Dilip Kumar's 'Naya Daur' turns 60

It's been 60 years since B R Chopra's 'Naya Daur', starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala, released in 1957. The cult classic, was re-born in colour in 2007, a day Dilip Kumar's wife Saira Banu remembers fondly. Speaking to Mirror as the iconic film reaches another milestone, she says, "I am very delighted that the film is turning 60."
Only 19 years old herself when it was first released, she distinctly remembers the day it was reincarnated in colour."It was a lovely evening at BR films. We enjoyed the first show of colourisation with all our friends together. It was like sharing the first time Naya Daur with Dilip Sahab. It was a grand experience from me."

The film, based on the theme of man versus machine, saw Dilip Sahab as a tongawala who fought to earn his daily meal. He played the underdog who went on to fight the race of his life with the newly introduced bus, eventually winning the race and hearts of the entire village, a poignant story that's still relevant today. "The subject is definitely relevant because everything has been taken over by technology in today's time," said Saira Banu.
Many may not know, though, that Dilip Kumar, has originally turned down the film, as it clashed with another one of his projects with Gyan Mukherjee. It was only when Mukherjee's film did not materialise that Dilip Sahab wrote to filmmaker BR Chopra, stating that he would do his film.
But 'Naya Daur' also had an initial rejection in its kitty before it went on the floors. In his biography, 'Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow,' Dilip Sahab mentions how Mehboob Sahab had first rejected it when BR Chopra came to him with the project. Mehboob Sahab felt the script would work better as a documentary rather than a full length feature film. But BR Chopra went ahead and 'Naya Daur' went on to become a massive hit. On its 100th day, Mehboob Sahab graced the celebrations as the chief guest, publicly acknowledging what he felt about the script in its early days. While Mehboob sahab acknowledged the filmmakers on stage, the crowd showered them with coins to celebrate.