Did You Know That Dilip Kumar Was A Victim Of Depression?

Dilip Kumar in the film industry was nicknamed as the ‘Tragedy King’ as he played the tragic or tragedy roles beautifully with ease and conviction and he would be lost in the role totally to give his best shot that almost looked like it was real and not a film story.   His films like Andaz, Deedar, Jogan, Daag became very popular films and he became famous with the title of Tragedy King. 

On one hand he became very famous with his films and the characters that he played were much appreciated by the audience, but on the other hand with him playing the roles of tragedy too often also led to him to getting depressed as these roles started affecting him deeply. This illness hit him the most during the shooting of his film ‘Devdas’ . In the film he played a very serious sad role as a hero who he ruins his life due to his love life and becomes an alcoholic in the film and succumbs to it. Dilip Kumar played his character so well which shows his health deterioration because of his depression that got his audience emotional with tears in their eyes. Dilip Kumar won awards for this film but this film also in reality affected his brain and he had to see a psychiatrist to help him out of it. He consulted many doctors and specialists in Mumbai but he found no cure and finally he flew to London. Over there he was treated by the famous psychiatrist W.D. Nichols who had cured many other actors off their depression.  When Dilip Kumar consulted him he suggested that the actor should shift his choice of genres from tragedies as his sensitive acting with a string of melancholy roles had drained him out. The doctor treated him for over six months and also suggested a simple cure that is to avoid tragic films and to sign films that are cheerful, light comedy and happy or breezy roles to play.  Dilip Kumar took the word by Dr. Nichols seriously and he starred in light fun films like Azaad, Kohinoor, Ram Aur Shyam and in this way he got rid of his depression.