Before the legendary Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar moved to Bombay to kickstart what was a majestic career in the Indian film industry, the duo resided in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Recently, as the Pakistan government announced the restoration of their ancestral homes as part of the national heritage program to restore the city’s glory, the Mughal-e-Azam actor took to social media, requesting people in Peshawar to send him pictures and updates.
Before the legendary Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar moved to Bombay to kickstart what was a majestic career in the Indian film industry, the duo resided in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Recently, as the Pakistan government announced the restoration of their ancestral homes as part of the national heritage program to restore the city’s glory, the Mughal-e-Azam actor took to social media, requesting people in Peshawar to send him pictures and updates.
“Requesting all in #Peshawar to share photos of my ancestral house (if you’ve clicked the pic) and tag #DilipKumar,” he tweeted.
Soon, the star began getting responses.
Penning down a heartfelt note, the Ram Aur Shyam actor also took a trip down memory lane to his childhood spent there.
“The news that the house where I was born (1922) and where I spent a good part of my childhood in Peshawar’s Qissa Khwani Bazaar, then in undivided India, has sent my mind racing back to memories of happy days spent in the spacious home and its surroundings,” Kumar wrote.
Speaking about his parents and family, the star went on to recall intricate details that he fondly recalled to date.
“I have memories of the sitting room where the family gathered for high tea in the evenings, the large room where the ladies prayed, the terrace, the bedrooms, everything. I can vividly recall the piggy rides on my grandfather’s back and the scary stories my grandmother cooked up to forbid me from wandering out of the house alone.”
“I have lovely memories of Qissa Khwani Bazaar, where I received my first lessons in story telling, which later provided the impetus to choose meaty stories and scripts for my work,” he added.
“Every day as the trading closed in the market of Qissa Khwani Bazaar, a story teller would sit in the centre of the square narrating stories of valour and victory, deceit and retribution which I would listen to with wide- eyed attention, seated next to my father and uncles.”
He also revealed that he would be penning these details down in his autobiography, which would be releasing shortly.
Previously, Kumar’s wife and former actress Saira Banu praised Pakistan for taking this action.
Talking to Times of India, she said: “I wish the provincial government success in its efforts and sincerely hope that this time the dream comes true. Mashallah.”
