Asha Parekh's comment on Dilip Kumar.











Asha Parekh’s comment on Dilip Kumar.

Renowned actress Asha Parekh made a very strange comment on Dilip Kumar. Her comment was reported in Times Of India on 29th November, 2009.

Asha Parekh was interviewed and asked that why did she never featured in any of the roles opposite Dilip Kumar during the 60s and 70s. She answered that she never acted opposite actors whom she did not like. She never liked Dilip Kumar and that was why she never acted opposite him. It can be mentioned that she acted opposite Shammi Kapoor in Dil Deke Dekho, Teesri Manzil, Jawan Muhobbat, etc., opposite Joy Mukherjee in Love In Tokyo, Ziddi, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon, etc., opposite Biswajeet in Mere Sanam, opposite Dharmender in Aya Sawan Jhumke and other films, opposite Manoj Kumar in Upkar, opposite Sunil Dutt in Hindustani, Chirag, Zakhmee, etc., opposite Jeetender in Carwan, opposite Rajesh Khanna in Kati Patang, Baharon Ki Sapne,etc. In that respect the statement sounded very strange and arbitrary. It either signified that Dilip Kumar was inferior to most of the actors mentioned above, or as personality he had traits which were not liked by heroines.

If we look back at the career of Tragedy King Dilip Kumar, we will agree that he had acted opposite almost all the leading actresses from the 40s to 70s. Other than Raj Kapoor no other actor survived for such a long period of time and acted opposite different actresses. Dilip Kumar acted opposite Madhubala in Sangdil, Amar, Mughal-i-Azam, etc., opposite Nimmi in Uran Khatola, opposite Nargis in Babul, Andaz, etc., opposite Meena Kumari in Footpath, Azad, Yahudi, Kohinoor, etc., opposite Vaijayantimala in Naya Daur, Madhumati, Paigaam, Ganga Jumna, Leader, Sunghursh, etc., opposite Wahida Rehman in Ram Aur Shyam, Aadmi and Dil Diya Dard Liya, etc., opposite Usha Kiran in Musafir, opposite Suchitra Sen in Devdas. The list can go on and even junior actresses like Leena Chandravarkar featured opposite Dilip Kumar in Bairaag, Sharmila Tagore featured opposite Dilip Kumar in Dastaan, his wife Saira Banu acted in Sagina, Gopi, etc. None of the actresses ever complained about Dilip Kumar’s character.

Dilip Kumar had remained an institution by himself. Actors ranging from Manoj Kumar, Rajender Kumar to Anil Kapoor and Sharukh Khan are absolute admirers of the legendary actor. Even Big B in an interview in DD India said he could not match Dilip Kumar’s personality in Shakti where both the giant actors faced each other. So as far as Dilip Kumar’s legacy in bollywood there is no shadow of doubt and any actor of any contemporary period had referred the style of dialogue throwing of Dilip Kumar while featuring in tragic sequences.

So Asha Parekh’s comment sounds absolutely baseless and full of prejudice. Viewers feel that Asha Parekh could have learned acting if she got a scope of acting opposite Dilip Kumar. The comment should be ignored and does not make any difference in the brand image of Dilip Kumar who is the only recipient of Nishan –i-Imtiaz award given by Pakistan other than Ex-Prime Minister Morarji Desai.