Saira Banu always celebrates her late husband, legendary actor Dilip Kumar on his death anniversary. On Sunday, she shared a series of pictures and a heartfelt note on Instagram, expressing her love for him, whom she calls "Sahib".
She wrote, “Dearest Yousuf Jaan, No matter what, we will still walk together hand in hand, one in our thoughts and being until the end of time. My days stretch on like an eternity and each moment a memory of our togetherness. Often, I think about the love and life we shared as it still keeps us complete, for love, my dear 'Sahib,' consumes all that remains of a being, I am grateful to Allah that I have been fortunate enough to belong to you in this life, and with His mercy. Insha Allah, I shall belong to you and you alone forever and ever. Love, Saira Banu Khan.”
Following the heartfelt note, there are adorable pictures of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu. The final slide features a playful handwritten letter from Dilip Kumar to his wife, where he affectionately calls her “aunty.” He wrote, “Saira, feeling sleepy, what do you suggest, Aunty? ...Yours 100%.”
Take a look at the note:
She also wrote, "You see, Sahib was the greatest actor of all time. He had absolutely everything at his disposal, yet not many people know that he suffered from severe insomnia. Before our marriage, even after taking pills, he would remain awake until dawn. However, once we got married and became indispensable to each other, he started sleeping just in time. He even gave me a cute nickname, endearingly saying, "Saira, you are my sleeping pill, you are my pillow." To this day, I burst into laughter remembering the charm with which he would say it."
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu got married in 1966. Dilip Kumar died at the age of 98 in 2021.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)