Saira Banu shares how Ashok Kumar gave Dilip Kumar the biggest acting lesson of his life: ‘If you try to act it out, it will look silly’

Saira Banu recalled that Dilip Kumar would address Ashok Kumar as ‘Bhaiyya’ and would spend a lot of time at his house. She shared how Raj Kapoor, who was their contemporary, would also accompany them. She further wrote, “Ashok Bhaiyya lived close to the Studios those days and Raj and Dilip Sahib were always welcomed in Bhaiyya’s home to savour hot Bhajiyas made by his wife Shoba Bhabhi. Raj Kapoor would often join Sahib and hug him excitedly saying that he’s happy to know that he had joined the acting profession.”

 

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Saira Banu added that Ashok Kumar would tell them to play badminton with him and later treat them with a feast. “Bhaiyya sometimes arrived while they were having Bhajiyas and demanded that they should play badminton with him. He would chide them jokingly, You come here and flirt with my wife, eat nice Bhajiyas and you don’t want to accompany me in playing badminton. Later, when they worked together, on Ashok Bhaiyya’s order there would be a ‘Daawat’ at lunchtime with delicious food like Biryani and homemade ice cream.”

Saira mentioned that when Ashok was dealing with health problems later in his life, Dilip Kumar would visit him and “regale him with Urdu couplets and wicked jokes.” She added, “He would respond marvelously and cheer up. Sahib and I visited him regularly while Bhaiyya’s man Khurshid followed us out and told us that ‘Dada Moni’ really perks up and livens up with your coming. This was a great camaraderie in bad times.”