Saira Banu recalls not washing her face after birthday girl Vyjayanthimala touched her cheeks; reveals becoming ‘angel’ for her

Saira Banu recalls not washing her face after birthday girl Vyjayanthimala touched her cheeks; reveals becoming 'angel' for her

As a lifestyle expert with a deep appreciation for the rich tapestry of Bollywood history, I find myself utterly captivated by the heartwarming tale of camaraderie and resilience shared between the legendary Vyjayanthimala and Saira Banu. Their bond, spanning decades and marked by moments of joy, sorrow, and reconciliation, is a testament to the enduring power of friendship.


Today marks Vyjayanthimala’s 91st birthday, and Saira Banu has written an extensive post filled with stories about the birthday girl. Through her social media, Saira shares many untold tales, and today (August 13), she paid tribute to her ‘respected Padma Vibhushan, Vyjayantimalaji (Elder Sister Saira)’ on this special day. In her heartfelt message, Saira explains the reason behind her endearing nickname for the birthday girl.

Saira’s note began with her reminiscing about her initial encounter with Vyjayanthimala, which took place when she visited Mehboob Studios with her mom as a child. It turned out that the young Saira had seen Vyjayanthimala performing a dance number from Radha Krishna in a stunning Ghagra Choli. The next time they crossed paths was during the filming of Junglee.

Saira remarked, “At a movie premiere, she spotted me and sweetly patted my cheek, calling me ‘beautiful.’ I’m pretty sure I hadn’t washed my face for a while then!” She also shared her affection for her husband Dilip Kumar’s partnership with Vyjayanthimala. Among their numerous successful collaborations, Saira confessed that she particularly cherishes the timeless classic Gunga Jumna as her favorite.

Banu mentioned, “She performed exceptionally well as Dhanno, and Sahib put in a lot of effort to ensure the Purbi dialogues were accurately recorded on tape with the correct pronunciation and dialect.” Furthermore, she noted that Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala had an outstanding rapport which translated into their captivating on-screen chemistry.

Later on, after a few days into the filming of Ram Aur Shyam, Vyjayanthimala was replaced, which caused her to drift away from Kumar. Saira Bahujao shared that as time went by, Dilip Kumar and Chamanlal Bali often met at social events and lavish dinners in Delhi, one such gathering brought them all together. “Sahib and Dr. Bali engaged in lively conversation, while Akka and I conversed in a smaller group.”

For some time, they kept avoiding eye contact with one another until I grew impatient and intervened to reconcile them as friends once more. That was quite an accomplishment, Banu remarked. Interestingly enough, the families of these two individuals have remained close and supportive during difficult periods. As for me, Banu referred to Vyjayantimala as her ‘guardian angel,’ while Vyjayantimala became like a sister to Banu, whom she called ‘Akka.’

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2024-08-13 13:09