In her most recent piece, veteran Saira Banu discusses Dilip Kumar’s fondness for the rain. She also discussed how crucial it was to their love story and recounted the details of the night Dilip Kumar proposed to her. They shared some private images of themselves having fun in the rain.
Saira on Childhood Memories
Rain, rain, go to Spain, Saira wrote. We all ceremoniously sang this statement in unison while a young girl of seven was studying in London with our pals. Who knows why, but given the unpredictable English weather, it was very typical. You can never predict when it will rain or when it will shine. This was our family’s catchphrase as kids.
We all enjoyed the showers, as far as my family in Mumbai is concerned, and subsequently, when I married Dilip saab. Every year, the first shower was a cause for joy, and we all went outside to our garden terraces to soak up the first rain of the year while keeping enormous drums of pots nearby to catch the crystal-clear, fresh water! Now, I’m told that drinking rainwater raises concerns since new research suggests that it may include plastic contaminants, environmental pollutants, and parasitic germs that can be harmful to your health.
Saira Banu, Dilip Kumar and Varsha
The seasoned performer described how much Dilip Kumar cherished the rain. In fact, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him. He revealed, “Sahab adored the rain, so whenever it started pouring while he was away from home in a conference, he would gleefully phone me and say, “Saira, it’s raining!” In fact, he once removed his jacket in a gesture of protection and placed it on my shoulders as we were walking down Juhu Beach in the serenity of a lovely night. We were in his car on a wonderful night when he proposed to me and asked, “Would you marry me?”” They were wed on October 11, 1966.
He also shared more Dilip Kumar stories with his audience. He stated: “Later on, he joyfully acquired a lovely plot of land in a Maharashtrian hill resort. As the proud son of a well-respected Pathan fruit merchant in Peshawar, Sahib was always at heart a farmer.”
Saira reflected on her past and stated, “We used to pick up shiny grass stones and hurl them as far as we could in a competition to outdo each other as we walked for miles in the rain while carrying our umbrellas and Macintoshes on green and stony land. Naturally, Sahib always prevailed. Every stone he used to carry through the air is still in my possession because I constantly rushed and gathered them.”
Saira’s message sent her followers back in time. After a protracted illness, Dilip Kumar passed away on July 7, 2021, in Mumbai at the age of 98.