Saira Banu, a Bollywood icon known for her elegance and grace, recently took to Instagram to wish her favourite co-star and dear friend Vyjayanthimala a happy 91st birthday. Through a heartwarming post, Saira Banu reminisced about their first meeting, shared anecdotes from their time together, and revealed how their friendship blossomed over the years.
Saira Banu’s first encounter with Vyjayanthimala happened during a visit to Mehboob Studios with her mother. The young Saira was enthralled by Vyjayanthimala’s mesmerising performance in the song Radha Krishna. Saira fondly recalled, “I was thrilled to see such a spectacular song number of ‘Radha Krishna,’ where Vyjayantimalaji was swirling in a beautiful Ghagra Choli.”
Their next meeting was equally memorable, taking place at a film premiere. Saira, who had just begun working on Junglee, was in awe when Vyjayanthimala approached her and gently touched her cheek, calling her “beautiful.” Saira humorously confessed, “I think I did not wash my face that week!”
Saira Banu also shared her admiration for the on-screen pairing of her husband, the legendary Dilip Kumar (fondly known as ‘Sahib’), and Vyjayanthimala. She highlighted their successful collaborations, with Gunga Jumna being her all-time favourite. “She did a fabulous job as Dhanno, and Sahib worked very hard on her diction to record the Purbi dialogues on tape with the correct pronunciations and dialect,” she noted.
Despite their successful collaborations, a misunderstanding during the shooting of Ram Aur Shyam led to Vyjayanthimala’s replacement. However, fate kept bringing them together at various functions and dinners. It was during one of these meetings that Saira Banu, tired of the unspoken tension, decided to take matters into her own hands. She recounted, “I got fed up and brought the two of them together to patch up as friends again. That was quite a feat!”
Their friendship only grew stronger from that point. Vyjayanthimala, along with her son Suchendra, would often visit Saira and Dilip Kumar whenever they were in town. Saira fondly recalled a time when she and her husband helped solve a complicated issue troubling Vyjayanthimala and her son. This act of kindness cemented their bond, leading Vyjayanthimala to lovingly call Saira her “angel.”
As Saira Banu concluded her heartfelt message, she expressed her gratitude for the beautiful friendship they share. “Ever since Vyjayantimala labelled me as her ‘angel,’ and as for me, Vyjayantimala turned into Akka,” she wrote. With such touching memories and mutual respect, it’s no wonder these two legends of Indian cinema have maintained a deep and enduring friendship over the years.
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