MUMBAI: On Raksha Bandhan day, yesteryear Bollywood actress Saira Bano who is quite active on social media intermittently posting about the experiences her late husband, superstar Dilip Kumar had with his costars and people from the film industry, went down memory lane and shared the strong personal bond between Dilip Kumar and legendary singer late Lata Mangeshkar in a lengthy heartfelt epistle.

Sharing a few pictures and a video of Lata Mangeshkar tying Rakhi to Dilip Kumar on her Instagram handle, Saira Bano said that this annual custom of bonding of a brother and sister was seldom missed during his lifetime. She fondly says that the special relationship remained till the end of his life, even when he was unwell and the singer was in her older years as she made a point to visit him on Raksha Bandhan day and even feed him from her own hands. 

She added to reciprocate his love for her Rakhi sister, the couple used to gift her a sari. "To my delight, they both unfailingly followed this ritual year after year and I in return to this beautiful gesture sent her a brocade sari to her taste each time!" she wrote in the post. 

Dilip Kumar who was born in Peshawar now in Pakistan was a Muslim whose real name was Mohammed Yusuf Khan while Mangeshkar was born in a Marathi family in Indore now in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

In the note, Saira Banu wrote about how the two were very comfortable travelling in Mumbai trains at that time during which they shared their thoughts and offered professional advice to each other. At a time when the use of the Urdu language was predominant in film songs and scripts, she says Dilip Kumar emphasised the proper pronunciation of words of the Urudu language which was its natural beauty. 

She writes that Lata took his advice and worked upon it by seeking an Urdu tutor's assistance which later on reflected in the flawless pronunciation of the songs that she sung over the years.  

Saira Banu also divulged that it was Dilip Kumar who had presented Lata Mangeshkar in London’s Royal Albert Hall by introducing to the audience saying, "Ye meri choti si behen bohat mukhtasar si, main inhein introduce karne aaya hoon." (This is my younger sister who smiles a lot. I have come to introduce her).” She ends the note writign, 'Such was the love they shared…monumental!'