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Dilip Kumar loved Lucknow’s cuisine, Dussehri mangoes
LUCKNOW: Actor Dilip Kumar’s love for Urdu and typical ucknowi zaban’ was unparalleled
LUCKNOW: Actor Dilip Kumar’s love for Urdu and typical ucknowi zaban’ was unparalleled. He spoke chaste Urdu and won millions of hearts with his command on poetry. But each time he came to Lucknow, he would say, “Yahan aakar meri zabaan ladkhadane lagti hai,” ( I stammer whenever I come here) recalled Athar Nabi, founder of Hindi Urdu Sahitya Award Committee, who was very well connected with the actor.
When the thespian breathed his last in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, Lucknow remembered his visits to the city. Dilip Kumar visited the city five times and left the people craving for a handshake and a mere glimpse, said Nabi.
The lanes of Hewett Road were packed when the actor visited Athar Nabi’s house for lunch in the ‘90s with a select few. He recalled that people gathered in large numbers at the Begum Hazrat Mahal Park and Safed Baradari and KD Singh Babu stadium echoed with applause when the legendary actor aid a visit to these places.
Nabi said, “Dilip Sa’ab was a true caregiver to the poor and needy. He was always there to help the downtrodden. I invited him to the city of nawabs and requested him to be a part of a friendly cricket match to raise money for drought-hit people. I told him that the funds would go to the chief minister’s relief fund and he agreed. I requested him to give me his confirmation in writing and he asked me to get it done and he signed it right away.”
The actor came here with Pran, Om Puri and many other actors to take part in the event.
“He relished the Lucknowi food and admired the culture and handicrafts. No matter where he stayed, food packed from the lanes of the Old City was brought for him and he would feast on the famous galawati kkabab and nihari kulcha of the city,” recalled Athar Nabi, who got a chance to show his hospitality to the actor each time he came to the city.
Recalling his first first meeting with the actor, Nnabi said, “I was in Bombay when I expressed the desire to meet him.. Om Prakash ji took me to his home. Dilip saheb had a peculiar style-the staircase from his bedroom opened in the drawing room and each time he came down to meet the guests, he would come rolling his sleeves. I observed the same thing whenever I went to his house. May be this was his style.”
Then actor became a part of the Muslim OBC conference held at the Baradari in August 1997. Lucknow also honoured him with Awadh samman given by Hindi Urdu Sahitya Award Committee and celebrated Jashn-e- Dilip Kumar in his honour.
“Mulayam Singh Yadav was chief minister and Moti Lal Vohra was governor. The award committee gave ₹1 lakh and Lucknow Nagar Nigam gave ₹1 lakh,” Nabi said.
“One thing that was very nice about him was his command on all subjects. He never required a script or a paper to speak on any issue,” said Nabi.
“During one of his visits, he was offered custard apple (shareefa) and he liked it so much that whenever he came to the city, he asked for it. He also relished the Dussehri mangoes and regretted that they were not available in Mumbai in those years,” recalled Athar Nabi, who was closely associated with him.
Retired bureaucrat Anis Ansari also recalled his first meeting with the actor at the OBC conference in Safed Baradari at Qaiserbagh area in the late ‘’90s. The event was organised by Athar Nabi. The actor was staying at Raj Bhawan. And Ansari was impressed with the actor’s humility.
