On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, veteran actress Saira Banu posted a long and heartfelt note, describing the sisterly love that Lata Mangeshkar had for her husband Dilip Kumar, which lasted for decades.
This bond between the two legends is no secret, and long after old age dawned upon them, the two never forgot the connection they shared since their early days in Bollywood, and remained close until their final years.
Taking to Instagram, the actress posted several pictures of the two in their old age, and how their bond carried on throughout their lives.
She captioned the post with a long story, detailing the history of their lifelong bond as brother and sister.
The post read: “The Kohinoor of Indian Cinema Dilip Sahib and the nightingale of the Music Industry of India Lata Mangeshkar held a connection beyond the dazzle of their stupendous stardom. They shared the bond of a brother and sister.”
“In those golden quiet bygone days this legendary two-some found it comfortable to travel from their homes to their work spots in local trains which are also known as the life-line of this marvelous city Mumbai.”
Describing how their bond came to be and how Dilip Kumar had helped Lata Mangeshkar become the great singer she was, Saira Banu added: “It was during this travelling time that they shared their thoughts, experiences, and sought each other’s advice. It was at one such journey that Sahib guided Lataji on how much the heart of Urdu lies in its flawless pronunciation and how something as simple as a Nukta adds a beautiful addition to words.
“Sahib emphasised that one must own the spoken languages with mastery. Lataji, an obedient sister in every sense, worked upon his advice and sought an Urdu tutor’s assistance.
“Since then, the world bore witness to her flawless pronunciation in her songs.”
From that time on, the two ended up having an unbreakable bond which they would always celebrate through Rakhi, no matter how busy they were: “Despite being busy with work or travel or any personal commitments, they both would find a way to meet on Rakshabandhan and Lataji would tie the sacred Rakhi on Sahib’s hand."
“To my delight they both unfailingly followed this ritual year after year and I, in return of this beautiful gesture, sent her a brocade sari to her taste each time!"
Indeed, Dilip Kumar had always considered Lata Mangeshkar his little sister, and introduced her as such to the whole world: “Dilip Sahib bestowed upon her the honour of being introduced at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London where the echoes of the first Indian concert resounded.
“With utmost simplicity, he called her on the stage. ‘Ye meri choti si behen bohat mukhtasar si, main inhein introduce karne aaya hoon’. The audience roared with appreciation. Thousands of long playing records were made and sold to the public of this same function. Many years later, he introduced her again similarly at the London Palladium.”
“This bond of brother and sister remained until the very end, in sickness and in health. She often came to our home to visit Sahib and they ate lunch or dinner together,” she added.
“The very last time that she came here she lovingly fed him with her own hands and they made such a loving picture together. Such was the love they shared…monumental!”
Dilip Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar are two legends who need no introduction, and their relationship lasted for more than seven decades ever since their first meeting in 1948, as both had met on Mumbai’s local train.
The two collaborated on some of the most iconic Indian films, with the best example being ‘Mughal-E-Azam’.
