Kamini Kaushal dies: Dilip Kumar’s ‘first love’ ended their relationship, married brother-in-law to honour promise to dying sister

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Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal in a still from Shaheed. (Photo: Express Archives)

After Shaheed and Nadiya Ke Paar, the two also worked together in Shabnam and Arzoo, and Dilip felt an attraction towards his co-star as much like him, she too was more interested in scholarly discussions. Since her birth name was Uma, he addressed her as Uma, and wrote, “I preferred the company of colleagues who were educated and well-informed. Stardom bothered me more than it pleased me and I guess I was drawn more intellectually than emotionally to Uma, with whom I could talk about matters and topics that interested me outside the purview of our working relationship. If that was love, may be it was. I don’t know and I don’t think it matters any more.”

He shared that despite what the rumour mill said, they conducted themselves with dignity and did not allow their private lives to become a matter of gossip. “If we were emotionally involved, there was no public exhibition of it and the decorum at work was consciously maintained,” he wrote. However, this association was short-lived as Kamini was ordered by her brother to cut ties with Dilip.

Kamini Kaushal’s husband ‘understood’ her love for Dilip Kumar

As per renowned dancer Sitara Devi, who was then married to K Asif, and shared a friendship with Dilip Kumar, the actor was heartbroken was Kamini walked out of his life, and even described her as his “first love.” “I feel she was his first love. She was educated and well spoken like him and could engage him in intelligent conversation,” Sitara Devi wrote in the same book. Although, when she asked Dilip about his relationship with Kamini, he “remained silent and changed the subject.” However, a few months later, she saw him break down as he appeared sad and hurt. “I guessed it was the pain of breaking up with his love,” she said and added, “As he spoke to us, I saw tears welling up in his sad eyes.”

Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal worked in 4 films together. (Photo: Express Archives)

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Kamini Kaushal had gotten married to her brother-in-law BS Sood in 1948, after her sister passed away. Kamini had promised her ailing sister that she would take care of her children, and she kept her word. In a chat with Filmfare, she shared, “I loved my sister deeply. I feared my nieces, who were just around two and three, would flounder without a mother. It seemed an ideal solution. It was not a sacrifice. More so, my husband was a genteel and decent human being.” The couple went on to have three more children.

Sitara Devi shared that at the time when Dilip was starting to fall in love with Kamini, she was already married, “She had married her sister’s husband when her sister died and had become mother to her kids. So there was no way Dilip Bhai could have married her,” she wrote.

Kamini Kaushal’s brother ordered to end their association

Since the pairing of Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal was a success on screen, and they were starting to get close off-screen as well, her brother felt it was wise to end this association. Sitara Devi shared, “She had been served a warning by her brother and she had informed Dilip Bhai that she wouldn’t be working with him or seeing him any more.”

Kamini shared with Filmfare in 2014 that her husband understood what had been going on in her life, and was supportive nonetheless. She shared that when her association with Dilip Kumar ended, they were both “shattered.” “We were both shattered. We were very happy with each other. We shared a great rapport. But that’s life. I can’t dump people and say ‘Enough now, I’m going!’ I had taken on the girls. I wouldn’t be able to show my face to my sister. My husband, a fine human being, understood why it happened. Everyone falls in love,” she shared.

Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal in Nadiya Ke Paar. (Photo: Express Archives)

Dilip Kumar couldn’t recognise her in old age

Even though they parted ways, she never stopped caring for him. Years later, in 1998, when Dilip Kumar was going through some health troubles, Kamini checked in on him and sent him a few children’s films so he could distract himself. He shared in his autobiography, “On another occasion, when I was suffering from a heart ailment in 1998, Uma (Kamini Kaushal), after many years, called my office. She had some close lady friends who wanted to meet me and Saira arranged for them to come home. She also made me speak to Uma, who had come to know about my condition and that I was to undergo open heart surgery.” He added, “She thought it would be a good idea for me to watch some entertaining children’s films to while away my time post-surgery. Saira and I appreciated the gesture and I felt it was very thoughtful of her.”

However, as Dilip got older and his health worsened, there came a time when he couldn’t even recognise her. She once told Filmfare that she was “heartbroken” when this happened. “He didn’t recognise me. I was heartbroken. It broke my heart to see him give me a blank look. He looked at me and I looked at him. He finds it hard to recognise anyone. I felt sad. What an era we have been through,” she shared.