Saira Banu is one of the most beautiful faces ever to grace the screen. She entered the film industry as a teenager and mesmerized a whole generation of filmgoers with her impish charm and otherworldly beauty.
Early Life and Career
Saira Banu, born on August 23, 1944, in Mussoorie. er father, Mian Ehsan-ul-Haq, produced films, and her mother, Naseem Banu, was a renowned actress of the 1930s and 1940s. Naseem Banu was one of the first superstars of Hindi cinema and called “Pari Chehra (Fairy Faced).” Her grandfather served as a chief courtier to the Nizam of Hyderabad. Saira had a brother, Sultan Ahmed. She spent much of her childhood in London, where her grandmother, classical singer Sahmshad Begum, was living at the time. Saira studied at “Queen’s House,” a prestigious school in London. It was a happy time as all her family, including her brother Sultan and mother, were in London with her.
Her debut at the tender age of 17 in Subodh Mukherji’s “Junglee’ (1961),” opposite Shammi Kapoor, catapulted her to instant fame. Her portrayal of a vivacious and spirited young woman earned her a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Actress. This marked the beginning of a career that would see her become one of the most beloved actresses of the 1960s and early 1970s.
Saira Banu – The Queen Of Celluloid
It was the time when Saira learnt Urdu diction and dialoauge delivery from eminent writer Aghajani Kashmiri. She also started to learn classical dance and soon became one of the top dancers of Hindi films. In 1962 she acted with Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar in “Shadi.”
Saira Banu’s next success came with Manmohan Desai’s “Bluff Master (1963),” opposite Sahmmi Kapoor. 1964 was her year as she gave hits after hit like “April Fool (1964),” with Biswajeet “Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964),” with Rajendra Kumar and “Aao Pyar Karen (1964)” with Joy Mukherjee.
Saira’s filmography is a testament to her versatility and enduring appeal. In the 1960s, she starred in a string of successful films. In Shagird he played a village belle in love with Joy Mukherjee. The things got interesting when Mukherjee’s teacher played by IS Johar fall in love with her too.
Jhuk Gaya Aasman (1968), directed by Lekh Tandon, features her as Priya opposite Rajendra Kumar in a reincarnation story. The film is known for its beautiful songs like “Unse Mili Nazar Ke Mere Hosh Ud Gai.” Mehmood’s Padosan (1968), directed by Jyoti Swaroop, casts her as Bindu, a young girl in a comedic love triangle with Sunil Dutt and Mehmood.
Saira and Dilip
Saira was infatuated by the great Dilip Kumar from a young age. She herself said that she decided to marry Dilip Saab when she was only twelve, and with age, her determination keeps growing. Dilip Kumar, being a family friend, knew Saira, but he never thought about her romantically. It was much later when he got to know about her liking and, after much consideration, agreed to marry her. I
In 1966, they married in a grand ceremony and with time, they became one of the most iconic couples in Hindi history. Their lives were not at all without problems, as Saira lost her child after a few months of conception and has never been able to have kids.
Later Work
After marriage, she continued to work in films like Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Balidaan (1971), Victoria No. 203 (1972), Resham Ki Dori (1974), Pocketmaar (1974), Zameer (1975), Saazish (1975), Chaitali (1976), Hera Pheri (1976), Nehle Peh Dehlaa (1976), Kaala Aadmi (1978), Desh Drohi (1980), and others.
After marriage, she continued to work in films like Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969), Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Balidaan (1971), Victoria No. 203 (1972), Resham Ki Dori (1974), Pocketmaar (1974), Zameer (1975), Saazish (1975), Chaitali (1976), Hera Pheri (1976), Nehle Peh Dehlaa (1976), Kaala Aadmi (1978), Desh Drohi (1980), and others.
Her performances were not just appreciated by audiences but also recognised by her peers. Saira got four Filmfare Awards (Junglee, Shagird, Diwana, and Sagai) nominations in her career.
Personal Life
Saira was a true companion of Dilip Kumar and devoted her life to taking care of him in his last phase of life. Their union, spanning over five decades, came to an end with the passing away of Dilip Saab in 2021.
Saira Banu on IMDB
