Saira Banu Turns 79: Remembering Her Iconic Films with Dilip Kumar

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAIRA BANU: Throughout the years, we have witnessed chemistry between stars on screen and off screen, but only a handful of real-life celebrity couples truly inspired their fans and made everyone believe the true meaning of love. A shining example of this is the evergreen pair is— Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu. They stood with each other like strong pillars. Saira Banu’s journey, like any celebrity, had its share of ups and downs. She married Dilip Kumar in 1966 when she was 22 and he was 44. Despite the age gap of 22 years, they faced challenges and eventually, they came out from difficulties together.

After collaborating on numerous blockbuster projects alongside her husband Dilip Kumar, including Gopi, Duniya, Sagina and Bairaag, Saira Banu made a decision in 1976 to step away from her acting career. Today, as Saira Banu turns 79, let’s revisit some of her memorable films with Dilip Kumar.

Saira Banu’s 5 Movies With Dilip Kumar

1. GopiIn this 1970 film directed by Bhimsingh, the movie starred Saira Banu in the role of an attractive girl from a village, while Dilip Kumar plays an unemployed man. Gopi finds himself expelled from his own home by his elder stepbrother due to false accusations of theft. The movie is a remake of the 1964 Kannada movie Chinnada Gombe and the Tamil movie Muradan Muthu. Interestingly, Rajendra Kumar was the original lead, but the producers believed that Saira Banu would look good with Dilip Kumar.
2. SaginaThe film directed by Tapan Sinha, was the remake of the 1970 Bengali movie Sagina Mahato. The cast includes Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu, who starred in both versions. The film revolves around Sagina Mahato, the leader of a tea estate workers’ union in Siliguri, who courageously goes against the cruel actions of his British employers. The movie went on to win Filmfare’s Best Art Direction Award to Sudhendu Roy in 1974.
3. BairaagReleased in 1976, the film directed by Asit Sen, featured Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu in key roles. Both actors received love from the audience for their chemistry as they brought the characters to life. On the other hand, Dilip Kumar’s triple role in the film garnered major attention. The movie also includes actors like Leena Chandavarkar, Ruma Guha Thakurta, Prem Chopra, Helen, Sujit Kumar, Madan Puri, Paintal and Kader Khan.
4. DuniyaDirected by Ramesh Talwar, the film starred Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar and Rishi Kapoor in lead roles. Although Saira Banu didn’t play a major role in the film, her special appearance was enough to attract the audience. This movie marked Saira and Dilip Kumar’s final appearance together before she decided to completely retire from the entertainment industry.
5. Jwar BhataTwo films with the same title but separate plots and casts released decades apart. The 1944 version featured Dilip Kumar in a leading role, while the 1973 version starred Saira Banu alongside Dharmendra. Despite the shared title, the films offered unique experiences for the audience.