Today marks the end of an era. Legendary actor Dilip Kumar breathed his last on Wednesday. The actor was admitted to the Hinduja Hospital on June 30 after facing breathing issues and succumbed to age-related health issues. Kumar was 98 and the news of his demise was shared by Faisal Farooqui on Twitter.
Also Read: The Enduring Legacy of Dilip Kumar
“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, Farooqui, tweeted from the actor’s Twitter handle. Known as the ‘tragedy king’, the actor leaves a rich legacy behind.
Kumar was the star of the golden age of Hindi cinema who will always be remembered for anchoring a template of acting for generations to come. He along with Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand played a great role in shaping cinema in India, and was possibly the only actor who was the right blend of star and actor. Kumar could keep both the public and the critics engaged with his craft and impress them with his subtle, understated but always believable performances.
Paying a tribute to his legacy, we list down 10 films that you need to watch today.
Mughal-e-Azam
Mughal-e-Azam is a 1960 period drama directed by K. Asif. Starring Prithviraj Kapoor, Madhubala, Durga Khote and Dilip Kumar, the film chronicled the love affair between Mughal Prince Salim and Anarkali, a court dancer. Kumar essayed Prince Salim on the screen, and his performance in this film is still considered to be the best.
Devdas
The 1995 released film directed by Bimal Roy saw Dilip Kumar essay the title role. Devdas, which was based on Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novel with the same name, made the audience see Kumar in a new light. His epic portrayal of Devdas, a wealthy landowner turned alcoholic, was spot on.
Madhumati
With Madhumati, Dilip Kumar and Bimal Roy made reincarnation stories more popular. The film released in 1958, and we still see remakes of the same being made. The film became an instant hit and inspired Hollywood film-makers to make the film The Reincarnation of Peter Proud 1975. The film also was remade as Karz in 1980.
Naya Daur
Dilip Kumar essayed the role of Shankar, who drives a horse-carriage for a living, in Naya Daur. The film, just like any other Dilip Kumar film, had a really important message for the audience. The actor impressed the critics as well and bagged his fourth Filmfare award for the film. Interestingly, Kumar initially had refused to play the lead role, but after being convinced by his friend Ashok Kumar, he immediately accepted the role.
Shakti
Another intriguing story was introduced to the audience with Shakti. Kumar essayed the role of a cop who had to catch hold of his own son, a mafia. Amitabh Bachchan essayed the role of Kummr’s son and their camaraderie was beyond perfection. People thought that the film would never be made as the shooting started in 1980 and the released was delayed by about 3 years. This film was also the first and only time in their careers that Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan worked together.
Ram Aur Shyam
Starring Kumar with Waheeda Rehman, this film is a classic tale of revenge, drama and comedy. The actor, who is popular as the ‘Tragedy King’, was seen in a comical role, and people loved this side of his. The film was also the first time the late actor essayed a double role in a film.
Ganga Jamuna
The tale of two brothers locking horns as fate decides to take their lives on different paths, that is Ganga Jamuna for you. The film was the one and only film produced by Dilip Kumar under the banner of Citizen Films. Kumar also ghost directed and edited the film and his role in the film became one of the most appreciated ones.
Leader
Leader was a political drama where Kumar essayed the role of a law graduate-cum-tabloid editor. He tried to find the culprit after he is accused of a political leader’s murder, and this plot makes the film quite an interesting watch. The story of the film was written by Kumar himself, who gave it to Ram Mukherjee to turn it into a film.
Karma
Another action film where we saw the late actor in the role of a police inspector was Karma. The film marked his first on-screen appearance with Nutan as well. The film also reunited Subhash Ghai and Dilip Kumar after the success of their last film together Vidhaata.
Andaz
This 1949 released film starred Kumar along with Nargis. The film chronicles the tale of a love triangle between Dilip, Neena and Rajan (Raj Kapoor), and what happens when their worlds collide. The film marked the beginning of the reign of Dilip-Raj, however, the two never worked together again. Andaz also became the highest-grossing movie of its time.
We lost a gem today who shaped cinema into what it is today. His contribution to the film industry and the many films that he gave to his audience will forever be cherished. May his soul rest in peace.