Veteran Actor Dilip Kumar Dies at 98

Mumbai: Veteran actor Dilip Kumar has died at the age of 98. He leaves behind a legacy of films that spanned six decades, and gave Hindi cinema some of its most enduring classics. Dilip Kumar’s funeral will take place later in the day, it was announced via his official Twitter account. “Burial today at 5:00 PM. Juhu Qabrastan at Santacruz Mumbai,” the tweet read. Shabana Azmi was photographed visiting his house in Mumbai, shortly after news of his death emerged.

Dr Jalil Parkar, the pulmonologist treating Dilip Kumar at Mumbai’s PD Hinduja Hospital was the first to confirm news of his death, to ANI. “With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, few minutes ago,” family friend Faisal Farooqui wrote in a tweet from the actor’s official account. “We are from God and to Him we return,” he added.

He had been admitted to hospital after experiencing breathlessness on June 30, Faisal had said. On June 6, Dilip Kumar was hospitalised after a similar complaint. The Hindi cinema veteran was then diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs and underwent a successful pleural aspiration procedure. He was discharged after five days.