'He stands alone as an actor and human being'

Hrishikesh Mukherji

I have known him since the time he worked with [director] Bimal Roy.

I was Bimal Roy's assistant and Dilip Kumar was responsible for my becoming a director. He encouraged me to make my first film Musafir, and worked for me almost for free. Even after that, he has always guided me when I needed it. He is a giver and is completely unselfish.

In fact, he sang his first and only song, a duet with Lata Mangeshkar, in Musafir. It was Laagi nahin choote Rama chahe jiya jaaye.

He is a class apart. He stands alone as an actor and as a human being.

Hrishikesh Mukherji spoke to Lata Khubchandani