• Mumtaz credits Mehmood for convincing Dilip Kumar to collaborate with her in “Ram Aur Shyam.”
• The successful collaboration led Mumtaz and Dilip Kumar to work together on subsequent films.
• Mumtaz expresses gratitude towards Mehmood for his significant role in her career.

Mumtaz reminisces about Mehmood’s role in convincing Dilip Kumar to collaborate with her for their initial film venture, ‘Ram Aur Shyam.’

Mumtaz has disclosed that Mehmood played a pivotal role in introducing her to Dilip Kumar and persuading him to collaborate on their initial film, Ram Aur Shyam. Following their successful collaboration in Ram Aur Shyam, Mumtaz, and Dilip Kumar went on to work together in subsequent films like Ram Tere Kitna Naam and Sadhu Aur Shaitaan.

Mumtaz recently reminisced about her encounters with Mehmood’s brother and reflected on how the late comedian played a significant role in her career. Sharing a video on her Instagram page, Mumtaz expressed her gratitude towards Mehmood and shared her fond memories of their association.

‘I just want to say that Mehmood ji had a big hand in my success. Had he not recommended my name to Yusuf saab…Dilip Kumar …He took my reels to the star and showed them to him. He said, ‘there is this new girl and you must work with her..you have a double role in the film..’. So, Dilip Kumar was like ‘She is a beautiful, nice and tall girl. Theek hai, mai kaam kar lunga (Fine, I will work with her).’

She added, ‘Had he not said all this to Dilip Kumar, then it would not have been possible for me…it would not have been in my destiny to work with a person like Dilip Kumar. How many people in this world are ready to do something for anyone, and go out of their way to do so?’

Mumtaz ended her video with a closing statement, ‘I just wanted to tell this to you guys. This is Mehmood’s family and it is because of him that I could work with Dilip Kumar.’

Mumtaz began her Bollywood career in 1958 with the film ‘Sone Ki Chidiya’ at the tender age of 11. She went on to act in numerous movies before eventually being paired with Rajesh Khanna, which catapulted her to fame and established her as a popular actress in the 1970s.

During a live session on social media, Mumtaz addressed a question about her return to the film industry, “Bollywood? I do not know. I am not sure if I will get the kind of role that really touches my heart and it will be nice and people will appreciate it. (Laughing) First, I will have to take my husband’s permission. He will say ‘okay, you can do one’. Then maybe I will. Otherwise no.”