Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah wrote about his views on the late actor Dilip Kumar in an opinion piece of The Indian Express. He mentioned that he loved his acting skills but also wonder why the actor tried to ‘play safe’ He also added that Dilip Kumar didn’t contribute much to the cinema.
Naseeruddin wrote in the opinion piece, “Some of those works doubtless will survive the test of time but, given the position he was in, it is more than evident he didn’t do enough apart from acting and being involved in social causes close to his heart. He produced only one film, didn’t direct any (officially at least), never passed on the benefit of his experience, didn’t bother to groom anyone, and apart from his pre-1970s performances, left behind no significant lessons for future actors; even his autobiography is but a rehash of old interviews.”
Further, he added, “It’s baffling why a man as conscious of his place in history as he was should be reluctant to record his interaction with some of the admittedly great filmmakers of his time or say anything really informative about nature of his work and technique. I wish, at some point, he had at least been forthright about the travails involved in retaining legions of devoted fans.”
Along with this, Naseeruddin also praised Dilip Kumar’s performance for his ‘consummate characterizations, the dignified deportment, the mellifluous diction, the controlled but roiling emotionality’, especially in the films before Ganga Jumna (1961).
Dilip Kumar took his last breath at Hinduja hospital, Mumbai, on July 7. At that time, Naseer was admitted to the same hospital as he was suffering from pneumonia. Later, he was recovered and discharged from the hospital.
The last rites of the late actor took place at Juhu Qabristan with state honors. Actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Vidya Balan attended his funeral.
