New Delhi: Hindi film legend Dilip Kumar, popularly known as the Tragedy King, has romanced many top actresses on screen over his six decades in Hindi films.
It is said that the actor always chose to act opposite top actresses of his era. His tragic image as a doomed lover, mostly a victim of fate, made him the dream man of a million women. His memorable on-screen pairings have evoked every emotion from laughter to tears, and occasionally tickled the Bollywood gossip vine, too.
The veteran debuted as an actor in the film Jwar Bhata in 1944. Since then, over the years, top actresses of the era have delivered hit s opposite the thespian. Here are five heroines who made an outstanding pair with Dilip Kumar.
NARGIS
Dilip Kumar had declined to play the role of Nargis’s son in Mother India in 1957 after romancing the actress in previous films. Nargis acted in seven films with Dilip Kumar, from Anokha Pyar (1948) to Deedar (1951). They played childhood sweethearts, separated by circumstances in Mela (1948).
The superhit film Andaz (1949) starring Nargis, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor was a love triangle. In 1950 came two films, Babul and Jogan. In 1951 they did another love triangle, Deedar, this time with actress Nimmi.
VYJAYANTHIMALA
“Kaun kambakht bardasht karne ke liye peeta hai?” says Devdas, played by Dilip Kumar, to Chandramukhi played by Vyjayanthimala. The pair gave epic romances to the screen in Devdas, Madhumati and Gunga Jumna. They worked in seven films together, from Naya Daur (1957) to Paigham to Leader (1964) and Sunghursh (1968).
MADHUBALA
Madhubala and Dilip Kumar were a pair of dreams and doom. It is said that their pair in the epic Mughal-e-Azam was an obituary to their tragic love. Their first film together was Tarana (1951). They later worked in Sangdil (1952) and Amar (1954).
MEENA KUMARI
Meena Kumari was the Tragedy Queen of Hindi film industry while Dilip Kumar was Tragedy King. Yet, interestingly, they worked together in the light-hearted films Azaad (1955) and Kohinoor (1960), where the two did cheerful roles. They also acted together in Foot Path (1953) and Yahudi (1958).
SAIRA BANU
It is said that initially Dilip Kumar refused to pair with Saira Banu dismissing her to be too young for him. His real-life heroine Saira went on to do films like Gopi (1970), Sagina (1974) and Bairaag (1976) after marriage.
