The news of screen legend Dilip Kumar’s demise came as a personal shock to Pakistani star Adnan Sami, whose father was Dilip’s first cousin.
The singer explained his relationship with Dilip on his Twitter and shared that his late father Ashad Sami Khan, who was a Pashtun from Pakistan’s side, happened to be the late actor’s first cousin from their hometown in Peshawar. Adnan tweeted:
"He was Dilip Kumar, the superstar and the greatest actor of all time but I used to call him Yusuf lala. It's a tradition in Pashtun to address elders with respect and that's how we do it. To me, he was a man who was simple at heart and a very humble man.”
Adnan then remembered the great cinematic actor by praising him and his simple heart.
"He had an aura and a personality. He was aware that he is Dilip Kumar but he would make everyone around him comfortable and calm them down. That was a sign of his greatness," Adnan shared.
Even though for centuries to come, he will be remembered as the “tragedy king,” Dilip Kumar’s initial name was Yousuf Khan. He was born in Peshawar in 1922 and then moved to India after partition.
The 49-year-old star further shared that when he became an Indian citizen himself in 2016, he received “tremendous support” from his Uncle Dilip. The pair used to spend hours discussing literature, art, and cinema. Adnan recalled the times when “at the drop of a hat he would recite poetry” and said Dilip has an “elephant's memory” and “never forgot his roots."
Adnan also disclosed that Dilip’s favorite dish of all time was Kabuli Pulao, and revealed that he was a huge foodie.
"Yusuf lala was a master of wit. When I told him I have got married and this is my begum (wife) and he said, 'So say this is my bahu (daughter-in-law)'. I didn't know what to say next," he recounted.
