After KP grants Dilip Kumar's ancestral home 'heritage' status, actor recalls childhood

Actor writes that house being granted heritage status sent his mind racing back to happy times spent in Peshawar.


Ppi February 11, 2012

MUMBAI: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s decision to grant veteran Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar’s ancestral home in the historic Qissa Khwani bazaar heritage status invoked memories of his old house.

Last week, the government completed formalities in granting the status of national heritage to his house in Mohallah Khudadad, Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar. Born as Muhammad Yusuf Khan in a statement Saturday said, "The news that house where I was born (1922) and where I spent a good part of my childhood in Peshawar's Qissa Khwani Bazaar, then in undivided India, will be given the honour of being a part of national heritage of Pakistan has sent my mind racing back to memories of happy days spent in the spacious home and its surroundings.”

"I am at once full of fond remembrances of my parents, grandparents and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins who filled the house with the sounds of their chatter and hearty laughter. I can vividly recall the piggy rides on my grandfather's back and the scary stories my grandmother cooked up to forbid me from wandering out of the house alone," the veteran actor said.

Known as the Tragedy King of Bollywood, he said he has penned down all his memory from his time in Qissa Khwani in his autobiography, due to release soon.

Incidentally, Peshawar has produced some gems in the field of performing arts such as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Shahrukh Khan, to name a few. The KP government intends to preserve houses of more legendary Bollywood stars.

 

COMMENTS (19)

hariharmani | 12 years ago | Reply

Yusuf Saheb,is his name,his screen name is Dilip Kumar.I have known almost my entire life,he has not one single mean bone in him,he is as white inside as he is out side.Every Indian respect him so Former President Kalam,also Javeed Akthar,they are great human being and Indian also.Some of you guys have to grow up,and appreciate real talent and goodness.Lot of people like Fazal Mohamud,Hanif Mohd and Imran Khan and Fateh Ali Khan,Gulam Ali and many more,They are good people and when they visit India,people flock to their programme,they appreciate the kindness and love shown to them.Why do some of you are so mean and full of malice and uncharitable,than you say you are peace loving people,show some class for a change.

CB Guy | 12 years ago | Reply

@ alam khurshid: he is not hindko, he is from Peshawer,. Hindko happens to be the langauge of almost all urban areas of NWFP, including Kohat, Peshawer, Haripur, Abbottabad and Mansehra. Its the majority language of the region as opposed to the common misconception taht pushto is the most spoken language in teh region. So he is Hindko speaking similar to the kapoors and greats like Firdous Jamal.

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