandra. The plot was to be redeveloped into a multi-storeyed building, but the project has been stalled after the bungalow was demolished.