From ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ to ‘Karma’: Looking back at 10 Dilip Kumar classics

Here are 10 of his best films, some in which he played a brooding young man in love, a dacoit or a prince and others, later in his life as he transitioned to character roles, where he was the stern patriarch.

In the course of a five-decade career, Dilip Kumar did 65 films, many that stood the test of time and are now considered classics. Here are 10 of his best films, some in which he played a brooding young man in love, a dacoit or a prince and others, later in his life as he transitioned to character roles, where he was the stern patriarch.

1. Mughal-E-Azam (1960) – Director K Asif’s epic extravaganza, which turned 60 last year, revolves around the star-crossed lovers — rebellious prince Salim (Kumar) and the headstrong dancer Anarkali (Madhubala) and their futile attempt to brave fate and his father, the Emperor of India — Akbar, played by Prithviraj Kapoor.
2. Naya Daur (1957) – The film narrates the story of Shankar (Kumar) and Krishna (Ajit), two best friends who fall for the same woman, Rajni (Vyjayanthimala). Directed by B R Chopra, the movie also explores the classic man versus machine theme.
3. Ram Aur Shyam (1967) – One of the first Hindi films to use the ‘twins-separated-at-birth’ trope, “Ram Aur Shyam” saw Kumar taking up this light-hearted movie to play two contrasting roles in a comedy of errors. 4. Madhumati (1958) – This Bimal Roy film was also one of a kind Hindi movie at the time of its release. Employing elements of paranormal and reincarnation, the story follows Anand (Kumar), a modern man who falls in love with a tribal woman named Madhumati (Vyjayanthimala).
4. Devdas (1955) – Kumar played the doomed and alcoholic lover as the eponymous character in one of the interpretations of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhya’s Bengali novel of the same name. Another Roy directorial that is regarded as one of the best performances in the history of Indian cinema by the lead actor. Kumar’s dialogue ‘Kaun K kambakht hai jo bardaasht karne ke liye peeta hai’ is as evergreen today as it was at the time of the film’s release.
5. Ganga Jamuna (1961) – A defining example of the dacoit genre, the Nitin Bose-directed film tells the story of two impoverished brothers, Ganga and Jamna (Kumar and Nasir Khan), and sibling rivalry on opposing sides of the law, one a dacoit criminal and the other a police officer. Kumar also wrote and produced this film.
6. Andaz (1949) – With Kumar, Nargis and Raj Kapoor in the lead, the film was a love-triangle to remember, also as a story that does not get a happy ending for any of the three characters. Directed by Mehboob Khan, ”Andaz” was the only film to feature Kumar and Kapoor, friends and childhood neighbours, together onscreen.
7. Daag (1952) – Kumar played Shankar, a poor family’s sole breadwinner who drowns his sorrows in alcohol. After turning a new leaf, he gives up drinking and leaves for the city to earn money. Just as he returns home to pay off his mortgage, he finds out that the love of his life Parvati (Nimmi) is engaged to be married.
8. Shakti (1982) – The one which saw Kumar become the father after playing the son. This Ramesh Sippy film saw a clash of two generations and ideologies with Kumar, the police officer, and his hurt and now defiant son, played by Amitabh Bachchan. “Shakti” was the only film to feature Kumar and Bachchan together.
9. Karma (1986) – Kumar essayed the role of a former police officer who offers a life of honour to three men on death row (Naseeruddin Shah, Jackie Shroff, and Anil Kapoor) if they agree to embark on a secret mission to caputre the head of a terrorist organisation, played by Anupam Kher.