Dilip Saab had come to my Chennai home for tea while shooting for Paigham: Vyjayantimala Bali

The passing away of Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar has immersed the industry in grief. And Dr

Vyjayantimala Bali

is one among them who is yet to come to terms with this news. “I am so shattered. It’s tough. Every time he went to the hospital, he came out stronger. But maybe Allah had called him this time,” she says.

The veteran actress has paired with Dilip

saab

, as he is fondly known, in several films, including the blockbusters

Naya Daur

,

Devdas

and Madhumati. Recalling fond memories of the legendary actor, she says, “He was such a wonderful co-star, an outstanding actor. I not only have wonderful experiences working with him, but I was also educating myself along the course. Seeing him being so dedicated to his work, seeing him work so hard, get into the character and breathe life into it… He was already an established actor. But he was still so polite and helpful.”

Telling us how Dilip Kumar helped her in getting the language right in one of their hit films,

Ganga Jumna

,

Vyjayantimala

says, “In the film, I played the role of a village girl. He not only helped me with the mannerism but also the language. I was a south Indian, who had to speak not just Hindi without a south Indian accent but also get the Bhojpuri flavour right. How much Dilip saab helped me with it! I even got an award for that role.”

She continues, “He was a charming gentleman, very polite and intelligent. He had a flair for music and I remember how he would sit on a chair and hum some tunes, mostly classical ragas.”

Vyjayantimala played host to Dilip Kumar when the latter had visited Chennai for a shoot. “I think it was

Paigham

, which was remade in Tamil as Irumbu Thirai. So, we shot that film in Chennai and Madurai and when he was here, my grandmother invited him home. He and a few others came home for tea. He was very happy seeing my home and kept saying what a beautiful place it was. He sat on the steps at the entrance and took photos as well. Such fond memories,” she signs off.