Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu: The eternal love story worth endearing

4 Decades of togetherness!

It’s been almost 4 decades now that the two have been in love with each other and are still going strong. Dilip Sahaab fondly calls Saira Banu as his queen and in return Mrs Kumar showers him with unconditional love. Such is the story of our Bollywood’s most heart-warming couple!

The trouble in the paradise!

No marriage is perfect and Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar’s is no exception. Everything seemed fine until the news of Dilip Kumar having an extra-marital affair with Asma made it to the headlines. This was after 16 years of him making memories with his wife Saira. In one his interviews, Dilip Sahaab recalled, “Well, the one episode in my life that I would like to forget and which we, Saira, and I, have pushed into eternal oblivion is a grave mistake I made under pressure of getting involved with a lady named Asma Rehman whom I had met at a cricket match in Hyderabad.” Despite this, Saira Banu didn’t lose her faith in love and won Dilip Sahaab back. Since then, she has always been by the side of Dilip Sahaab.

The D-Day!

The gossip mills went raving when the news of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu tying the knot made it to the headlines. Their wedding was a sensational affair as no one ever anticipated that the two will settle down with each other. The age gap between the two was the talk topic of the town. Saira was just 22 then when she tied the knot with Dilip Sahaab who was in his 40’s in the year 1976.

Naseem Banu: The cupid!

Of course, Saira Banu was a sensation then with many stars drooling over her beauty. Rajender Kumar was one of them. Reports suggest that Rajender Kumar was head over heels in love with Saira and the two had a love affair. Rajender was a married man and Saira Banu’s mother Naseem Banu was completely against this relationship. Naseem Banu then dragged Saira’s childhood crush Dilip Kumar to distance her daughter from Rajender. Little did she know that while doing so, Dilip Sahaab would fall for her daughter.

The first meeting!

At the age of 16, Saira Banu excitingly attended the premier of Dilip Kumar’s ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ with a hope that she would at least get a glimpse of Dilip Saab. Unfortunately, her hopes were shattered and Dilip Kumar didn’t turn up at the premier. Later, she stepped into film at the age of 17 with a film ‘Junglee’ alongside Shammi Kapoor. She became an instant hit and the director’s favourite. She bagged a chance to feature opposite the best male stars then and finally, a role of opposite Dilip Kumar too.

Dilip Kumar’s fading love story with Madhubala

Dilip Kumar was a charmer and he had many suitors for himself. One of the them was the epitome of beauty and his ‘Mughal-e-azaam’ co-star Madhubala. Dilip Kumar and Madhubala’s love story makes up for the most beautiful love stories we have ever witnessed, but, unfortunately it had a sad ending. It is said that actress’s father played the role of the villain in their love story and the two had to part ways. Dilip Kumar had drowned himself into oblivion post this spilt and that’s when his path crossed that of Saira.

Saira Banu’s childhood crush!

Saira Banu in one of her interviews revealed that she had a crush on Dilip Kumar since the age of 12. She first saw him on big screen in the film ‘Aan’ in the year 1952 and she instantly fell in love with the most charming man Bollywood had ever witnessed. Of course, Dilip Kumar’s persona is that of a man who can make any girl for film and Saira Banu was no different.