PESHAWAR: The 93rd birthday of Bollywood legend Yusuf Khan popularly known as Dilip Kumar was celebrated in Peshawar, his birthplace, on Friday.

Dilip Kumar was born in a Hindko-speaking Awan family at Mohallah Khudadad near Qissa Khawani Bazaar of the provincial capital and had spent 12 years of his childhood there.

The Cultural Heritage Council, an NGO, organised a special function to celebrate Dilip Kumar’s 93rd birthday in the provincial capital in collaboration with the tourism and culture department at the Peshawar Press Club, where people from different walks of life showed up in large numbers.

Participants cut cake, highlight Bollywood icon’s life, achievements at Peshawar Press Club

Besides additional secretary for the culture, archaeology and museums department Mohammad Tariq, director (culture) Abdul Basit, director (archaeology) Abdul Samad, Younas Qiyasi and Shakeel Waheedullah Khan were also the organisers of the event.

On the occasion, participants cut a cake and talked about life and achievements of Dilip Kumar in the field of culture.

Also, guest speakers from India, including Khalid Asmi, Shagufta Ali and Khush Pindar, talked about Dilip Kumar’s life over the telephone.

The participants paid the glowing tribute to the legendary actor for unmatched services for and contributions to Hindi cinema.

They said Dilip Kumar’s acting and performances remained magnificent and that young actors followed him and learnt a lot from his versatile personality and roles in films.

Dilip Kumar’s wife and veteran Bollywood actress Saira Bano also called in and wished her husband a long and healthy life.

“I don’t believe in giving him (Dilip Kumar) things that we often do on birthday. Instead, I wish him a long and healthy life. He is doing fine… in the last two and three months, there were ups and downs but now, he is fine,” Saira said over the telephone from Mumbai.

“There have been calls from India and abroad to wish him today. Lots of people have sent him flowers and gifts. The God has been kind to us. We are always thankful to everyone for their love and good wishes,” she said.

Earlier, Dilip Kumar in a twitter message thanked the Cultural Heritage Council of Peshawar for inviting him to the birthday function.

“Thank you Peshawar for the invitation to the event, the lovely artwork and posters,” he tweeted.

Dilip Kumar declares Peshawar his hometown and had condemned the Dec 16, 2014, massacre at a local school.

The Cultural Heritage Council of Peshawar has long been celebrating the legend’s birthday but this is the second time that it has received the support of the tourism and culture department for the event.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2015