Dilip Sahab’s Bombay: Retracing the legendary actor’s footprints in the city

Dilip Kumar arrived in Mumbai in the 1930s, going on to make a career and life in the bustling metropolis. Here are snapshots of the city that shaped him and was shaped by him

Born in Peshawar, a young Yusuf Khan would go on to make Bombay and the movies his home. It was here that he became ‘Dilip Kumar’, popular Hindi cinema’s first subtle actor — known for his modulated voice, thoughtful pauses, and intelligent understatement. He got his first break at the renowned Bombay Talkies, and amassed a public following strong enough for him to eventually be invited to serve as city sheriff for a term. Gleaned from the star’s personal accounts and biographies, here is a walk through some places in the city that fuelled his life and dreams, and which were in turn touched and forever changed by the thespian.

An undated photograph of Apollo Bunder. Pic courtesy: Ajay Goyal

Apollo Bunder

“I would like to believe quite justly that I was responsible in a large measure for the family’s moving to Bombay.” — ‘Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow’.

The story goes that Dilip Kumar’s father, Mohammad Sarwar Khan, a Pathan fruit merchant with orchards in Peshawar, had arrived in Bombay to assess if he could set up a business here. Away from his young family, the evenings were lonely. He would spend time walking around the seafront at Apollo Bunder. On one such occasion, he saw a couple with a child who reminded him so much of his little Yusuf that he instinctively picked him up. The incident convinced him he missed the children too much and he went back to bring the family along to the bustling metropolis.

Crawford Market

It was in this famous South Mumbai market that Kumar’s father set up a successful wholesale fruit business. Having trained workers to receive consignments and deal with sales, he only visited the shop once in a while, which allowed him to be home with his children. After the patriarch passed away in 1950, the actor’s brothers took over and ran the business.

Abdullah Building, Nagdevi Street

“Soon after our arrival in the locality, we were being discussed as the nice Pathan family that had occupied the fourth floor of the Abdullah Building,” according to a first person account by the actor to journalist Udaya Tara Nayar.

Sarwar Khan had rented an apartment in Nagdevi Street — not far from the Crawford market — where the family quickly made friends. Although the new home was smaller than their ancestral bungalow in Peshawar, it was comfortable by Bombay standards. Some years later, when Kumar’s elder brother Ayub’s respiratory troubles worsened, the family moved to the hill station, Deolali.

Anjuman-i-Islam in South Mumbai. File pic

Anjuman-i-Islam High School

At walking distance from their Nagdevi Street home, Anjuman-i-Islam High School became Kumar’s school from the fifth standard onwards. Reportedly, he excelled at sports here and passed high school in the first division. Later, whilst preparing for his landmark turn as the prince Salim in K Asif’s Mughal-e-Azam, he is said to have referred to books from this school’s library.

Khalsa College in Matunga in recent years. File pic

Khalsa College, Matunga

His mates at Khalsa College included Raj Kapoor, who would often invite Yusuf to the Kapoor home in Matunga after class. Kumar indulged his talent and interest in football, hockey, and cricket here. He would save up money to buy expensive sports shoes and carve out time to watch soccer games at local grounds in those years. To get from his South Mumbai neighbourhood to the college in central Mumbai, Kumar had to take an electric tram to Dadar daily. The tram had been so instrumental to him that the service’s eventual closure, in 1964, felt personal to the star.

Bombay Talkies, Malad

Yusuf landed at the globally reputed film studio, based in the suburb of Malad, rather by chance while hunting for a job. Founded by filmmaker Himanshu Rai, Bombay Talkies was being run successfully by actor-producer Devika Rani. A barely-into-his-20s Yusuf was introduced to Rani by a mutual acquaintance. It did not take long for the producer to ask if he would become an actor — the studio needed one who was good-looking and well-versed in Urdu — for a salary of Rs 1,250 per month. That was a huge sum for a young man eager to supplement his family’s income, against the troubled backdrop of World War II. Yusuf debuted as ‘Dilip Kumar’ in 1944’s ‘Jwar Batta’. While in this studio’s employ, the emerging star’s colleagues included Ashok Kumar, Raj Kapoor, David Abraham, and Lata Mangeshkar.

Pali Hill, Bandra

As a busy actor, Dilip Kumar needed to be closer to film studios, many of which were in Goregaon. As such, the family rented a home in Pali Mala Road, living among the locality’s Goan Christian residents. Later, the thespian would buy a home, 48 Pali Hill. Actor Saira Banu, before she married Kumar, lived in her family home at Nepean Sea Road. According to Kumar’s memoirs, she developed such a crush on Kumar that when it came time to build her own house, she picked Pali Hill as its location so they could be neighbours. The two wedded in 1966. More recently, the couple was immortalised on a wall mural in Bandra.

Biryani around Bombay

Although Kumar had moved to Bandra, he would routinely visit South Mumbai where the family continued to have its business. In that part of the city, George Restaurant was reportedly one of his go-to hangouts, for its chicken or mutton biryani that came with a side of shorba (soup) and green salad. Actor Dharmendra, in his recollections, also mentions Badshah’s on Mohammad Ali Road, as a haunt. Kumar would pile friends and family into cars so they could have ice-cream at the establishment, after breaking their fast in the month of Ramzan. The restaurants at Taj were obvious favourites, though he is also noted by Urmila Lanba, an unofficial biographer, to have enjoyed a simple meal of fried eggs and pao. 

INC Office, Juhu

Given the actor’s command over various languages, Jawaharlal Nehru requested Kumar to campaign for V K Krishna Menon, INC’s candidate for a 1962 Lok Sabha seat from North Mumbai. During that period, the actor addressed large gatherings at spots including the Cooperage grounds and Marine Drive. He also met lawyer and Congressman Rajni Patel at the time, who became a close friend.

Nehru Science Centre in Worli. File pic

Nehru Centre, Worli

Politician and friend Rajni Patel created a proposal for a centre of art, culture, and science in Mumbai, based on a comment by Kumar. The actor had observed that any cosmopolitan city of merit needed such a venue. A space was swiftly allotted in Worli and came to be called the Nehru Centre, after the former prime minister who was an idol to Kumar. The actor was present at the centre’s inauguration.

Stint as Sheriff

The apolitical position was awarded to Kumar for 12 months in 1980, when he was close to the state establishment. He also went on to be Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra from 2000 to 2006. Apart from supporting hospitals and schools, he is said to have put the government funds available to him into building gardens and washrooms, mainly in Bandra. The Bandstand and Jogger’s Park areas benefitted from this stint.

The Bombay Gymkhana. File pic

Clubs and recreation

The actor and lifelong sports enthusiast often spent time at the Cricket Club of India and Bombay Gymkhana. Journalist Nayar mentions in her writings that, on the lawns of the sea-facing Otters sports club, “he loved to watch the sun go down, leaving behind a trail of gold and vermillion in the sky.”

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