Late Dilip Kumar had a long and memorable inning in the Hindi entertainment industry. He gained the title of ‘Tragedy King’ for doing serious roles and introducing method acting to Indian cinema. But did you know that he never wanted to become an actor? During an interview in the mid-90s, Dilip Kumar was honored with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award. It was during that time when the actor admitted that he didn’t like his face on camera. During an exclusive interview with Lehren, he said, “I don’t like my face in front of the camera. But I think this is how most people feel.”
When asked why he became an actor, Dilip Kumar revealed that it was never his plan. He told, “I never thought that I could become an actor and I didn’t go to Bombay to seek a job, as such. Of course, I had the natural deportment of the family, so I could speak properly, good English and Urdu. And the kind lady, Devika Rani, and others thought that I would be good material for trying out. So, I confessed to them that I don’t think I’ll be good material. They asked me if I had ever acted in any play. I confessed that I have not.”
Dilip Kumar credited his success to hard work and luck. He said, “God has been very kind to me and I am grateful to him for bringing me where I am. If there is anything that can be attributed to me, then it is for not doing the wrong things as far as acting is concerned. It’s been a fairly long inning now. I never thought that I would come so far.”
He concluded, “So if Dilip Kumar can become an actor, anybody can.”
Dilip Kumar passed away on 7 July 2021 at the age of 98.
