When Dilip Kumar REJECTED wife Saira Banu for a film because she lacked ‘seductive appeal’: I voiced my opinion.. | Hindi Movie News

Dilip Kumar, one of Indian cinema’s greatest stars, is remembered not just for his powerful screen presence but also for the grand love story he shared with actress Saira Banu. Their marriage lasted for nearly 55 years, and fans always admired the deep bond they shared, both on and off-screen. But not many know there was once a moment when this iconic couple found themselves on different sides—professionally.
Saira married 44-year-old Dilip on 11 October 1966, when she was just 22. Their marriage, with a 22-year age gap, surprised many. However, during the making of ‘Ram Aur Shyam‘, where Kumar played a double role, he refused to cast Saira opposite him. He felt she lacked the ‘seductive appeal’ needed for the role and appeared too delicate for the bold character.
Trouble over ‘Ram Aur Shyam’
In 1967, Dilip was working on the film ‘Ram Aur Shyam’, where he played a double role. The team had already finalised Waheeda Rehman for one of the female leads but was still searching for someone to play opposite his other character.
The film’s producer, Nagi Reddy, was eager to cast Saira. He felt she would be a perfect match for the film’s comic elements. But the ‘Devdas’ actor didn’t agree. In his autobiography, The Substance and The Shadow, he revealed that he turned down the idea of working with his wife.
He wrote, “Nagi Reddy was all admiration for Saira and her recent performances and was certain that her pairing with me in the comedy situations would be a huge draw since she possessed a wonderful flair for spirited comedy. Since it was my practice to take an active interest in the making of my film, I voiced my opinion that I did not agree with Nagi Reddy on this issue because I felt she was too delicate and innocent in appearance for a character that had to have loads of seductive appeal and a bold, buxom appearance.”
His comment about Saira’s “lack of seductive appeal” didn’t go down well with her. She was deeply upset by his decision, and it led to some tension between them.
The ‘Naya Daur’ actor admitted, “My refusal to work in ‘Ram Aur Shyam’ with her was the proverbial last straw on the camel’s back! Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! Sure enough, I received more than my fair share of brickbats from Saira in various ways.”

Mumtaz bagged the role
Eventually, the role went to Mumtaz, who was suggested by actor Mehmood. Dilip Kumar remembered how determined Mehmood was to convince him. “He (Mehmood) was so sincere in his recommendation of her that he even carried tins of film reels depicting Mumtaz to exhibit how talented she was. Mumtaz eventually bagged that role.”
Despite this hiccup, Dilip and Saira’s bond only grew stronger with time. They later starred together in several films, including ‘Gopi’, ‘Sagina’, ‘Duniya’, and ‘Bairaag’. Their on-screen chemistry reflected the warmth of their real-life relationship.