Saira Banu, sometimes spelled Saira Bano, is considered one of the most popular actresses of the golden era of Hindi cinema. She was known for her beauty, charm, and glamorous screen presence.
Unlike many actresses of her time who stepped away from films after marriage, Saira Banu continued her acting career even after getting married. She appeared in several films where she played bold and stylish characters, which made her stand out among the actresses of that period.
From a very young age, Saira had two dreams. The first was to become a successful actress, and the second was to marry the legendary actor Dilip Kumar. According to Saira Banu herself, both of these dreams eventually came true. She built a successful film career and later married Dilip Kumar, whom she admired since her childhood.
Coming from a family connected to the film industry, Saira Banu built a successful career in Hindi cinema from the mid-1960s to the late 1970s. During this period, she became one of the most popular and glamorous actresses of her generation.
In the following sections, we will explore different aspects of her life, including her early life, film career, marriage, family, and other important details. To better understand her journey, it is best to begin with the very start of her story: her birth and childhood.
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Saira Banu Biography
| Name | Saira Banu |
| Date Of Birth | 23 August 1944 |
| Place of birth | Mussoorie, United Provinces, British India |
| Age | 81 |
| Father | Ehsan-ul-Haq |
| Mother | Naseem Banu |
| Brother | Sultan Ahmed |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband Name | Dilip Kumar |
| Debut Movie | Junglee |
| Children | No |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Schooling | Elite School (In London) |
| Height (approx) | Centimeters- 168 cm Meters- 1.68 m Feet Inches- 5’ 6” |
| Weight | Kilograms- 70 kg Pounds- 154 lbs |
The birth of Saira Banu and her early life
Before discussing the life of Saira Banu, it is important to know a little about her parents and the film background she came from.
Her father, Ehsan-ul-Haq, worked as a film producer. Her mother, Naseem Banu, whose original name was Roshan Ara Begum, was one of the most popular actresses of the 1930s and 1940s. She was widely admired for her beauty and talent and was often called the “Beauty Queen” of her time.
Growing up in such a film-oriented family, Saira Banu was naturally exposed to cinema from a very young age. This environment played an important role in shaping her interest in acting and eventually helped guide her toward a career in the film industry.
Naseem Banu began her acting career while she was still in school. She appeared in a film produced by Sohrab Modi, and soon became a well-known actress in Indian cinema.
Later, she married her childhood friend Ehsan-ul-Haq. The couple had two children. Their first child was Sultan Ahmed, who was born in 1939. Their second child was Saira Banu, who was born on 23 August 1944.
After their marriage, Naseem Banu and her husband Ehsan-ul-Haq started their own production company called Taj Mahal Films. Under this banner, they produced several films such as Ujala, Begum, Mulaqat, and Ajeeb Ladki. In many of these films, Naseem Banu also appeared as the leading actress.
Around the time of the Partition of India, when large numbers of people were migrating between India and Pakistan, Saira Banu’s father moved to Pakistan. It is said that he took with him the film negatives of the movies produced under Taj Mahal Films. Because of this and her popularity in films, Naseem Banu continued to have a strong fan following in Pakistan as well.
Later, Naseem Banu moved to England with her two children, including Saira Banu. Saira completed her education there and eventually returned to India in the late 1950s, where she later began her journey into the Hindi film industry.
Saira Banu Movies and Career
The film Junglee became a major success and is remembered as one of the early Eastmancolor films in Hindi cinema. The movie made Saira Banu an overnight star, and she received a nomination for Best Actress at the 7th Filmfare Awards for her performance.
Later, her name was considered for films like Ram Aur Shyam and Sangharsh opposite Dilip Kumar, but Dilip Kumar reportedly felt she was too young for those roles, so she was not cast in them.
Her next film was Shaadi, where she acted opposite Manoj Kumar, while Dharmendra played her brother. In 1963, she again worked with her first co star Shammi Kapoor in the film Bluff Master.
The year 1964 was very busy for her, with four films releasing that year: Ayee Milan Ki Bela, April Fool, Aao Pyaar Karein, and Door Ki Awaaz.
In 1966, Saira Banu married Dilip Kumar. Many people believed that her acting career would end after marriage. However, actors Mehmood and Manoj Kumar approached Dilip Kumar to cast her in their films Padosan and Purab Aur Paschim. Dilip Kumar agreed, and Saira returned to the screen successfully.
The film Padosan became a huge hit and is still considered one of the greatest comedy films in Hindi cinema.
She continued acting until 1976 and appeared in many successful films during this period. In 1975, she acted opposite Amitabh Bachchan in the film Zameer. Interestingly, Shammi Kapoor, who had been her first hero in Junglee, played the role of her father in this film.
Overall, Saira Banu acted in about 44 films during a career spanning more than fifteen years, establishing herself as one of the most popular actresses of her era.
Filmography/Movies
| Year | Movie Title | Director | Producer | Budget (INR, Approx.) | Box Office Collection (INR, Approx.) | Opposite Actor/Actress | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Junglee | Subodh Mukherjee | Subodh Mukherjee | 20 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (blockbuster) | Shammi Kapoor | Debut; Filmfare Best Actress nom. |
| 1963 | Bluff Master | Manmohan Desai | Subodh Mukherjee | 15 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (superhit) | Shammi Kapoor | Romantic comedy |
| 1964 | Ayee Milan Ki Bela | Mohan Kumar | J. Om Prakash | 20 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Rajendra Kumar | Musical hit; Dharmendra co-star |
| 1964 | Door Ki Awaz | Devendra Goel | Devendra Goel | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (hit) | Joy Mukherjee | Romantic drama |
| 1965 | Saheli | Arjun Hingorani | Ranjit Films | 10 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (hit) | Pradeep Kumar | Women-centric drama |
| 1966 | Yeh Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hai | R.K. Nayyar | R.K. Nayyar | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (hit) | Joy Mukherjee | Romantic thriller |
| 1966 | Pyar Mohabbat | Shankar Mukherjee | Shankar Mukherjee | 10 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (moderate) | Dev Anand | Romantic drama |
| 1967 | Shagird | Samir Ganguly | Subodh Mukherjee | 20 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Joy Mukherjee | Filmfare Best Actress nom. |
| 1967 | Diwana | Mahesh Kaul | Mukhram Sharma | 15 lakh (est.) | 1.5 crore (superhit) | Raj Kapoor | Filmfare Best Actress nom. |
| 1968 | Padosan | Jyoti Swaroop | Mehmood, N.C. Sippy | 25 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (blockbuster) | Sunil Dutt | Comedy classic; Mehmood co-star |
| 1968 | Jhuk Gaya Aasman | Lekh Tandon | R.D. Bansal | 20 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Rajendra Kumar | Romantic reincarnation drama |
| 1970 | Purab Aur Paschim | Manoj Kumar | Manoj Kumar | 30 lakh (est.) | 4 crore (blockbuster) | Manoj Kumar | Patriotic drama |
| 1970 | Gopi | A. Bhimsingh | T.S. Muthuswamy | 20 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Dilip Kumar | Family drama |
| 1971 | Balidaan | Ravi Tandon | A.K. Nadiadwala | 15 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (hit) | Manoj Kumar | Social drama |
| 1972 | Victoria No. 203 | Brij Sadanah | Brij Sadanah | 25 lakh (est.) | 3 crore (superhit) | Navin Nischol | Comedy heist; cult classic |
| 1973 | Jwar Bhata | Adurthi Subba Rao | N.N. Sippy | 30 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (average) | Dharmendra | Family drama |
| 1973 | Daman Aur Aag | Brij Sadanah | Brij Sadanah | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Sanjay Khan | Action drama |
| 1974 | Sagina | Tapan Sinha | J.K. Kapur | 25 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (average) | Dilip Kumar | Filmfare Best Actress nom. |
| 1974 | Aarop | Atma Ram | Atma Ram | 20 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Vinod Khanna | Social drama |
| 1974 | International Crook | Brij Sadanah | Pachhi | 25 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (moderate) | Dharmendra | Action thriller |
| 1974 | Resham Ki Dori | Atma Ram | T.M. Bihari | 20 lakh (est.) | 1.5 crore (hit) | Dharmendra | Family drama |
| 1974 | Pocket Maar | R.S. Rawail | R.S. Rawail | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Dharmendra | Crime drama |
| 1974 | Paise Ki Gudiya | Brij Sadanah | Brij Sadanah | 15 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (moderate) | Navin Nischol | Drama |
| 1974 | Mera Vachan Geeta Ki Qasam | Vinod Kumar | Vinod Kumar | 15 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (moderate) | Sanjay Khan | Drama |
| 1975 | Zameer | Ravi Tandon | B.R. Chopra | 30 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Amitabh Bachchan | Romantic drama |
| 1975 | Saazish | Kalidas | Kalidas | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Dharmendra | Action thriller |
| 1975 | Aakhri Daao | A. Salaam | M.M. Malhotra | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Jeetendra | Crime drama |
| 1975 | Chaitali | Hrishikesh Mukherjee | Bimal Roy Productions | 25 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Dharmendra | Social drama |
| 1975 | Monto | Unknown | Unknown | 15 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Lesser-known film |
| 1976 | Hera Pheri | Prakash Mehra | Satyendra Pal | 40 lakh (est.) | 4 crore (blockbuster) | Amitabh Bachchan | Comedy hit; Vinod Khanna co-star |
| 1976 | Bairaag | Asit Sen | Mushir-Riaz | 35 lakh (est.) | 2 crore (superhit) | Dilip Kumar | Multi-starrer |
| 1976 | Nehle Pe Dehla | Raj Khosla | Raj Khosla | 30 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (hit) | Sunil Dutt | Action drama |
| 1976 | Koi Jeeta Koi Hara | Samir Ganguly | Subodh Mukherjee | 20 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Shashi Kapoor | Sports drama |
| 1976 | Aarambh | Unknown | Unknown | 15 lakh (est.) | 30 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Lesser-known film |
| 1977 | Mera Vachan Geeta Ki Kasam | Vinod Kumar | Vinod Kumar | 20 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (moderate) | Sanjay Khan | Drama (possibly same as 1974 film) |
| 1978 | Kaala Aadmi | Ramesh Lakhanpal | Ramesh Lakhanpal | 25 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (moderate) | Sunil Dutt | Action drama |
| 1980 | Desh Drohi | Prakash Mehra | Prakash Mehra | 30 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Navin Nischol | Action flop |
| 1980 | Lahoo Pukarega | Unknown | Unknown | 20 lakh (est.) | 40 lakh (moderate) | Unknown | Lesser-known film |
| 1984 | Duniya | Ramesh Talwar | Yash Johar | 50 lakh (est.) | 1 crore (average) | Dilip Kumar | Multi-starrer drama |
| 1988 | Faisla | Ramanand Sagar | Ramanand Sagar | 40 lakh (est.) | 50 lakh (flop) | Vinod Khanna | Last film; delayed release from 1976 |
Rumors of an affair with Rajendra Kumar
During the early years of her career, Saira Banu was often linked with actor Rajendra Kumar. According to media reports from that time, the two grew very close while working in the film industry and developed strong feelings for each other.
However, Rajendra Kumar was already married and had two children. Despite this, reports suggested that Saira was deeply attached to him and wanted to make him her life partner. At the time, gossip columns even claimed that Rajendra Kumar was willing to leave his family for her, which created a lot of controversy.
Saira’s mother, Naseem Banu, strongly opposed the relationship. Like any concerned mother, she did not want her daughter to be involved with a married man. She tried many ways to convince Saira to end the relationship, but Saira reportedly did not listen.
In an effort to resolve the situation, Naseem Banu turned to their neighbor and family friend, the legendary actor Dilip Kumar, and asked him to speak with Saira and persuade her to reconsider.
Dilip Kumar agreed to talk to Saira. However, according to widely circulated stories from that period, when he tried to explain the situation to her, Saira surprised him by proposing marriage to him instead. This unexpected moment later became the beginning of the relationship that eventually led to their famous marriage.
Marriage with Dilip Kumar and Children
When Saira Banu was studying in London, she often watched Indian films and remained connected to the film world through her family. During school vacations she visited India with her mother.
When she was about 12 years old, she saw Dilip Kumar for the first time during the shooting of the film Naya Daur. Seeing him left a strong impression on her, and she later said that at that moment she decided she wanted to marry him when she grew up.
Dilip Kumar was already a family friend, but when Saira began her acting career he refused to work opposite her in films because he felt she was too young.
In 1966, a new house for Saira Banu was completed at Pali Hill in Mumbai. The house-warming ceremony was held on Saira’s birthday, and Dilip Kumar was invited to the celebration. According to Dilip Kumar’s autobiography, when he saw Saira Banu there as a young woman, he was greatly impressed by her beauty and personality.
Before this, Dilip Kumar had been in relationships with other actresses, including Kamini Kaushal and Madhubala. His relationship with Kamini Kaushal could not continue because she was already married, and his famous romance with Madhubala also eventually ended.
Soon after, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu’s friendship turned into love, and they married in 1966, becoming one of the most admired couples in Indian cinema.
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu’s Love Story
After his separation from Madhubala, Dilip Kumar eventually moved on in life. Madhubala’s younger sister Madhur Bhushan once mentioned in an interview that when Dilip Kumar married Saira Banu, Madhubala felt mixed emotions—she was saddened because she could not marry him, but at the same time she was happy for him.
After meeting Saira Banu at her birthday celebration at her new home in Pali Hill, Dilip Kumar began visiting her house frequently. At that time, he was busy shooting for the film Ram Aur Shyam in Chennai.
During one of their outings, when they went for a drive together, Dilip Kumar proposed marriage to Saira Banu. She was happy to hear the proposal but responded playfully, asking him, “How many other girls have you said this line to?” Dilip Kumar reportedly laughed at her reaction.
Saira then told him that such matters should be discussed with the elders in the family. Respecting her wishes, Dilip Kumar later spoke with Saira Banu’s mother Naseem Banu and her grandmother about marrying her. Both families agreed to the match.
Finally, on 11 October 1966, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu were married according to Muslim customs, and their marriage became one of the most famous and enduring relationships in Indian cinema.
What is the age difference between Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu?
Marriage and Age Difference
When Dilip Kumar married Saira Banu on 11 October 1966, there was a 22-year age difference between them. Dilip Kumar was 44 years old, while Saira Banu was 22. Interestingly, he was only about six years younger than Saira’s mother, Naseem Banu.
Saira Banu’s Career After Marriage
Even after marriage, Saira Banu continued acting in films. She later mentioned in interviews that Dilip Kumar never interfered with her professional life. He did not place restrictions on her work, clothing, or film choices.
In many of her films, her mother Naseem Banu worked as her dress designer, helping create her glamorous and elegant screen look.
Tragic Loss of Their Child
About ten years after their marriage, in 1976, Saira Banu became pregnant. However, during the eighth month of pregnancy, she developed severe high blood pressure, which led to serious medical complications.
Because of the condition, doctors could not safely perform surgery, and tragically the baby died in the womb due to suffocation. The couple was deeply heartbroken by the loss of their son.
After this painful experience, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu never tried to have children again, accepting it as God’s will. In later interviews, Dilip Kumar admitted that the loss of their child remained one of the most painful moments of their lives.
Dilip Kumar Second Marriage
After the tragic loss of their child, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu had accepted that they might never have children. However, Dilip Kumar still had a deep desire to become a father.
In 1980, during a cricket match, Dilip Kumar met a woman named Asma Rehman. Over time, they began meeting frequently, and in 1981 they reportedly married secretly.
Saira Banu did not know about this marriage at first and learned about it through media reports, which deeply hurt her. Despite the emotional shock, her mother Naseem Banu advised her to remain calm and patient.
Later, in his autobiography, Dilip Kumar admitted that marrying Asma Rehman was the biggest mistake of his life. Reports later suggested that Asma was already married and had three children, and there were also allegations that she had been dishonest about her situation.
When Dilip Kumar learned the full truth about the circumstances, he ended the marriage and divorced Asma in 1983. After the divorce, he returned to Saira Banu, and the couple continued their life together.
Despite the difficult period, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu stayed together for the rest of his life, and their relationship remained one of the most well-known marriages in Indian cinema.
Is Saira Banu Indian?
Yes, she is Indian. Though her father migrated to Pakistan but her mother stayed back in India.
Why Dilip Kumar has no child?
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu tried for a child and even she got pregnant in 1976. But due to high blood pressure, they lost their children and after that, they never tried for another child.
Does Saira Banu have cancer?
No, she is absolutely fine physically.
What is the age difference between Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu?
Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu have an age gap of almost 22 years. At the time of marriage, Dilip Kumar was 44 and Saira was 22.
Who is the father of Saira Banu?
Her father is Mian Ehsan-ul-Haq who migrated to Pakistan after partition.
What is the age of Saira Banu?
As of July 2021 Saira Banu is 77 years old.
What is the religion of Saira Banu?
Saira Banu is Muslim by religion.
Who is the mother of Saira Banu?
Naseem Banu is the mother of Saira. She was a renowned actress of her time and later she took up a dress design job when Saira started her career as an actress.
Does Dilip Kumar drink alcohol?
He used to but has given up from many days.
Death of Dilip Kumar
Dilip Kumar died at the age of 98 on 7 July 2021, and 78-year-old Saira Banu lives alone now as the couple does not have a child.
Saira Banu has been devastated by Dilip Kumar’s departure. Since Dilip Kumar’s health deteriorated, Saira Banu has lived with him and cared for him until his death. People close to Saira Banu said she hasn’t spoken to anyone since Dilip Sahab’s death, and when friends inquired about her condition, she didn’t respond. In such a situation, all of Saira Banu’s close friends have begun to worry about her.
Saira is now completely alone following Dilip Kumar’s departure. Mumtaz recently stated in an interview that she feels terrible that Saira has become so lonely and that no one knows anything about her.
She tried to talk to Saira several times, even going to her house, but was unable to meet her. In addition, when Mumtaz organised a party, Saira did not attend, nor did she respond to her calls and messages.
In addition, Dharmendra, a close friend of Saira Banu and Dilip Kumar, expressed concern about Saira Banu. He stated that he had called him numerous times, but Saira had not returned his calls. He expressed his hope that Saira has fully recovered. Because of Saira Banu’s distance, everyone is concerned.