Saira Banu calls Dilip Kumar’s performance in Sagina ‘spell-binding, enthralling’, recalls how he treated film’s crew

Veteran actor Saira Banu took a trip down memory lane and spoke about her 1974 film Sagina. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Saira also talked about her late husband, actor Dilip Kumar, who was a part of the movie too. (Also Read | Saira Banu posts still of Dilip Kumar playing cricket, recalls his ‘yearning to become the country’s best sportsman’)

Saira Banu talks about Dilip Kumar

Saira also shared an anecdote on how while shooting in Gayabari for the film, Dilip set up a badminton court for everyone. She called Dilip Kumar’s performance in the film one of his ‘most spell-binding and enthralling’ ones. She also shared several stills as well as a clip from Sagina.

Saira gets nostalgic

Sharing them, she captioned the post, “Sagina is one of my most loved films. It is based on the true story of the labour movement. Sagina, a factory labourer…is an honest, aggressive and loveable character who was the first to fight against the tyranny of the British bosses in the tea gardens of Northern-Eastern India. Sagina becomes a Welfare Officer and brings about justice.”

“I was so happy when Sahib and revered Tapan Sinha worked together… they were such good friends and like-minded that they brought ease and cordiality while filming Sagina in the most relaxed atmosphere at Gayabari where we worked in the outdoors. The first thing that Sahib set up in the garden was a Badminton court for all the team of the shooting to play together in the evenings and then cosily huddle in the house to sing and joke together turn by turn,” she added.

Saira also wrote, “Sharing a scene which is my personal favourite… when Sagina who is a robust outgoing man, is sitting in his office absolutely bored and suffocated and then he steps out compelled to breathe the fresh air in the lush outdoors. Then he spots the coming of the train and exuberantly matches speed with the passing train. I think it is one of Sahib’s most spellbinding and enthralling performances.”

About Sagina

Sagina, released in 1974, was directed by Tapan Sinha. The film stars Dilip Kumar, Saira Banu, Aparna Sen, and Om Prakash among others. It was a remake of the 1970 Bengali movie Sagina Mahato directed by Tapan Sinha with the same lead pair in the cast. Apart from this, Saira and Dilip also featured in Gopi and Bairaag, Sagina Mahato and Duniya. Saira and Dilip tied the knot in 1966.