Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Dilip Kumar a "cinematic legend" as he condoled the demise of the veteran actor. The 98-year-old passed away in Mumbai early on Wednesday, as confirmed by his family.
"Dilip Kumar Ji will be remembered as a cinematic legend. He was blessed with unparalleled brilliance, due to which audiences across generations were enthralled. His passing away is a loss to our cultural world. Condolences to his family, friends and innumerable admirers. RIP," PM Modi said on Twitter.
Union minister Smriti Irani said Dilip Kumar's death marks the end of an era.
{{/usCountry}}Union minister Smriti Irani said Dilip Kumar's death marks the end of an era.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Leaders pay tribute to Dilip Kumar
Piyush Goyal also paid tributes to the veteran actor, saying he will always remain immortal as an artist.
"I am deeply anguished by the demise of Dilip Kumar ji who held a unique place in the field of acting. He gave a new dimension to Indian cinema through his acting. He will remain immortal as an actor, and always find a place in his fans' hearts," he said in a tweet posted in Hindi.
The multiple-award-winning actor's career spanned over more than six decades and during the golden era of Hindi cinema, Dilip Kumar charmed millions of hearts with his performance in more than 65 films.
Born as Muhammad Yusuf Khan in Peshawar, Pakistan, he began his acting career with the screen name, Dilip Kumar.
Dilip Kumar holds the record for winning the maximum number of Filmfare awards. He was the inaugural recipient of the award and won the best actor Filmfare Award eight times. In his long career, he contributed to Hindi cinema in different ways, including the introduction of the method acting technique.
Born on December 11, 1922, Dilip Kumar was one among 12 siblings. The yesteryear actor completed his schooling from the Barnes School, Deolali, Nashik, where he grew up in a mixed neighbourhood. His childhood friend Raj Kapoor, too, later became his colleague in the film industry.
Dilip Kumar is known for his iconic roles in movies like 'Devdas '(1955), 'Naya Daur' (1957), 'Mughal-e-Azam' (1960), 'Ganga Jamuna' (1961), 'Kranti' (1981), and 'Karma' (1986). He was last seen in 'Qila' in 1998.