Dilip Kumar encouraged Lata Mangeshkar to master her Urdu skills

On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, Saira Banu Khan took to her Instagram to share a heartwarming note about the brother-sister bond that her late husband, Dilip Kumar, shared with Lata Mangeshkar. The note was accompanied by three pictures and a video showing the duo performing the rite of tying a Rakhi on the wrist of their chosen sibling. 

Each of the pictures depicted a tender moment between the two late legendary figures of Bollywood entertainment. “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,” said Saira at the beginning of her sweet love note. 

Among the many little anecdotes that Saira shared in the post, she also mentioned how Dilip was the one to emphasise to Lata the importance of mastering the spoken language. He taught her that the true essence of Urdu is embedded in the pronunciation of each word and encouraged her to improve her fluency in Urdu, so much so that Lata ended up hiring an Urdu tutor for herself. 

“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,” wrote Saira in her tribute to the two’s beautiful relationship.

The retired diva of yesteryear Bollywood also shared that both Dilip and Lata were fully committed to celebrating Raksha Bandhan and would do so every year without fail.

“Despite being busy with work or travel or any personal commitments, they would find a way to meet each other 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 for this beautiful gesture, sent her a brocade sari to her taste each time!”

Saira fondly remembered how their bond stayed strong and thrived till the very end and recalled the last time they were together before Dilip passed away on July 7, 2022. She wrote, “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. 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!”