Saira Banu Recalls Dilip Kumar's Immense Respect For Kamini Kaushal, Shares Heartfelt Memory From Purab Aur Pashchim Shoot

Veteran actress Kamini Kaushal’s passing on November 14 has left a deep void in Indian cinema. At 98, the celebrated artiste, India’s oldest living actress, breathed her last due to age-related complications.

Known for her intelligence, dignity, and a career marked by classic performances, her death prompted tributes from across the film fraternity. Among the most heartfelt messages was one shared by Saira Banu on Instagram, where she reflected not only on Kaushal’s cinematic legacy but also on her personal grace and her bond with both Saira and the late Dilip Kumar.

Saira Banu's touching tribute to Uma Ji aka Kamini Kaushal

Saira opened her note with a profound question that set the tone for her tribute:“While the whole internet grieved over Uma ji’s passing, I found myself wondering what can one possibly say about a woman so rare and so ahead of her time?”She described Kamini Kaushal as a woman who brought refinement into a male-dominated, evolving industry, someone rooted firmly in intellect and culture. Saira wrote:“In an era when so few women entered cinema with the grace of a truly cultured upbringing, Kamini Kaushal our beloved Uma ji stood apart. She brought with her not just beauty, but a literary mind, and a refinement that was unmistakably her own. She belonged to that gentle world of books, poetry, and thoughtfulness, and she carried it into her work in a way that elevated her presence.”

Dilip Kumar's equation with Kamini Kaushal

Saira then recalled how deeply Dilip Kumar admired Kaushal, not just as a co-star but as a woman whose thoughts and conversations extended far beyond the screen.“I still remember how Dilip Sahib always spoke of her with deep respect. He admired that she came from a literary family, that her conversations were enriched with ideas far beyond the world of films. For him, Uma ji was someone who brought a certain rare substance to the studios, a woman who could speak of cinema and yet transcend it with ease.”Her own bond with Kaushal began unexpectedly during the filming of April Fool, during Saira’s water ballet training. She reminisced:“My own journey with her began in the most unexpected way during my water ballet training for April Fool. I had to jump from a great height, and when I completed the activity and came down, there she was. She immediately said to me, ‘You know, Saira, I couldn’t have done what you just did… How did you do it?’ From that very first meeting, I held her in genuine respect, and I remained courteous to her always not out of obligation, but out of admiration.”Their bond extended into personal interactions as well, including affectionate phone calls and shared acquaintances visiting their home.“I still remember the affectionate phone calls she would make, asking Sahib to meet people who wished to see him. I would ensure that I took really good care of those guests who visited our home from different corners of the country and the world. She used to call Sahib to seek his advice on various matters or simply to talk, and I always handed the phone over to him.”

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A post shared by Saira Banu Khan (@sairabanu)

ALSO READ: Kamini Kaushal Funeral: Family And Friends Bid Tearful Goodbye To Veteran Actress

Saira recalls Kamini's kindness during Purab Aur Pashchim shoot

But one of Saira’s fondest memories comes from the sets of Purab Aur Paschim. She recounted a moment of unexpected kindness from Kaushal:“We worked together in Purab Aur Paschim, and it was during that film that one of my fondest memories with her took place. There was a scene where Preeti, a westernised girl, visits a temple on the occasion of Nag Panchami and sees a snake. As per the character requirement, I was supposed to look western and wear pointy high heels, and in this particular scene, I had to run along a muddy path. Manoj ji, with great concern, asked, ‘Saira, how will you run in these high heels?’ And in that moment, Uma ji quietly slipped her own flats toward me and said with a soft laugh, ‘Yeh pehen lo, zyada aasaan rahega.’ To my surprise, those flats fit me perfectly well. Later, we had a hearty laugh about it as if it were my own pair of shoes.”She also remembered Kaushal’s warmth during her engagement to Dilip Kumar:“I also remember how, when my engagement to Dilip Sahib was announced, she was kind enough to call and congratulate me, ensuring she personally conveyed her happiness to me on the occasion.”In recent months, Saira had come across a video of Kaushal dancing, a bittersweet reminder of the actress’s enduring grace.“A few months ago, I came across a video of her dancing. There she was still so light on her feet, moving with such grace. I remember smiling and thinking to myself, ‘I should call her…’ I tried to reach out, and though I could not speak to her, I did speak with her daughter-in-law, who was more than happy to chat with me.”Saira closed her tribute with the emotional weight of loss — and admiration:“Today, as I think of her, I find no grand words but remembrance for a woman who carried dignity around her shoulders. May we remember her not only for the films she graced, but for the dignity, gentleness, and cultured brilliance she gifted to this world.”Kaushal leaves behind her sons Shravan, Vidur, and Rahul Sood, along with an enduring legacy woven with grace, intellect, and a rare gentility that touched generations.