Saira told that she was crazy about Dilip Kumar since she was just 12 years old and she had a wish that someday she would get a chance to meet him closely or work with him in a film. Interestingly, her mother took her daughter's wish so seriously that she built a house for Saira next to Dilip Kumar's house.
Saira Banu shared many of her old pictures with Dilip Kumar on Instagram and wrote in detail about her birthday memories. She wrote, “Ever since I started this account on social media, every birthday takes me back to the memories of my past. I remember my mother Pari Chehra Naseem Bano, my grandmother Shamshad Waheed Khan, my elder brother Sultan and all the people in the family who used to make small preparations to make my birthday special.”
Saira wrote, “My birthday was always very special. My family left no stone unturned to make this day memorable. There were grand parties and the cake was also no ordinary. My birthday cake was so big and magnificent that even Qutub Minar might feel a little ashamed of its height after seeing it. For me, birthday was not just a party day, but a special occasion to feel the love and belongingness of the family.”
After this, Saira said, “Since childhood, I had a special place in my heart for two things. The first was acting in Indian cinema and the second was Dilip Kumar. I was a big fan of Dilip Kumar since the age of 12. I had a dream in my mind that someday I would get a chance to meet Dilip Kumar and maybe someday I would get an opportunity to work with him in a film.”
Recalling her old days, Saira said, “Dilip Kumar often rejected the proposal of doing films with me saying that she was too young for me. But this never diminished my attraction towards Dilip Kumar.”
Saira Banu further said, “A big change in my career came when the film 'Junglee' came. It was one of the first Eastman color films in the era when most of the films were still black and white. The new use of colors in the film and Saira's beauty caught the attention of the audience and the film became very popular. After this, there were many changes in my life too and eventually I came to live in Pali Hill with my family.”
Saira also shared a very interesting anecdote related to her mother. She said, “My mother once gave me such a unique birthday gift, which I can never forget. She built a house for me next to Dilip Kumar's house. This house later became a part of the most special memories of my life.”
Saira said, “In the year 1966, a tradition started on my birthday, which I still consider very special. Dilip Kumar had come specially from Madras to attend my birthday party. My mother had requested him to come and I was very happy that my mother did so. If my mother had not insisted on Dilip Kumar coming, perhaps one of the most beloved traditions of my life would never have started.”
Saira shared another picture with Dilip Kumar, her mother and mother-in-law. With this he wrote, “Looking back, I feel that the greatest wealth of my life was neither big parties, nor big cakes nor expensive gifts. My real happiness was in the fact that there were people around me, who always wanted to make me feel loved and belonging.”
Describing Dilip Kumar as the 'Emperor of Cinema', Saira said, “I may sometimes forget the date of my birthday, but there is no need to remind anyone of what I am. Even today, when my birthday comes, I feel as if Dilip Kumar's love has come to my room even before me.”