Dilip Kumar (1922-2021): A look at illustrious film career of the 'Tragedy King'

Apart from his acting prowess, he gained popularity and praise for his good looks, deep voice, and fine accent.

With a long and illustrious acting career spanning over six decades, Kumar was one of the most prominent figures of what is called the 'Golden Era of Indian Cinema'. He made his debut in Hindi cinema in 1944 with Jwar Bhata and went on to carve an illustrious career for himself. Even though his debut film was not a resounding success, Kumar established himself as an emotive character actor in the subsequent years.

He was a versatile actor who gained prominence for playing intense characters, often with tragic elements. Some of his best roles were in Jogan, Deedar and Devdas, and these collectively earned him the title “Tragedy King”. 1960 blockbuster Mughal-e-Azam, where he essayed the role of Mughal Prince Salim became one of his most memorable roles.

His career spanned over six decades with over 60 films. His first major box-office hits were Jugnu in 1947 in which he starred alongside Noor Jehan, and the 1948 film Shaheed. He played a variety of characters a romantic hero in Andaz, a swashbuckler in Aan, a comic role in Azaad, a Mughal prince in the historical epic Mughal-e-Azam and a robber in the social movie Ganga Jamuna.

Mehboob Khan's blockbuster Aan in 1952 was his first film in Technicolor and was among a string of light-hearted roles he took at the suggestion of his psychiatrist to shed his "Tragedy King" image. He starred in many social drama films like Footpath, Naya Daur, Musafir and Paigham in the 1950s.

His top female co-stars included Madhubala, Nargis, Nimmi, Meena Kumari, Kamini Kaushal, and Vyjanthimala.

In 1966, Dilip Kumar married actress Saira Banu, his co-star in films like Gopi, Sagina and Bairaag. They had no children.

Dilip Kumar produced and starred in Ganga Jamuna in which he and his brother Nasir Khan played the title roles. It was the only film he produced.

He took a break in the late '70s but returned with a character role in the successful Kranti in 1981. He continued playing key roles in films such as Shakti, Karma and Saudagar. His last film was Qila in 1998. Post-retirement, he served as Rajya Sabha MP from 2000-2006.

Dilip Kumar received the Padma Vibhushan, the Padma Bhushan and the Dada Saheb Phalke award, India’s highest award for cinematic excellence. In 1998, Kumar was awarded Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Pakistan’s highest civilian award.

Kumar was the first actor to receive a Filmfare Best Actor Award and won eight such awards throughout his career, a record that is still unbroken. He was bestowed with Filmfare Award for lifetime achievement in 1994.