Saira Banu recalls Dilip Kumar's final meeting with Raj Kapoor: Sahib’s voice was...

Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's friendship was the most talked about in the film industry. They grew together and remained best friends till the end. Paying an emotional tribute to their friendship, Saira Banu shared a lengthy post, speaking about Dilip and Raj's friendship and professional rivalry. In her note, the yesteryear actress also recalled Dilip Kumar's final meeting with 'The Greatest Showman'. 

3 things you need to know

• Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor have worked together in two films, Andaz (1949) and Film Hi Film (1983). 
• Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor were both born in Peshawar.
• They both studied at Khalsa College in Mumbai together.

'Raj Kapoor and Dilip Sahib loved each other as siblings,' says Saira Banu

On Thursday, Saira Banu took to her Instagram handle and revealed that they both were childhood friends. Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor were born in Peshawar, Pakistan, and as they grew up, they studied in Mumbai together. Speaking about their friendship, she added that they loved each other in the same measure as they loved their siblings. 

Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor were so close to each other that they shared their emotions, secret aspirations, and thoughts more than their respective families. She recalled her wedding day and wrote, "At our marriage, Raj ji and Shashi danced all the way from Sahib’s house to my house."

Saira Banu opened up on Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's professional rivalry

In her lengthy note, the yesteryear star addressed Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor's professional rivalry and said it would have been abnormal if they did not compete as professionals. However, Saira Banu added that the beauty of it was they "hated to see each other fail or fall from their respective positions as 'Superstars'".

Saira Banu recalled Dilip Kumar's final meeting with Raj Kapoor

Recalling the whole incident, Saira Banu wrote that Sahib was abroad to attend a felicitation by the president when Raj Kapoor had a cardiac stroke. He was admitted to a hospital in Delhi. On hearing about this, Dilip Kumar immediately returned to India and was rushed to hospital. 

Saira Banu revealed when Dilip Kumar was speaking to Raj Kapoor, who was lying unconscious on the bed, his voice was choking, and tears were streaming down. "I have just come back from Peshawar’ and brought back the ‘Khushboo’ of Chapli Kebabs to tempt you. We will go together and walk through the bazaar as we used to and enjoy the Kebabs and Rotis. Raj wake up and stop acting. I know you are a great actor, but you have to take me with you to the courtyard of the house in Peshawar," Dilip Kumar said to Raj Kapoor.

(Saira Banu shared this picture | Image: Saira Banu/Instagram)

"Dilip Sahib’s voice was now choking, and tears were streaming down as he spoke to his dearest friend, lying unconscious on the bed," Saira Banu concluded.

Raj Kapoor died in June 1988. At the time of his death, he was working on the movie Henna, which was later completed by his sons Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor. It was released in 1991.