Following the Pakistani government’s announcement of Dilip Kumar’s ancestral Peshawar home as a national heritage site, there’s a festive mood at the Kumar residence. The news was delivered to the veteran actor by his wife Saira Banu. “It is the highest tribute and a reward for his work. He was very happy and his broad smile manifested his gratitude. I could see tears of joy in his eyes,” she said, reported the Hindustan Times.
According to reports, the Pakistani government will be organising an event in Peshawar, where Kumar’s ride from there to Bollywood will be showcased. “No one has approached us yet, but we would extend our help if needed,” Saira said.
Reportedly, this is an effort by Pakistan to strengthen relations with India and the government is planning to invite ‘Bollywood’s first couple’ to Pakistan. “We shall go if the occasion arises. It’s a huge honour for Sahib and he should be there personally. There are so many memories attached with that house,” Saira added.
Kumar has visited Pakistan twice since leaving the country as a child. “The first time was when former President Zia-Ul-Haque had invited him as a state guest, and the next time, when he got Pakistan’s highest civilian award, Nishaan-e-Pakistan, in 1998. That was also when we visited his ancestral home,” Saira shared. “Every year, his birthday is celebrated in that house by thousands of his well-wishers, and Sahib talks to them on call. They also visit us in India with stories from his birthplace. Those are his only connects with his childhood.”
Hinting on how the actor hasn’t been conferred the Bharat Ratna yet, which in India’s highest civilian award, Saira said: “It’d be wonderful if our government, too, would acknowledge his contributions.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 16th, 2014.
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@Goggi, Your comment is impressive. I am so glad that we have people like you on this forum. Thumbs up.
"It’s a huge honour for Sahib and he should be there personally. " In the fitness of things, the Sahib should move into his ancestral home permanently. It would teach Pakistanis what gratitude really means. Sahib is also a recipient of the highest award from Pakistan - Nishan-e-Pakistan. How would it look if Sahib turned his back on his homeland?
@Harjit Singh Dhanoa:
Dilip Kumar is much more renowned than Prithvi raj Kapoor, hence he is being awarded. Its down to popular stardom. your bringing religion into the equation only shows your own mindset. some one (Deepwater) made a comment that Pakistanis have a mindset to look through religion, but interestingly his and your comments show that this mindset is yours! have a nice day.
Dilip Kumar richly deserve the honour but so does Prithviraj Kapoor who also belonged to Peshawar, and his and his family's contribution to the cinema is much greater. Is it because he was a Hindu hence not honoured by Pakistan?
Dilip Kumar doesn't deserve Bharat Ratna , because he does not deserve it . He is not worth of it . It is for people like Nehru , Mandella and Gaffar Khan .
One of Pakistan's first great hero named himself Santosh Kuman. His brother called himself Darpan and then there was Ratan Kumar just to name a few. It was not changing religion but a fashion trend those days. We are so negative that we cannot leave a man alone even when he is almost 90 years old. Look at the character and life history of our new political heroes. Thanks Dilip Saheb for giving so much joy to three generations. More power and fame to you.
@yousafhaque And the PAKISTANI mindset is to look at everything through the prism of religion and religion alone. Never mind that Dilip Kumar is eminently respected by one and all - his film fraternity (older, younger and even those that were born well after his heydays), his fans, everyone. Sorry I don't have the breakdown of his admirers by religion. We don't care for those type of statistics.
As far as changing his name is concerned, many movie stars do that to this day. Hollywood's legendary actor John Wayne was Marion Morrison.
the hight of immorality
@Aamir: If it was allowed here, I would spend the next hour thumbs up-ing your comment... truer words have not been said...
We even demolished Manto's home!
Where is the ministry of culture??? Oops , we lost it thanks to 18th amendment. Shame on us!
We the people of the Subcontinent, are all the daughters and sons of the same mother soil and our gigantic father i.e. the Himalaya, Karakorum, Hindukush, who gushes water and life for all of us in all directions.
All these man-made fences of divisions are therefore ridiculous and demonstrate our ignorance.
We love Mr. Kumar where ever he lives and may our beloved Ms. Kumar remain Sadaa Suhagan!
No offence to Dilip Kumar but I ask the Pakistani government that are we ever going to bestow the same gratitude to any of our own legends. Names like Madam Noor Jehan, Mehdi Hasan, Waheed Murad, Nustrat Fateh Ali Khan are just a few immortals which come to mind.
We need to come out of our huge inferior complex when it comes to everything Indian especially Bollywood.