House of Dilip Kumar

Dilip Kumar’s Ancestral Home, Old Peshawar

Street Leading to Dilip Kumar's Birthplace, Peshawar

Many renowned celebrities of Indian cinema trace their origins to the city of Peshawar. Among them are the legendary actor Dilip Kumar, originally named Yousaf Khan, and the illustrious Kapoor family, including Prithvi Raj Kapoor. Both Dilip Kumar and members of the Kapoor family were born in the older quarters of Peshawar. Shah Rukh Khan’s father also hailed from this historic city. These ancestral homes are located in and around the Qissa Khwani Bazaar, a historically significant area known for its cultural richness and vibrant past. Specifically, Dilip Kumar’s house is situated in Mohalla Khudadad, accessible via a small alley branching from the main Qissa Khwani Bazaar. The house itself is a modest two-storey structure set within a narrow street, marked by a small banner that identifies it as the legendary actor’s birthplace. This street, part of the wider bazaar, once served as a hub of cultural exchange between Central Asia and the Indo-Pak subcontinent.

Dilip Kumar was born on December 11, 1922, in a Pakhtun family of twelve children in Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar. He lived in his ancestral home for the first twelve years of his life before relocating with his family to Mumbai. He began his career by working at an army canteen, where he was discovered by the well-known actress Devika Rani and her husband, who brought him into their film company, Bombay Talkies. His debut film, Jwar Bhata, was released in 1944. He achieved critical and commercial success with films like Jugnu (1947) and Andaz (1949), and continued to be one of the most influential actors in Indian cinema. His performances inspired generations of actors, including Amitabh Bachchan. From 2000 to 2006, he served as a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. In 1998, the Government of Pakistan honored him with the Nishan-i-Imtiaz, the country’s highest civilian award. Dilip Kumar passed away on July 7, 2021, in Mumbai, India.

The Government of Pakistan took formal steps to preserve the legacy of the actor by announcing the intention to declare his house a protected monument on July 13, 2013, under the administration of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The designation was officially notified on July 26, 2014, under the Antiquities Act of 1997. Plans were made to restore the structure and convert it into a museum commemorating the life and work of the actor. The ancestral home of Raj Kapoor, another prominent figure in Indian cinema, is also located in Peshawar, further reinforcing the city's rich cultural and cinematic heritage.