Dilip Kumar (born
Mohammed Yusuf Khan; 11 December 1922 – 7 July 2021) was an Indian actor who worked in
Hindi cinema. Credited with pioneering
method acting in cinema,
[3], after Motilal, he dominated the
Indian cinema from late 1940s throughout 60s, being referred to as
Abhinay Samrat (
Hindi for "Emperor of Acting"). Kumar holds the record for most wins for the
Filmfare Award for Best Actor (eight, which was later equalled by
Shah Rukh Khan) and was also the inaugural recipient of the award. He holds the most dominant
box-office record for a
star (male or female) in Hindi cinema with over 80% box-office successes and several
long-standing gross records.
In a career spanning over five decades, Kumar worked in less than
60 films in a variety of roles.
[4] He debuted as an actor in the film
Jwar Bhata (1944), produced by
Bombay Talkies. Following a series of unsuccessful ventures, he had his first box office hit in
Jugnu (1947). Kumar found further success with the romantic drama
Andaz (1949), the swashbuckling
Aan (1952), the social drama
Daag (1952), the actioner
Insaniyat (1955), the comical
Azaad (1955), the romantic social
Naya Daur (1957), the noir mystery
Madhumati (1958), the social drama
Paigham (1959), the action adventure
Kohinoor (1960), the epic historical
Mughal-E-Azam (1960), the crime drama
Gunga Jumna (1961), and the comedy drama
Ram Aur Shyam (1967). All three
Andaz,
Aan and
Naya Daur briefly became the
highest-grossing Indian films up to that point, a feat later achieved by
Mughal-e-Azam, which sustained the record for 15 years.
