Celebrating the 19th anniversary of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s timeless classic, Black, which recently had its first-ever OTT release, Amitabh Bachchan shared a heartfelt letter from the legendary Dilip Kumar. The letter expressed Kumar’s admiration for Bachchan’s performance in the film and his overall contribution to Indian cinema.

The letter began with Kumar acknowledging Saira Banu handing him a printout of Bachchan’s blog post, expressing pride with tears in her eyes. Kumar, in a humble tone, admitted that actors are often oblivious to their own performances and are constantly striving for improvement. He expressed gratitude for Bachchan’s thoughtful compliments, recognizing the importance of audience feedback in the world of acting.

Dilip Kumar reminisced about their shared experiences on the sets of Shakti and commended Bachchan’s world-class and inimitable work in various films. He specifically mentioned the impact of Black, recalling the premiere night when he and Saira Banu were at a loss for words to express their admiration for Bachchan’s outstanding performance. Kumar expressed regret that the film missed an Oscar nomination and shared his personal opinion that if any Indian actor deserves the prestigious award, it is Amitabh Bachchan.

The letter also touched upon Paa, acknowledging Kumar’s inability to watch death scenes, a sentiment shared by Saira Banu during the premiere of Black. Dilip Kumar concluded the letter by thanking Amitabh for his warm love and good wishes, wishing happiness for him, Jaya, and their family.

Amitabh Bachchan, in his caption, expressed his gratitude for receiving blessings from “THE Ultimate actor,” Dilip Kumar, whom he considers his idol and inspiration.

Released in 2005, Black received widespread acclaim for the performances of Rani Mukerji and Amitabh Bachchan. It was declared a blockbuster hit and won the National Award for Best Feature Film, with Bachchan receiving the National Award for Best Actor.