On Dilip Kumar's 103rd birth anniversary on December 11, his wife and veteran actress Saira Banu paid a heartfelt tribute to the legendary actor. She shared a few emotional videos along with a long note dedicated to her late husband, recalling his life and legacy.
Addressing him as "My dearest Yousuf Saab," Saira Banu wrote, "Every year, when this day returns, it brings with it a gentle stirring in my heart... a mourn of all the seasons I have watched you live, not merely as an artist for the world, but as the finest human being I have ever known."
Shedding light on his stature and craft, she added, "People often speak of you as an institution, a phenomenon, a genius beyond comparison and they are right. But I have seen the quieter miracles: the way you prepared for every role by breathing in its time, its silence... how you dissolved into the soil of each character until even I, who knew you best, would search for the man behind the performance."
She continued, "Your dedication was always a sacred offering to your art and fans."
In the comments section, Saira extended her heartfelt tribute, writing, "For generations, artists have walked in your light. They still do seeking in you not just craft, but purity of purpose. For the audience, your films were like returning to festivals that never lose their warmth. People have loved you with a devotion I have rarely seen in this world. And yet, despite the reverence, you remained untouched by the noise of fame."
Recalling his simplicity, she wrote, "I often smile when I remember how easily you parted with things others would treasure for a lifetime - a watch, a shawl, a pen given away with the innocence of a child who values hearts more than possessions. Or that evening when you held my hand and led me to a wedding without a moment's announcement, as though grace itself needed no preparation."
She added, "Your inner world, Yousuf Saab, was always carved from something rarer than time - simple yet profound, free of material wants, rich with meaning, and devoted to the quiet discipline of truth. To have lived beside you, to have witnessed the man behind the legend, remains the greatest honour of my life."
Wishing Dilip Kumar on his birth anniversary, Saira concluded her note with an emotional line: "Sometimes, in a whisper only the heart understands, I find myself saying, 'Khuda se poochun... kya humein Yousuf hamesha ke liye nahin mil sakte?' Happy Birthday, Yousuf Jaan."
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu married on October 11, 1966, when she was 22 and he was 44. Despite the age gap, their bond endured for over five decades, making their relationship one of Bollywood's most cherished love stories.
