Condolence messages and obituaries are pouring in from across the globe. Dev Anand, the most charismatic and lively star I knew, is no longer amidst us, but he leaves behind a body of work that's hard to erase from our memory. I have had the privilege of interacting with Dev-saab on a couple of occasions. His zest for life was unparalleled, his passion for cinema was unmatched, his mind would be constantly thinking of newer stories that he'd like to tell the world.
My last interaction with the legend was during the release of his film CHARGESHEET. In mid-September, I received a call from Dev-saab, who wanted to chat with me about his new film and his plans for the future. This was one opportunity I didn't want to miss. We fixed a date and time. Unfortunately, the shoot had to be called off since he wasn't feeling too well on that particular day. But the evergreen star gave another appointment and lived up to it. He seemed weak as he walked out of his car, but the enthusiasm was captivating. I haven't seen my television crew respond to any actor the way they responded to Dev-saab that evening.
Dev-saab had plans for the future. He wanted to make an "extension" of his cult classic HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA. But he denied categorically that he was planning a remake. "Can you remake GONE WITH THE WIND? Can you make WEST SIDE STORY again? Because if you do make a remake, you make it with the conviction that you're making a hit, but what's the guarantee ki us waqt chali thhee, to aaj bhi chalegi? You're admitting to yourself and to the world that you've no other idea but to make a remake. Accept the defeat that you're money conscious and not theme conscious," he said.
While on HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA, Dev-saab shared an interesting anecdote, which not many are aware of. "Dada Burman [S.D. Burman] was not just a music director, but was almost like a pillar of Navketan. Every time I decided to make a film, I'd go to Dada Burman. 'Dada, this is my story idea. Do you like it?' 'Haan, definitely banao', 'Bilkul na banao', he'd react instantly. When I told him about HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA, he said, 'Dev, yeh bhai-behn ka ajeeb angle hain, hippies ka. Kyun banate ho? ' I was disappointed then, but I saw his son [R.D. Burman] sitting next to him. I told him, 'Dada, if you have even a bit of hesitation, please allow me to take Pancham [R.D. Burman] for the film. The subject is truly interesting and I want to make it. That's how Pancham stepped into the picture," Dev-saab reminisced.
Dev-saab's dream of making an extension of HARE RAMA HARE KRISHNA, unfortunately, is now incomplete. Will his son Sunil fulfill his dream?
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