Iconic actor Dilip Kumar passes away at 98, PM Modi hails him as ‘cinematic legend’

Legendary actor Dilip Kumar passed away on Wednesday morning. The actor, who had been undergoing treatment for prolonged illness, was admitted to Mumbai’s PD Hinduja hospital on June 30. He was 98.

The Mughal -E- Azam actor’s family friend Faisal Farooqui shared the news through the actor’s Twitter handle and wrote, “With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, few minutes ago. We are from God and to Him we return(sic).”

Earlier this week, Dilip Kumar’s wife Saira Banu tweeted and assured his fans that his health is improving. She further added that he is still in ICU and waiting for the doctor’s approval to be discharged. Meanwhile, the final rites of the actor will be performed today at 4 pm.

Soon after the demise of the iconic actor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and tweeted: “Dilip Kumar Ji will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled. His passing away is a loss to our cultural world. Condolences to his family, friends and innumerable admirers. RIP.”

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Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his sympathy towards the deceased’s family and said that Dilip Kumar's contribution to Indian cinema will be remembered by the generations to come.

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Referred to as ‘The First Khan’ of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar’s real name is Mohammed Yusuf Khan. Famously known as the ‘Tragedy King’ of Bollywood, Dilip Kumar has contributed immensely to Indian cinema. Lovingly called 'Kohinoor' by his wife Saira Banu, the veteran actor made his debut with the 1944 film Jwar Bhata and marked his first blockbuster with Andaz in 1949. During the span of six decades, the icon gave many hits including Devdas, Naya Daur and Ram Aur Shyam among others. The film Mughal-E-Azam is considered to be the magnum opus of his career.