Revisiting Dilip Kumar's iconic films on his 100th birth anniversary
There will never be anyone like the Tragedy King, Dilip Kumar! His ability to slide into the characters' skin, portray roles that transcend genres, and move audiences to tears through his heart-rending portrayal of pathos remains absolutely unrivaled. On his 100th birth anniversary, we revisit some of his most iconic films that have scripted his name in golden letters in the annals of Bollywood.
'Devdas'
The one for the brokenhearted, the ones who have loved and lost. The classic 1955 film, directed by Bimal Roy, was adapted from ace Bengali author Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's namesake novel. Though it witnessed moderate box office success upon its release, it has gradually earned cult classic status over the years. You can watch it on ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video, or MX Player.
'Madhumati'
Another film that marked Roy-Kumar's collaboration, this 1958 romance drama was written by Ritwik Ghatak and Rajinder Singh Bedi. The highest-grossing Indian film of that year, it is remembered widely for Kumar and Vyjanthimala's performances and its evergreen soundtrack that tugs at one's heartstrings even today. It also pocketed nine awards at the 6th Filmfare Awards! It's available on ZEE5, MX Player, and YouTube.
'Mughal-E-Azam'
To talk about Kumar and not mention the archetypal tragedy Mughal-E-Azam will be blasphemous! Streaming on YouTube and ZEE5, the 1960 classic was embellished with potent performances by Kumar, Prithviraj Kapoor, and Madhubala. The K Asif directorial had the honor of having the widest release for any Indian film at the time. It also bagged one National Film Award! Watched the classic yet?
'Kranti'
Produced and directed by actor-director Manoj Kumar, the 1981 historical drama film Kranti was written by Salim-Javed. The cast also includes Hema Malini, Parveen Babi, and Shashi Kapoor. A quintessential Bollywood film through and through, it is termed as "the biggest patriotic film in India" and reportedly ran in theaters for a jaw-dropping 67 weeks! You can catch Kranti on ZEE5 or YouTube.
