PESHAWAR - The Cultural Heritage Council on Tuesday celebrated the birthday of well-known film actor of the sub-continent Yousaf Khan, commonly know as Dilip Kumar, who has turned 90 years old.
Born in Qissa Khawani Bazaar, Peshawar, on December 11, 1922, in a Pashtun family, Muhammad Yousaf Khan is the son of Ghulam Sarwar who was a fruit merchant and owned large orchards in Peshawar. From Peshawar, the family of Dilip Kumar relocated to Mumbai in 1930s. Legendary Khan, a second name of Dilip Kumar, is considered to be one of the greatest actors of the Indian cinema. Starting his career in 1944, he has starred in some of the biggest commercially successful films from the late 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1980s. His performances have been regarded as the epitome of emoting in Indian cinema.
He was the first actor in Indian film industry to receive a Film-fare Best Actor Award and holds the record for most number of Filmfare Award won for that category.
In this connection, Cultural Heritage Council organized a program here at Peshawar Press Club in which besides a large number of the neighbors of Dilip Kumar, actors, journalists, writers, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information and Culture Mian Iftikhar participated.
Addressing on the occasion, provincial Minister Mian Iftikhar informed that all is set to declare the house of legend Kumar as a national heritage, and make it part of the provincial cultural department, whereas work on purchasing the house of Pretwi Raj Lapur is in the final stage.
The minister said that Dilip was a genius, whose work was liked not only in the sub-continent but also across the world. He was worked in few films, but all that in best films, due to which still his prints is there in the Indian industry, he added. The minister also said that the acting of the existing Indian film industry King, Shah Rukh Khan is also depicting the colours of Dilip Kumar.
The legend Kumar and his wife Saira Bano also made a telephonic address on the occasion and extended thanks to the organisers for arranging the function. Saira Bano also prayed for the health and long life of her husband.