New Delhi:

Saira Banu never misses a chance to celebrate her late husband, legendary actor Dilip Kumar. On Sunday, the former actress shared a series of pictures and a heartfelt note on Instagram to showcase her love for Dilip Kumar, who she calls “Sahib”. In the first frame, we can see Saira Banu’s letter to the love of her life. In the letter, she wrote, “Dearest Yousuf Jaan, No matter what, we will still walk together hand in hand, one in our thoughts and being until the end of time. My days stretch on like an eternity and each moment a memory of our togetherness. Often., I think about the love and life we shared as it still keeps us complete, for love, my dear ‘Sahib,’ consumes all that remains of a being, I am grateful to Allah that I have been fortunate enough to belong to you in this life, and with His mercy. Insha Allah, I shall belong to you and you alone forever and ever. Love, Saira Banu Khan.” FYI: Dilip Kumar’s real name was Muhammed Yusuf Khan.

Following the letter, we see some adorable pictures of Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu. The last slide shows a handwritten letter by Dilip Kumar to his wife, playfully calling her “aunty.” In the note, Dilip wrote,  “Saira, Feeling sleepy, what do you suggest, Aunty? …Yours 100%.”

Sharing the story behind Dilip Kumar’s letter, Saira Banu wrote in the caption: “Sahib was the greatest actor of all time. He had absolutely everything at his disposal, yet not many people know that he suffered from severe insomnia. Before our marriage, even after taking pills, he would remain awake until dawn. However, once we got married and became indispensable to each other, he started sleeping just in time. He even gave me a cute nickname, endearingly saying, ‘Saira, you are my sleeping pill, you are my pillow.’ To this day, I burst into laughter remembering the charm with which he would say it.”

“There was another memorable incident when he wrote me a note. He had a deep appreciation for music and would often have a whole Darbar set up in our home, witnessing the magic created by the artists. Sahib, ever so efficiently, would often sneak away from the Darbar to get some sleep. On one such evening, despite managing to sneak away, he found himself unable to sleep without me. So, he penned a note saying, ‘Feeling sleepy, what do you suggest, Aunty? …Yours 100%’,” she added.

Saira Banu concluded her caption by writing, “He was a fun-loving person, always calling me ‘Aunty’ and laughing. Yet, beneath the jests, laughter, and those heartfelt notes, there lay pure love. Dilip Sahib is forever….May Allah keep him in his love and blessings…Aameen!”

Reacting to the post, Zeeman Aman shared a red heart. Richa Chadha also dropped two red heart emojis. Manisha Koirala wrote, “You love ma’am.”

Read Saira Banu’s full note below:

Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu got married in 1966. Dilip Kumar died at the age of 98 in 2021.