Trivia

Has one niece, Bollywood actress, Shaheen, who was married to Bollywood actor, Sumit Saigal, circa 1997, with a six year old daughter, Sayesha.

Actress Shaheen is her niece. She is Saira Banu's brother ( Sultan Ahmed) daughter.

Her husband Dilip Kumar revealed in his 2014 memoir "Dilip Kumar: The Substance and the Shadow" that she became pregnant in 1972 with their son, but that she developed high blood pressure in her eighth month of pregnancy and the doctors couldn't save the baby, which has been strangulated by the umbilical cord. After that, they never had children, believing that it was God's will.

In 1966, 22-year old Saira Bano married 44-year old superstar Dilip Kumar. Their marriage is still intact.

Saira Banu was the 3rd highest paid actress in Hindi Cinema from 1963-1969 and 4th highest paid actress from 1971-1976.

Saira Banu's brother Sultan Ahmed is married to a lady named Rahat. Rahat, was once married to director Mehboob Khan's son Ayub. From this marriage Ayub and Rahat has two boys, Afzal Khan and Aslam Khan. Later Ayub and Rahat divorced Rahat would later remarry Sultan Ahmed (Saira Banu's brother). From this marriage Rahat and Sultan had a daughter named Shaheen. Shaheen would later star in Maha Sangram. Shaheen is also the mother of Sayesha.

Saira's father remarried a Austrian woman later in life.

Despite Banu's success, several critics bemoaned that she "made it on glamour and not on talent". In response to the criticism, she stated in a 1973 interview: Maybe they (critics) are right-but what matters is that I am around, whether they like it or not. Remember, the same was said for the great star Madhubala, comparing her to Marilyn Monroe, and I am happy to be in such illustrious company.

The movie Junglee was written by Aghajani Kashmeri (aka Kashmiri and Agha Jani), who also coached her in Urdu dialogue delivery, given his background in Urdu literature and poetry from Lucknow. Junglee was the beginning of her career as a successful actress.

Banu made her acting debut opposite Shammi Kapoor in the 1961 film Junglee, for which she earned her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

Banu was 16 years old in 1960 when she started work for her debut in Hindi films.[2] She said in a programme that she had basic talent and little dancing experience. Her peers all were classically trained, which was why she was not put in the top league.

She was one of the most popular actresses in her heyday in the Indian film industry in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Banu started taking Kathak and Bharata Natyam lessons with success, and trained herself professionally. Soon she became a dancer, and her films featured more of her dancing.

Bollywood actress Shaheen is her sibling's daughter .

Banu appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in Duniya (1984), wherein the song "Teri meri zindagi" became very popular.