PESHAWAR, Dec 11: Legendary Indian film actor Dilip Kumar on Wednesday praised residents of his ancestral city, Peshawar, for celebrating his 91st birthday by organising a cake cutting ceremony at Peshawar Press Club.
Mr Dilip was born in Peshawar’s Muhallah Khudadad near the famous Qissa Khwani Bazaar on December 11, 1922.
However, a few years later, his family moved to Bombay, where his father Ghulam Sarwar Khan began fruit business.
During the event organised by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture Heritage Council, Mr Dilip and his wife, Saira Bano, called in and thanked Peshawarites for their love and respect. Mr Dilip spoke briefly and asked the city residents to remember him in prayers.
Ms Saira, too, was thankful to Peshawarites and said, “Where Kumar is now is only because of the prayers and love of this city’s people.”
Indian film comedian Johnny Lever, who also called in, thanked Peshawarites for celebrating the birthday of a legendary actor in his ancestral city.
He said Mr Dilip was a big film star.
Indian journalist Pishmindar Singh, who also spoke during the event, said celebrating Mr Dilip’s birthday was a good move to bring the two countries closer.
He said people of both India and Pakistan wanted cordial relations.
Another caller, Indian film writer Saghar Sarhadi, said Mr Dilip was a role model for entire Indian film industry, as the entire Indian film actors were impressed by his work and learnt a lot from him. “He (Mr Dilip) has a great place in the Indian cinema,” he said.
Indian film actress Wahida Rehman and Pakistani actor Qavi Khan also spoke on the occasion over the telephone. They showered praise on Mr Dilip and thanked Peshawarites for celebrating his birthday.
Noted among those in attendance were Adviser to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Soran Singh, Bobi Singh, Shakil Wahidullah, Shahab Khattak and Younas Qiyasi.
They praised Mr Dilip for his remarkable acting and urged the provincial government to consider his and another Bollywood actor Raj Kapoor’s houses in the city as national heritages to preserving them for future generations.
Mr Dilip’s fans, writers, actors, lawyers and local residents showed up in large numbers.