Veteran actress Saira Banu wishes PM Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday; recalls his kind gesture towards her after Dilip Kumar's demise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked his 75th birthday today (September 17). As wishes and tributes started pouring in for the PM, veteran actress Saira Banu also wished him and shared a deeply personal anecdote.

Saira Banu took to Instagram and shared a photo with PM Narendra Modi. Along with it, she shared a long note in which the former actress mentioned how the prime minister showed kindness after her husband and actor Dilip Kumar passed away.

Her caption read, "A very Happy Birthday to our esteemed Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji. On this occasion I want to recall the kindness and compassion he extended at a time of my greatest despair. When my beloved Dilip Sahib departed from this world, I was overcome with sorrow so profound that I could scarcely summon the will to endure.  In that dark hour, his consoling voice reached me with words of such tenderness, “Aap apne aap ko sambhaliye, aur ek baat jaan lijiye ki hum aapke parivaar hain”, that they revived my spirit when it was most near to faltering."

She went on to share that a chance had later been arranged for her to meet the Prime Minister during his visit to Mumbai, but she was unable to attend due to health issues.

"In the months that followed, there arose an occasion when Modi ji visited Mumbai, and it was orchestrated that we might meet; alas, my frail health prevented me from that opportunity," she explained.