Remembering Dilip Kumar on his 100th birth anniversary: Lesser-known facts about India's 'Tragedy King'

The entire nation has turned teary-eyed as they remember the legendary irreplaceable star Dilip Kumar on his 100th birth anniversary. From debuting in 1944 with Amiya Chakrabarty’s film Jwar Bhata at the age of 22 years to being the Tragedy King of the Indian film industry, Dilip Kumar remains one of the greatest actors to have ever lived. In a career spanning more than half a century, the legendary star inspired generations of actors. His trademark subtle delivery, his attention to detail, and his sheer versatility honestly made him one of Indian cinema’s icons. The actor, who still remains alive in every movie buff’s memory, is remembered not just for his method acting and stunning dialogue delivery, but also for his euphoric songs which will truly force you to groove to it. On the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary, let’s take a look at some lesser-known facts about Dilip Kumar:

Real name

Not many are aware but Dilip Kumar’s real name was Mohammad Yusuf Khan. Dilip Kumar was his stage name, which was given to him by Devika Rani, the popular actress from Bombay Talkies. In addition, Uday Kumar and Vaaman Kumar were other two names that the legendary actor considered before finalising the third one.

Love for sports

Dilip Kumar loved playing football. The astounding actor once wished to become a football player. In reality, he was so good that he was even the secretary of his school’s football association.

Sold sandwiches and earned Rs 5000

Interestingly, once the actor had an argument with his father, which resulted in him leaving the house and going to Pune. There he set up his sandwich stall, which turned out to be a success and before going home, Dilip Kumar saved Rs 5000 through that stall.

Reigned at the Filmfare Awards

Filmfare Awards were inaugurated in 1954, and the legendary actor was the first to bag the Best Actor honour for his impeccable performance in Daag. In his career, Dilip Kumar won the Best actor award eight times, which is a record that he shares with the Badshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan. Moreover, he clinched the Best Actor award for three consecutive years in a row (from 1956 to 1958 for Azaad, Devdas, and Naya Daur).

Scriptwriting before acting

The actor, who was born in British India’s Peshawar—now in Pakistan, also worked as a script-writer in Bombay Talkies, before trying his luck as an actor in 1942. His proficiency in the Urdu language back then helped him earn Rs 1,250 per month as his salary, which was a huge amount in the 1940s.

Read all the Latest News, Trending News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.