Saira Banu, also known as Saira Bano, is an Indian film actress. She is married to film actorDilip Kumar. She acted in many hit Bollywood films between 1961 and 1988.
Early life
Saira Banu was born in Pernambut, India to actress Naseem Banu, and film producer Mian Ehsan-ul-Haq, who produced the film Phool in Mumbai and the film Wadah in Pakistan. Her maternal grandmother was the courtesan Chamiyan Bai, also known as Shamshad Begum of Delhi. Her niece is former actress Shaheen Banu, who is the daughter of her brother Sultan. Saira spent a significant part of her childhood in London, and went to finishing school. Her maternal grandmother was from Hasanpur. Her paternal grandfather, Muhammad Suleman, was an architect who served as the Chief Engineer of New Delhi and was later involved in the construction of Jinnah's Mazar in Karachi. Her paternal grandmother, Khatoon Begum, was from Old Delhi's Mohalla Churiwalan, and a daughter of the "raees" and public figure, Khan Bahadur Maulvi Abdul Ahad Honorary Magistrate. Her paternal great aunt Khadeeja Begum, was married to the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid in Delhi, Ahmed Bukhari.
Career
Saira Banu was 16 years old in 1960, the year she made her debut to Hindi films. She said in a programme that she had basic talent and little dancing experience. Her peers all were classically trained, which was why she wasn't put in the top league. Banu started taking Kathak and Bharata Natyam lessons with success, and trained herself professionally. Soon she became a dancer, and her films featured more of her dancing. Banu made her acting debut opposite Shammi Kapoor in the 1961 film Junglee, for which she earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. The famous song from this movie "Yaahoo!! Chahe Koi Mujhe Junglee Kahe" sung by Mohammed Rafi was a big success. Junglee was written by Aghajani Kashmeri, who also coached her in Urdu dialogue delivery, given his background in Urdu literature and poetry from Lucknow. Junglee was the beginning of her career as a successful actress. Her image was that of a romantic heroine and she acted in many love stories. She did one more film opposite her first hero Shammi Kapoor, Bluff Master, directed by Manmohan Desai. Some of her successful films during this time include Jhuk Gaya Aasman and Aayi Milan Ki Bela, with Rajendra Kumar, and April Fool, with Biswajeet, Aao Pyaar Karen and Shagird with Joy Mukherjee. Banu also did Pyar Mohabbat with Dev Anand. Aman , opposite Rajendra Kumar, was her first release after marriage to the thespian. She acted in three films with Manoj Kumar, Shaadi, Purab Aur Paschim and Balidan. Cult film Padosan, in 1968, opposite Sunil Dutt, catapulted her to the top league and she continued to play the heroine for several years after that. Victoria No. 203 with Navin Nischol is her biggest hit. She acted in three films with her husband: Gopi. Sagina and Bairaag. Only Gopi was successful at the box office. She acted in three films with Manoj Kumar, Shaadi, Purab Aur Paschim and Balidan and six with Dharmendra: Jwar Bhata, Aadmi Aur Insaan, Resham Ki Dori, Pocket Maar, International Crook and Chaitali. In an interview, she quoted that she regretted missing the chance of working with Rajesh Khanna. She quoted: "I was supposed to work with him in Choti Bahu, but I could not because I was ill. I shot with him for two days and found that he was very charming, humble and a shy person." She was paired with Vinod Khanna in Aarop and Amitabh Bachchan in Zameer and Hera Pheri. Nehle Pe Dehla with Sunil Dutt in 1976 was her last successful film. With a slew of flops like Daaman Aur Aag, Mounto, Zameer and Koi Jeeta Koi Haara, and films such as Faisla, Mera Vachan Geeta Ki Kasam and Aarambhon hold, she drew the curtains on her career as a heroine. She has earned three Filmfare nominations for Best Actress: Shagird, Diwana, and Sagina. She appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in Duniya, wherein the song "Teri meri zindagi" became very popular. Faisla which was eventually released in 1988 and is officially her last film
Personal life
Saira Banu married actor Dilip Kumar in 1966. Saira Banu was the third highest paid actress in Hindi Cinema from 1963 to 1969 and the fourth highest paid actress from 1971 to 1976. Actress Shaheen is her niece. She is Saira Banu's brother's daughter. Her husband Dilip Kumar revealed in his 2014 memoir "Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow" that she became pregnant in 1972 but developed high blood pressure in her eighth month of pregnancy and the doctors couldn't save the baby, which had been strangulated by the umbilical cord. After that, they never had children, believing that it was God's will.
