Delhi: Legendary actor Dilip Kumar today passed away after a prolonged illness in Mumbai today. He was 98. The actor was admitted to a city hospital on last Wednesday after facing breathlessness, All India Radio (AIR) reported. 

Dilip Kumar made his Hindi film debut in 1944 with the movie ‘Jwar Bhata’.

AIR reporrted that in a career spanning over six decades, Dilip Kumar gave multiple hits such as ‘Mughal-e-Azam’, ‘Naya Daur’, ‘Baabul’, ‘Deedar’, ‘Madhumati’, ‘Devdas’, ‘Ganga Jamuna’, ‘Ram Aur Shyam’, ‘Karma’ and others. Dilip Kumar’s portrayal in various doomed movies earned him the title of ‘tragedy king’.

He was awarded the prestigious Padma Bhushan award in 1991 for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. Kumar was bestowed with Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and Padma Vibhushan in 2015.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh honoured Kumar with NTR National Award in 1997. The Government of Pakistan conferred Kumar with Nishan-e-Imtiaz, the highest civilian award in Pakistan, in 1998. (AIR news)