Plans are afoot to honour Hindi cinema’s most distinguished actor Dilip Kumar with the highest civilian award.
Sources from the central government unofficially confirm that one of the new Information & Broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur’s first projects after his appointment is the Bharat Ratna for the posthumous behemoth.
Shatrughan Sinha an ardent champion of the Bharat Ratna for Dilip Kumar says, “I don’t see why the greatest actor of Indian cinema did not receive the highest civilian honour while he was alive. Just like Lataji, the Bharat Ratna would be honored if given to the great the mighty powerful Dilip Saab.”
Shatruji points out Pakistan gave its highest civilian honour Nishan-e-Imtiaz in 1998.“Perhaps that’s the reason why the Bharat Ratna was withheld from Dilip Saab. But an artiste of his stature is above politics.”
When I asked him, Farhan Akhtar agreed that Dilip Kumar should get the Bharat Ratna.
Dharmendra an ardent Dilip Kumar fan thinks the Bharat Ratna is not just proper but timely for Dilip Kumar. “He is the Bharat Ratna of India, the crowning glory. To give the highest civilian honour to the best actor in the country makes sense.”
Family Man actor Sharib Hashmi, a diehard Dilip Kumar fan opines, “He brought in a new kind of acting style which was unknown to Hindi Cinema. He brought a balance between subtlety and theatrics. The legendary actor has inspired generations through his impeccable and inimitable style of acting and still continues to do so. He rightfully deserves a Bharat Ratna.”
However Sonu Sood feels Dilip Kumar is far above honours. “With due respects to the Bharat Ratna, he is above all that.”
