Generally I avoid writing about individuals and refrain from using any names in my blogs. There are many reasons for practicing this principle and one of them is my harsh views about hero worship. I believe that all human beings are same and are to be respected. However their actions can make one respect them more or less.
While on the net this morning I saw a flash about Devanand’s death in London. It’s sad. Death is a reality and world doesn’t stop with this. However the news made me blank for a moment. I always liked Devanand’s movies, his style and his attitude. I don’t think I missed many movies of him. I have a fair collection of his classics and still watch them. Hum Dono (हम दोनो), Guide, Tere ghar ke samane (तेरे घरके सामने), Nau Do Gyarah (नौ दो ग्यारह)…… are some of my favourites. Devanand remained young at heart. He had ‘never die and be young’ attitude. He believed in himself and was never shattered by failures. Many of his films flopped at the box office, but that never affected him. He continued with what he believed in. The number he acted मै जिंदगीका साथ निभाता चला गया हर फिक्रको धुएमें उडाता चला गया is true to his attitude. He exceled in all the roles be it as an actor or director or producer. Not many persons know that Devanand was the only one from film industry who openly criticized the emergency imposed in June 1975. I admire him for many of his qualities and foremost for being young at heart.
I chanced to meet him twice. I had never imagined that I will ever see him in person. I remember my school days when I would ask my parents for permission and five annas (31 paise) to watch his movie. Standing in queue in scorching heat in Nagpur, firmly clutching the three ten paisa and a paisa coin in my hand to buy a ticket for Hum Dono is still fresh in my mind. On one side I remember the kind of struggle that I had to see the actor on the screen and on the other hand I remember the actor standing in front of me and extending his hand to me. Both are realities. It was during one of the vintage car rallies in late 80’s when Devanand had attended the rally. He was looking for a particular car for his forthcoming movie. He enquired about our family car (Ford, A Model, 1930). I introduced him to my parents, who were alive that time and were sitting in car. We talked for a while and he departed. I did not miss out on the occasion to pose for a picture with him. The incidence was forgotten over a period of time. My job kept me busy and films were no longer an essential part of entertainment with changes taking place in the society and my social life. Time was flying. We entered the new millennium. In the year 2000, I again chanced to meet Devanand. I checked in at Bangalore airport for Mumbai flight. I looked around in the lounge to find a suitable place or to find any acquaintances. My glance paused at a corner; I stared at the figure sitting alone. It took no time for me to recognize the person, it was Devanand. In the era of Khans, the generation around him had forgotten this great actor. I walked to the corner, stood in front of him. He lifted his head to look at me. I kept my briefcase down and said ‘namaskar Dev saab’. He replied politely, ‘namaskar’ and gestured to occupy the empty seat next to him. I sat down and asked him “how are you Sir?’. This initiated a dialogue and we kept on talking till the flight was announced. He was in Bangalore for his production Censor, which unfortunately did not do well. We were together for almost half an hour. Our talk encompassed from Hum Dono to present day films and from technology of yesteryears to the digitalization that was taking place. During our discussion I asked him, if the technological developments have made his job easy or more difficult. He was candid in replying. He felt that the technology has raised expectations of the viewers and to match the expectations one has to exert more. The gap between expectations and what is offered somehow remains unchanged. He was right in way. The viewers are always going to be more demanding and that’s what makes the job more difficult.
I remembered all this after I read the news on the net and then switched on the TV set to see the glimpses of his old classics. In one of his movies he had a song, जीवनके सफरमें राही मिलते है बिछड जानेको........ How true it is!
