On August 15, at around 6.45 pm, Shah Rukh Khan dropped by Dilip Kumar's Bandra residence to visit the ailing legend. Saira Banu informs Mirror that the actor had called earlier, when Dilip saab was hospitalised, apologising for not being there as he was travelling for the promotions of his upcoming film, Jab Harry Met Sejal. “On Tuesday, he called to say that he wanted to see saab and since he's like family, I told him he was welcome to come by anytime. He came with his daughter Suhana who I had seen as a child and who has grown into a tall and beautiful young girl,“ she says affectionately.

She recalls her first meeting with SRK decades ago, at a star-studded event, in Dubai. The actor was new to the industry then and had been signed by Hema Malini for her directorial debut, Dil Aashna Hai. “We went for the muhurat of the film too. Dilip saab gave the ceremonial clap which was picturised on Shah Rukh,“ Saira reminisces. “I have always said that if we had a son, he might have looked like Shah Rukh. Both he and saab are a lot alike and have similar hair, which is why I like to run my fingers through Shah Rukh's when we meet. This time he asked me, 'Aaj aap mere baalon ko haath nahin laga rahi hain?' I was happy to,“ she says.

So, what did they discuss over coffee, you wonder. She won't share details but admits that they did talk about films, in particular Devdas. “Shah Rukh pointed out that in one particular scene in his Devdas, he looked very much like Dilip saab. We haven't seen his last three-four films because we have been going through some tough times these last few years. When I told him this, Shah Rukh told me to tell him when we wanted to see the films and he would organise a screening for us at his private theatre in his bungalow, Mannat. I've never been there before but years ago, he had taken saab's autograph on a life-size poster of Madhubala as Anarkali holding her Salim tightly after Badshah Akbar catches them romancing in the garden. I'm told that he has had that mounted in his screening theatre,“ she says, raving about how down-to-earth the actor is despite his phenomenal stardom and how he was really concerned and enquiring about Dilip saab's treatment.

Admitting that Dilip saab was drowsy from all the medicines that evening, she smiles over how Shah Rukh sat close to him, hugged him gently and kissed him on the forehead. “I even saw him chanting a dua under his breath and blowing it on saab's face. He was there for saab's 89th birthday too and sat close to us, holding his hand and mine,“ she says, remembering a Filmfare shoot a few years ago, commemorating 100 years of Indian cinema, with Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh on the terrace of their bungalow. “It was beautiful seeing the legends from three generations in action and interaction. It was a moment of history caught in a frame and all those present had tears in their eyes.“

It's not just Shah Rukh. Saira has fond words for the other two Khans - Aamir and Salman - as well. She points out that Aamir is always just a call away in case of an emergency or even a request from some member of the family to a meeting. “He goes out of his way to comply with such requests and is constantly in touch. So is family friend Salim Khan and his son Salman. They often drop by, on festivals and occasions like saab's birthday. Shah Rukh was the one who was difficult to reach over the last two-three years. When I pointed this out to him, he admitted that he has been out of the country on shoots a lot but promised to be more connected now. Saab's taught me that it's important to be accessible to senior actors when they are old and ailing,“ says Saira, recalling visits with Dilip saab to Raj Kapoor, Om Prakash and Ashok Kumar when they were unwell. “These youngsters are good boys, God bless them!“