Incredible DEV ANAND SAHAB : The Immortal Mortal

With DEV ANAND SAHAB in HIS Office

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA            DECEMBER 07 , 2011           10.30 P.M.

On December 04 , 2011 , I woke up as usual in the morning imagining a lazy Sunday and as per my habit picked up my BlackBerry to check BBM messages . I opened the page and got a shock of my life , which I won’t be able to forget ever . There was a posting by Mr. Arsh Jaikrishan :

” THE EVERGREEN HERO OF THE FILM INDUSTRY PASSES AWAY , WE LOSE DEV ANAND JI TO A HEART ATTACK IN LONDON , IN THE EARLY HOURS , RIP DEV SAAB , THANK YOU FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL CINEMA , ZEST & ENTHUSIASM , GOD BLESS ! “

I was shocked beyond belief . I conveyed this message to my wife and she almost shrieked in dismay . I rushed to my TV set and saw the news . I kept on changing channels in hope that may be some will say that the news of the sad demise of  DEV ANAND SAHAB is not true . But ……… alas !

For me DEV ANAND SAHAB was immortal . I thought that he will always be there in this world . At least I will be watching HIM throughout my life . Anyhow HE will outlive me . It was a belief . I won’t be able to give any reason for my belief but the thought of the immortality of DEV ANAND SAHAB was ingrained in my psyche .

So when I knew that HE was in London for medical check up , it was beyond comprehension .

DEV ANAND and hospitals , don’t sink in the psyche .

DEV ANAND and doctors , don’t go together in mind .

DEV ANAND and illness , don’t go together .

DEV ANAND and death , don’t and can’t co – exist .

Even incapacitated and bed – ridden DEV ANAND is beyond imagination . This image doesn’t exist in the galaxy .

So news of his demise is still not sinking in . I am feeling , even today , that HE just vanished from this earth and may be making motion pictures in some far away galaxy .

I met HIM in his office last year on December 20 , 2010 . I was planning to launch my son in a Bhojpuri Movie ” Aber ” , and I wanted DEV ANAND SAHAB to give clap for the Muhurat shot . I requested Mr. Ali Peter John to introduce me to DEV SAHAB .It is honour that HE agreed to meet me .

Watching television coverage all day long , I was ushered to the world of DEV ANAND SAHAB and some sepia toned memories of my childhood rushed to the firmament of my being . ” Dushman ” [ 1957 ] was the first film , which I saw in the Vijay Talkies of Deoria , my home town . After that I watched almost all his films till ” Hum Naujawan ” [ 1986 ] . And after that I lost track of His films but certainly not HIS personality or life .

It has become a habit among some section of movie going public to make fun of his later – year movies . I would like to give few facts :

1 – AS AN ACTOR : [ 65 years – 113 Films  = ” Hum Ek Hain ” [ 1946 ] to ” Chargesheet ” [ 2011 ]   Survive / Exist in the world of cinema for 65 years  and then talk .

2 – AS A PRODUCER : [ 61 years – 31 Films = ” Afsar ” [ 1950 ] to ” Chargesheet ” [ 2011 ]  Survive /  Exist in the world of cinema for 61 years  and then talk .

3 – AS A DIRECTOR : [ 41 years – 19 Films  = ” Prem Pujari ” [ 1970 ] to ” Chargesheet ” [ 2011 ] Survive / Exist in the world of cinema for 41 years   and then talk .

4 – AS A WRITER : Write your autobiography at the age of  84 years , and that too with pen and paper ; neither dictating it to your secretary , nor typing on the computer , and then talk . And ” Romancing With Life “ is a voluminous book , and it got released by the Prime Minister of India Dr . Manmohan Singh .

5 – AS AN AGING STAR : [ 22 years – 10 Flop Films ]  Survive / Exist in the slippery world of films without a single hit and that too without fading into oblivion for 22 years .  ” Lashkar ” [ 1989 ] was his last hit , and then talk .

If you can equal even one of the above mentioned startling data , only then you have the right to talk about DEV ANAND SAHAB . And if you can’t achieve any one of the above mentioned facts or even dream of doing anything similar , then keep your mouth shut , bow your head and pay obeisance .

It is not for nothing that within 3 days of HIS death , there are 13,894 articles about HIM in the media . It is a record and shows his relevance and importance .

I will always cherish the memory of meeting HIM .I am sharing few facts , which I never said before :

I wanted to touch HIS feet and sought his permission . HE said looking direct into my eyes , ” There is no need . You want to give me respect by touching my feet but I can see that respect in your eyes .”

I gave him brochure of the institute and the booklet , which I have written about diction . HE browsed through and said , ” You are doing great work sir . Keep on doing it . God bless ! ”

When I sought his blessings for my project , he said , ” Keep on working and remember , your dreams should be longer than your memories . Never let your memories be longer than your dreams .”

I will never ever forget his parting words , ” If ever I meet God , I will ask him why didn’t you make man an immortal being ? Were you afraid that immortal human beings can take your place ?  I long for immortality . ”

I left his office with Mr. Ali Peter John , who took me there , hoping that I might meet him soon . But my film project got delayed and I couldn’t meet HIM .

And now I won’t be able to meet him ever .

Evergreen Romantic Star , indefatigable , indomitable , inimitable , Padma Bhushan DEV ANAND SAHAB passed away in his sleep at the young age of 88 in London .

It is customary to say REST IN PEACE . But ……..

DEV ANAND and rest are antonyms .

So I end up saying – keep on making motion pictures in another world SIR . I will definitely meet you there .

With DEV ANAND SAHAB in HIS Office

In my formative years ,  my family was my epicentre . Apart from family , world of motion pictures was my second universe . That world was adorned by a beautiful canopy . For me that canopy is Ashok Kumar . That beautiful , magnificent canopy was supported by four enormously magnificent and gigantic pillars . Name of those pillars are ; tragedy king Dilip Kumar , evergreen romantic DEV ANAND , show – man Raj Kapoor and rebel star Shammi Kapoor . Once upon a time , not very long ago this canopy stood graciously with the support of these gigantic pillars . Sitting under the canopy , in the vicinity of four gigantic pillars , I was serenaded by the soothing voice of a nightingale , known as Lata Mangeshkar .

Apart from my family , this was my another world . The canopy is long gone . Two pillars ; Raj Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor have also crumbled . With the death of DEV ANAND SAHAB , one more pillar succumbed to the vagaries of nature . Now the solitary pillar remains in the form of Dilip Kumar . And yes , the soothing voice of Lata Mangeshkar still serenades me .

But alas , like my family , my other world has also shrunk beyond recognition . I am shattered . I am numb . I am disheartened .

But if you are a fan of DEV ANAND , you have to move on .

Without you there is no light in my life DEV SAHAB .

But I promise to carry on , just like you .

Thanks a lot DEV SAHAB , thanks for teaching me life .

VIDUR

MUMBAI – MAHARASHTRA – INDIA

www.vidur.co.in

www.vidurfilms.com

www.twitter.com/VidurChaturvedi

www.jaibhojpuri.com/profile/VidurChaturvedi

I had written two blogs about DEV ANAND SAHAB earlier . Re – posting them here from my archives :

1 – My First blog about DEV SAHAB :

60 Years Of Navketan & Some More Years Of Mr. Dev Anand wp.me/ptyXI-6v via@wordpressdotcom

2 – My second blog about DEV SAHAB :

Meeting Mr. Dev Anandwp.me/ptyXI-AS via @wordpressdotcom

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