PESHAWAR: A function was arranged Tuesday to mark the 96th birthday of legendary Bollywood film star from Peshawar, Muhammad Yousaf Khan, who is more popular with his screen name of Dilip Kumar.
The Culture Heritage Council, which has been arranging the function regularly since 2009, came forward this time and organised the programme for the living legend. The collaboration was struck with the Directorate of Archeology and Museums.
Film historian and author, Muhammad Ibrahim Zia, senior TV actor Ishrat Abbas, television, film artiste Ahmad Sajjad, former Member National Assembly Bushra Hazeen and others attended the event. They cut the cake to celebrate the birthday.
Speaking on the occasion, Ishrat Abbas said that Dilip Kumar is a great artiste and a fine soul. He said the thespian is a professional and talented actor who is rightly considered the academy of acting by those associated with the field.
Ishrat Abbas, who has acted in Urdu, Pashto and Hindko TV plays and is the son of a great pre-partition theatre actor late Khalil Khan, said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had produced big names in every field of life and Dilip Kumar was no exception.
Ahmad Sajjad said that he was a big fan of Dilip Kumar. He said that he had played the role of father of Dilip Kumar in a documentary film on his life, which he said is an honour for him.
Bushra Hazeen said that Peshawar had produced great starts and Dilip Kumar was one of them. She also sang a song while cutting the birthday cake of Dilip Kumar and prayed for his health and long life.
Shakeel Waheedullah of Culture Heritage Council said that the organization arranges the function on regular basis to celebrate the birthday of Dilip Kumar.
He said that celebrating the day is aimed at remembering the legendary star in his native city and bring the people of Pakistan and India closer.
The cultural activist requested the governments of the two countries to relax the visa regime as that would enhance people-to-people contacts.
A fan of Dilip Kumar, Nausherawan, who has named his son after the film star, was also called to the stage on the occasion.
It may be mentioned here that Dilip Kumar was born as Muhammad Yousuf Khan to Lala Ghulam Sarwar and Ayesha Begum into a Hindko-speaking Awan family of Peshawar on December 11, 1922, at Mohallah Khudadad, at the back of the historic Qissa Khwani Bazaar. The family later moved first to Pune in Maharashtra and later Mumbai.
He ventured into acting in 1944 and Jawar Bhatta was his first movie. His acting career spanned over 54 years during which he gained immense popularity as The Tragedy King. He is credited with bringing realism to film acting since his first film. Qila was his last film which was released in 1998.
Dilip Kumar has been honoured with awards both in India and Pakistan for his services.
He visited Peshawar twice after partition, first in 1988 and then in 1998. The home, where he was born and spent early days of his life in Peshawar, has been in a dilapidated state since long.
He and his fans were elated when the Awami National Party-Pakistan People’s Party coalition government announced to give heritage status to the house. They promised to acquire the house and preserve it. The announcement was backed by the federal government as well but these pledges are yet to be honoured.