Saira Banu Fondly Recalls Dilip Kumar's "Athletic Side": "Fate Had Fashioned A Very Different Destiny"

Veteran actress Saira Banu might be new to Instagram but her posts are filled with nostalgia and are a recollection of her time spent with the late actor and her husband Dilip Kumar. Ever since her debut on the photo-sharing app, the actress has been doling out some treasured pictures of herself and her late husband and honestly, we are not complaining. On Tuesday also, the actress did nothing different. Sharing a monochrome image of a young Dilip Kumar, playing cricket, Saira Banu revealed that the Devdas actor once wanted to become a cricketer.

In an elaborate caption, Saira Banu talked about Dilip Kumar's tryst with cricket in his younger days. She wrote, "I always love to see this photograph as I know of his yearning as a youngster to become the country's best sportsman! However, The Almighty and Fate had fashioned a very different destiny for Mohammed Yousuf Khan… at that time, every evening after college he always went to the grounds behind the Metro Cinema to play cricket and football with passion. With other like-minded sports enthusiasts... Sahibji sweetly narrated to me how with great excitement he purchased his first cricket bat and sports shoes from a shop near Metro Cinema...!"

She continued, "The athletic side of Dilip Sahib was so strong while in school and college that he emerged a winner and victorious also in every 200 meters race."

Taking the opportunity, Saira Banu also recalled an incident from the days when they were just married and how she had literally "bowled" over everyone with her cricket-playing skills. She wrote, "A funny incident I recollect was when we were just married...

Once all the film stars got together to play a benefit cricket match... Sahib ji trained me for a week-long in our garden for bowling… we were to play in Dilip Kumar Sahib's Team and Raj Kapoor Saab's team...With my bowling… can you believe I bowled the captain out first ball…to which Raj ji could not stop laughing "Arrey, yeh ladki toh serious ho gayi hai"...eventually I bowled out 8 of them."

The post became an instant hit with actor Sanjay Dutt's sister Priya Dutt commenting, "Wow what super memories, thanks for sharing Saira aunty."

Take a look at the post below:

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A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu)

Veteran actress Saira Banu made her Instagram debut on her late husband, legendary Dilip Kumar's second death anniversary. Her first post was dedicated to the superstar. She began the post with the verse, "Sukoon-E-Dil Ke Liye Kuch Toh Ehtemaam Karoon, Zara Nazar Jo Miley Phir Unhe Salaam Karoon, Mujhe Toh Hosh Nahin Aap Mashwara Dijiyey, Kaha Se Chedoon Fasana Kahan Tamaam Karoon" and wrote, "I am writing this note on the 7th of July to especially express my gratitude to the overwhelming multitude of caring well-wishers and dearest friends from the world over who have so tremendously swept me off my feet till today with their everlasting remembrance, love and respect for my Kohinoor, Dilip Kumar Sahib."

Take a look at the full post here:

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A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu)

After this, Saira Banu recalled how Dilip Kumar used to always wear white in this Jodhpuri collar kind of "Bush" shirt. Alongside a picture of the veteran superstar, Saira Banu wrote, “Sahib preferably always wore white in this Jodhpuri collar kind of "Bush" shirts... I requested and got around him to please wear a few colour shades In his shirts... here he is laughing at me saying look! I am wearing a colour... a yellow that you like Saira... but on condition that you promise to wear fluffy Organdy sarees that make you seem more substantial! Not salwar kameez that makes me want to send you to school again!”

Take a peek:

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A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu)

Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar got married in October 1966. The two actors have co-starred in a bunch of films like Sagina, Bairaag, Gopi and Duniya. Dilip Kumar had a glorious career spanning over six decades. He was last seen in the 1998 film Qila.