Veteran actress and wife of actor Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu wrote a letter on ETimes on the occasion of Kumar's 99th birth anniversary which will be on December 11.
In the letter, Banu states, "December 11, 1922. Peshawar, North West Frontier Province in pre-partition India. On the bitter cold night of December 11, while a raging fire fanned by the force of freezing winds was blazing in the Qissa Khwani bazaar in Peshawar, my Jaan, Yousuf Saheb, was born to Ayesha Begum, the beautiful wife of Mohammad Sarvar Khan, a leading fruit merchant of Peshawar, as their fourth child. This year on December 11, which is tomorrow, it will be his 99th birthday."
Furthermore, she adds, "The fact is that Dilip Saheb was very happy and proud that he was born in an undivided India and he grew up in a large, happy family which was united by the bonds of respect for elders, cared for the younger members and women and had unflinching trust in one another. In his own eyes he was a simple man with a family and a challenging job... nothing more... and certainly not a celluloid God as superstars are sometimes given to believe. He went festival and birthday shopping with me without the slightest hesitation and enjoyed a stop at small bhel puri stalls and ice cream cafes much to the consternation of the owners and managers of the joint."
She added, "As I said on the occasion of our wedding anniversary two months ago, he is very much in our midst, gently holding my hand and expressing his feelings without words... by just the unmatched, inimitable eloquence of his eyes. Once again I know I’m not alone now and forever. Happy birthday, Jaan."
Kumar passed away at the age of 98 earlier this year due to prolonged illness.
