Veteran actress Saira Banu is feeling particularly nostalgic as she remembers her late husband, the legendary actor Dilip Kumar, on what would have been their wedding anniversary.
On Friday, she took to Instagram to share her thoughts, offering a heartfelt reflection on their love and union. Alongside her words, she posted a series of old photos capturing moments of their life together. The last image in the carousel shows Saira resting in a hospital bed.
In her Instagram post, Saira shared a detailed account of their wedding day, which took place 58 years ago. She began her note with the words, “A nostalgic reminisce from the hospital bed of my dream wedding 58 years ago.” The actress recalled a magical night, saying that a particular song played on the radio throughout their wedding night: ‘”Do Sitaron Ka Zameen Par Hai Milan Aaj Ki Raat”’ (meaning, ‘“The meeting of two stars on this night”’).
She described the day as nothing short of surreal and whimsical, so much so that if someone had told her she could fly, she would have believed it.
Despite the beauty of the occasion, Saira shared that their wedding was far from extravagant. Her wedding lehenga was stitched by a local tailor, and the families didn’t even have time to print invitations. The hurried nature of their ceremony was due to last-minute changes in plans, including a phone call from Dilip Kumar to her mother from Kolkata, asking her to quickly arrange for a maulvi (an Islamic scholar) to perform the nikaah (wedding).
Also Read: Padosan re-release: Saira Banu reflects on its timeless charm
She reflected on the light-hearted chaos of that day. Saira and Dilip lived near each other, and when his wedding procession (baraat) arrived at her home, the horse carrying him began to descend a slope, which caused his ceremonial umbrella to brush repeatedly against his sehra (traditional headgear).
Saira Banu shared that fans overrun her bungalow. They had heard that their favorite actor was getting married. So many people crowded into her home that it took her two hours just to descend the stairs and begin the nikaah ceremony.
In another amusing anecdote, Saira recalled how their wedding ran out of food, despite the grandeur associated with Dilip Kumar’s status as one of India’s greatest actors. Fans who had sneaked into the wedding even began taking souvenirs, grabbing whatever they could—spoons, forks, anything within reach. Saira laughed at the memory, noting how even though the day wasn’t perfect, it had moments that still bring her joy to this day.