‘Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar held a connection beyond stardom’

Mumbai: On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, veteran actor Saira Banu took a trip down the memory lane to remember the brother-sister bond her husband Dilip Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar shared.

In an ‘Instagram’ post on Wednesday, Banu said despite being occupied with their work commitments, the actor and the singer would meet on every Raksha Bandhan.

"The Kohinoor of Indian Cinema Dilip Sahib and the nightingale of the music industry of India Lata Mangeshkar held a connection beyond the dazzle of their stupendous stardom. They shared the bond of a brother and sister. Despite being busy with work or travel or any personal commitments, they both would find a way to meet each other on Raksha Bandhan and Lata ji would tie the sacred Rakhi on Sahib's hand," she wrote, adding that she would gift Mangeshkar a brocade sari on every Rakhi.

The actor said Kumar and Mangeshkar would travel to their work locations in local trains and shared their "thoughts, experiences and sought each other's advice".

"It was at one such journey that Sahib guided Lata ji on how much the heart of Urdu lies in its flawless pronunciation and how something as simple as a ‘nukta’ adds a beautiful addition to words. Lata ji, an obedient sister in every sense, worked upon his advice and sought an Urdu tutor's assistance," Banu added.

She said the bond the two icons shared remained intact "until the very end".

"She often came to our home to visit Sahib and they ate lunch or dinner together. The very last time that she came here, she lovingly fed him with her own hands and they made such a loving picture together. Such was the love they shared... monumental," Banu wrote.

Kumar died in July 2021 and Mangeshkar passed away a year later in February.