When Amitabh became a superstar, he became a natural successor to Dilip Saab who was already a legend that time. Amitabh Bachchan went on to become a bigger star than Dilip Saab but nonetheless it took him 46 long years to get Dilip Kumar’s autograph. He reminisces on his blog, “I remember the first time I ever saw him in 1960. I had come to Bombay as a visitor with my parents…our hosts had taken us out to visit some of the awe inspiring sights and locations of this great city…It was a prominent restaurant, in now what is commonly referred to as South Bombay, where Dilip Kumar, the Dilip Kumar, walked in,” wrote the actor in his blog.
Urged by the elders and eager to go up and greet him and to ask him to oblige them with an autograph, Bachchan ran out of the restaurant to a nearby stationary store to buy an autograph book.
“Out of breath with excitement and apprehension, I walked back to the legend and softly put up my request. Poised statue like, hand extended with the book, I repeated my quivering words to him. He remained unmoved. Either to me or to the book.
“In a short while, he turned and left. I followed his departure, book in hand and a little embarrassed and self conscious and disappointed, returned to my seat, consoled by the elders with me not to take it personally. He may not have noticed you, or perhaps he was too busy with what was transpiring between him and is friends. I understood with some trepidation. End of meeting with Dilip Kumar,” writes Big B.
And then Dilip Kumar finally gave Amitabh Bachchan an autograph on the premiere of his film Black and that according to Amitabh was an amazingly touching moment when Dilip saab praised his acting in Black.
‘’Not only that, but he was nice enough to go back home and send me a note about my role in the film. That was a most touching moment for me,'’ he added.
Im sure if Dilip Saab knew it then that it was India’s biggest star standing in front of him, he would have not only given you his autograph but also his autobiography!