Legendary actor Dilip Kumar, who died on Wednesday at the age of 98 after a prolonged illness, will be laid to rest with State Honours at Mumbai’s Juhu cemetery at 5 pm on Wednesday.
The late actor’s family friend, Faisal Farooqui, took to Kumar’s Twitter account and announced the date and time of his burial. Soon after, the chief minister of Maharashtra announced that the late actor will be laid to rest with State Honours.
Farooqui also uploaded a video of Kumar being draped in the tri-colour for receiving State Honours.
State funeral protocols – #DilipKumar saab being draped with the beautiful tricolor. pic.twitter.com/fmYMdJLOBD
— faisal farooqui (@FAISALmouthshut) July 7, 2021
Ever since news broke of the legendary actor’s demise, tributes have been pouring in from celebrities, politicians, and fans.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister of India Rajnath Singh, and actor Akshay Kumar were among the first few to offer their condolences.
Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan took to Twitter and wrote: “An institution has gone… whenever the history of Indian Cinema will be written, it shall always be ‘before Dilip Kumar, and after Dilip Kumar’.”
Actors Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Johnny Lever, Anil Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Dharmendra, politicians Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aditya Thackeray were all seen at Dilip Kumar’s residence among the many who came in to pay their last respects.
Calling the thespian a force “unmatchable and irreplaceable”, filmmaker Karan Johar wrote on Instagram: “He was a bonafide institution. His performances are textbooks of nuance and celluloid screen presence. He leaves behind a legendary legacy that will continue to inspire generations of artists. His journey can never end because his legacy will always live on.”
Veteran actor Jeetendra also paid his tribute. In a statement, he said, “What can I say about this legend, Dilip Kumar Sahab, who showed us the way. Who showed us how it’s done, with so much grace and élan. He has been an inspiration to people like me who have aspired to be like him in every possible way. His love and warmth are unmatched and there will never be another like him. He was not just a genius on screen but also a great friend and a gem of a person. His contribution to cinema and our lives is huge. I will miss him dearly. May he rest in peace. Condolences to the entire family and Saira ji.”
In a series of tweets, singer Lata Mangeshkar also remembered her ‘Yusuf Bhai’. She tweeted: “Yusuf Bhai was ill for the last many years, could not recognize anyone, at such a time, Saira Bhabhi left everything and served him day and night, there was no other life for him. I bow to such a woman and pray that Yusuf Bhai’s soul rest in peace.”
Among others who paid tribute to Kumar were actors Alia Bhatt, Nawazuddin Siddique, Siddharth, Chiranjeevi Konidela, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Urvashi Dholakia, Karishma Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, and Salman Khan.
Born Mohammad Yusuf Khan on December 11, 1922, in Peshawar, the ‘Tragedy King’ first appeared on screen in the film Jwar Bhata in 1944 with his screen name Dilip Kumar.
Kumar, who was suffering from breathlessness for a long time, was being treated at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Mumbai’s PD Hinduja Hospital.
He is survived by his wife Saira Banu.
