Dev Saab Could Have Taught The New Breed Of Actors A Thing Or Two

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Dev Saab Could Have Taught The New Breed Of Actors A Thing Or Two
It all began for me in journalism about 15 years ago, and Dev Anand was the first celebrity I met. Those were still the days of mainly landlines and Dev saab had no hesitation in picking up a call and inviting a new, unknown journalist straight to his office. 

And what did this new, unknown journalist want to ask Dev saab? 

Where does Dev saab go for holidays, which are his favourite place, so on and so forth? (Gulp).

The Guide star (almost) fell off his chair when I told him why I was sitting across him. "Do you think I go for holidays?" he said, as I turned pale fearing that maybe I had rubbed him the wrong way. But like a true gentleman, he recovered to say: Ask me about my work, my passion, my movies. Ask me about the women in my life. Now, it was my turn to (almost) fall off from my chair.


Image Source: ravepad

Four years later, I was watching his film Mr Prime Minister in Ahmedabad, where he had called at least 10,000 people to share his moment of happiness.

It was an open-air theatre and after the film got over I asked a film-critic (who is now also my friend) sitting next to me, that what would he be writing in his review. He said: "I won't review the film." But yours truly had been sent on an assignment by a section of the media, and the enthusiasm in him went on to dissect the film to the hilt.

7.35 am, and my landline was ringing. "Is that Vickey?" the voice at the other end asked, and before I could say anything, Dev saab was saying in his inimitable style, "My boy, you haven't understood my picture. So you need to meet me for the second time in your life. I shall be waiting for you at 12.30 pm sharp in my office, today," and he hung up.

My heart (almost) sank and I wondered how I would face this man whose labour of love I had stamped upon. 

Believe it or not, he welcomed me with open arms and hugged me tight before I sat across him. "Can you hear my heartbeat? It beats for my picture which you haven't understood, and it beats for you because--- I have been following your stories, I like you and I strongly feel that you have a future in the field of journalism."


Image Source: tribune

And as we started talking, I was surprised that not once did he veer the topic to Mr Prime Minister. "He looked into my eyes and said, "You know what? I re-read your review and I think Mr Prime Minister is over," and then he added with a gleam in his eyes, "I already have an idea for my next offering."

I was shocked and wondered what was he made of. A few minutes later, he shook my hand and said that I must visit him again but with my family. 

I came home and told my wife about Dev saab's invitation, which made her (almost) break into a dance. 

A few years later, I took her with me for the BIG interview. The moment we entered his cabin, he stood up and stretched out his hand. And mind you, he didn't sit down until the lady in the room had seated herself. "Ask me anything, shoot your questions. I love it when I have an audience. Today, your wife is my audience," he wiped his face, adjusted his muffler and leaned back in his chair.


Image Source: grabhouse

Post that meeting, we were friends, err, family friends. I could call and meet him anytime, even he called me up and we chatted away to glory.

Did that BIG interview get published? Full page! My editor wasn't in office when it went to print and I called her to ask if I could splash it across a full page. Her tone of reply suggested that she wanted to ask me if I was a moron, but little could I tell her that the sub-editors at the desk had other ideas.

Two days after the Hum Dono (color) premiere in February 2011, I met him for a long chat in Khar, where he spoke about Deepika Padukone, Nanda and other things. This was the last time I saw him. 

I won't delve into his love for life and work as volumes have already been written on that. All I want to say is: Dev saab, you taught me few things in journalism and I wish that some other actors could have taken a cue from you. Especially  the younger lot.


Thumbnail Image Source: actorz
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