However, in popular memory, Dilip Kumar is only synonymous with the depressed, hopeless and (usually) doomed hero.
In his 57 films during his half-century in the Hindi film industry, Dilip Kumar is mainly remembered as the ‘king of tragedy’, beaten by unrequited love, social or political pressure, or other unrelenting circumstances.
Be it as the lush Devdas in the 1955 film of the same name, the unfortunate Prince Marcus from “The Jew” (1958), the rebellious and ultimately defeated Prince Salim in “Mughal-e-Azam” (1960), Dilip the star of “Andaz” (1949) etc., did not usually have a happy ending.
In his second phase, where he switched to playing more mature roles, he was usually cast as the loyal slave of duty and honour, detached from any personal considerations – Sanga from ‘Kranti’ (1981), DCP Ashwini Kumar from ‘Shakti’ (1982) , Dinanath Saxena from “Mazdoor” (1983), Jailor Vishwanath Pratap Singh from “Karma” (1986), and Thakur Veer Singh from “Saudagar” (1991).
But there was a lot of theatrical abilities of Dilip Kumar as mentioned above.
Although he excelled at playing desperation (as in “Ganga Jumna”, 1961) or a don (“Vedata”, 1982) or even the simple man driven to take revenge on those who wronged him (taking on Pran, Prem Chopra and Amrish Puri in “Dunya”, 1984), was the comic line in which he excelled but rarely got a chance to show his prowess in it.
In the early 1950s, nearly a decade after he entered films, Dilip Kumar began to worry about the toll his tragic outings were taking on his psyche, given the way he used to immerse himself in roles. Based on the psychiatrists he had consulted in London, he resolved to do some light parts to ease the mental burden.
And as the records show, he has proven himself to be a natural in this field as well. Let’s take a look at Dilip Kumar’s half-dozen “regular” roles, near comic.
Ann (1952): This groundbreaking film was Mehboob Khan’s gamble in more ways than one – not only was this India’s first color film, it had an unusual turn with Dilip Kumar as the sword-wielding hero, with Premnath firmly convinced to drop the roles leading to become a villain.
Although Mehboob Khan was attacked for “putting his talwar in the hands of the king of tragedy”, Dilip Kumar proved his ability to confidently play the different role. Watch him remove his false beard, mustache, and coachman’s gown on the snooty Nadira in “Dil mein chhupa ke pyar ka toofan” as evidence.
‘Azaad’ (1955): This crime comedy, where Dilip Kumar plays a rich man with a secret ego, also marked a coup by pitting the ‘Tragedy King’ against the ‘Tragedy Queen’; Meena Kumari is out of her usual roles. And they both starred, making the SM Sriramulu Naidu-directed film not only the most successful film of the year, but also one of the most successful releases of the 1950s.
Dilip Kumar, who played a Muslim character (Abdul Rahim Khan, though he was on screen) for the first of two total times in his entire career (the other being in “Mughal-e-Azam”), was at his best in Qawwali “We Passed It Out”. Mohabbat Min Qaisi Kam Na Aya.
Kohinoor (1960): This snooty ‘light’ outfit, by forgotten director So Sunny, once again saw Dilip Kumar paired with Meena Kumari in roles very different from the usual melodrama. It is known for its charming music, especially “Madhuban mein Radhika nache” – for which Dilip Kumar took private lessons so that he could be shown playing sitar properly – and “Do sitaron ka zameen par hai milan aaj ki raat”.
It also has a great comical scene where Dilip Kumar makes the main villain Jeevan, who is drunk, think he is staring in the mirror by mimicking all his facial gestures and contortions. (A version of the scene was played by Amitabh Bachchan in “Amar Akbar Anthony”, when he bandaged his mirror reflection.)
Boss (1964): This film is arguably Dilip Kumar’s most stellar comic role. Playing a capricious and slightly irresponsible law student, who purposely serenades his family, especially his father (Nazir Hussain), and his intended fiancée, Vijayanthimala, rises to the occasion when a political rally subsides after an explosion, singing “Apni azaadi ko ham ham hargiz mita sakte nahin”. “.
Although the film is long and meandering, with politics, miliu feudal (Sapru as Maharaja and Jayant as Diwana) and murder involving our hero, Dilip Kumar makes an impressive impression in his comically unflinching scenes. He indulges his lady love over the telephone, indulges in inept swordplay, falters in a drunken stupor (“Mujhi, Dunyawalon, Charbi na samjho”), and above all, the court scene, in which he questions his father, making him lose his temper. Mood, the heroine to break into a flood of tears – casually hand her a handkerchief.
Ram aur Shyam (1967): Playing a dual role here, Dilip Kumar is disguised as the repressed Ram, who is kept under thumb, by his domineering and domineering brother-in-law (Pran), as is the boisterous, playful and food-gobbling Shyam. When an exchange occurs, as it usually does in such films, Shyam steals the show, both in the scene where he slaps his father-in-law (Nazir Hussain) on the back. Or makes eyes grimace at Bran, who comes to collect him.
Sagina (1974): In this political satire, also played by a Bengali native, Dilip Kumar plays a simple tea plantation worker who is out of his league and makes the workers confront the wider and more elusive world. The evergreen Saala main to sahab ban gaya, with veteran Om Prakash, is a highlight.
Then, in shorter examples, are songs like “Mere pairon mein ghunghroo” in the dark “Sunghursh” (1968), or “Gentleman Gentleman” in “Gopi” (1970). A few examples but they are enough to show the types of Dilip Saab Strode.
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