I woke up yesterday to the news of Dev Anand's demise. Unbelievable, for more than evergreen, I've always perceived him as eternal.
Dev Anand and his movies have influenced more than one generation. I know a lot of people from Dad's generation who sported a puff in their hairstyle some decades back. I know a lot of us who still sing songs from his different films at different occasions. More than anything else, I have been highly inspired by the spirit he has shown in life. He cared two hoots on whether people watched his movies- he just made them for himself. People may say he was full of himself and oblivious to public feedback... To me, he represents the pinnacle of an internal locus of control. To me, he represents a group of people who kept himself relevant for so long as he walked the earth... A true Hero indeed.
I have some very fond memories associated with his songs. I remember, years back, in D School, I sang this song for a girl- during a class where the teacher (the ever elegant Mr. Gera) wanted a break and asked any of us to sing a song. I sang tere mere sapne and till date have never heard any song that expresses love so beautifully. Watch the video if you haven't and you shall know what I am saying.
During those same college days, during times of frustration (with specific people or just in general), I remember going to Parived's room to listen to dum maaro dum. The line "Duniye ne humko dia kya, duniya se humne lia kya" was a favourite with both of us. Parived and I were the most graceless dancers in the batch and could not dance to save our lives. But banging our heads to this song is a special part of my memories of college. That song was a cult song in the 70's and it was a cult song in the 2000's.
That immortal song "Maen zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya" represents the legend so beautifully. His times can be most aptly summed up in that line. Lines from that song "har fiqr ko dhuey mein udaata chala gaya" was relevant in the 60's and remains relevant now and shall be so a thousand times later. Life's philosophy can't be more beautifully explained- "Gham aur khushi mein farq na mehsoos ho jahaan, maen dil ko us maqaam pe laata chala gaya". And every time there was a heartbreak, I tried telling the heart- barbaadiyon ka jashn manaata chala gaya...
Whenever in self doubt or whenever I have felt like one selfish being, I have taken great inspiration from Dev Anand's potrayal of Raju Guide... The novel was a classic... but Dev Anand gave it a life beyond the Guide in the book (and mind you, i am a big big fan of R K Narayan)... The transition from being an ordinary man to a man who does something great in life is so beautiful in that movie...
Last week my fiancee was in town. She was leaving the next morning and I dropped her back at her room the previous night. I was driving back home when the radio played Abhi na jaao chhodkar and i remember smiling to myself saying "Apt".
There are many such memories where Dev Anand may not be a direct player in the scene in our lives, but something related to him or his movies just add charm to the scene.
The world is a lot less charming today. As the Times of India put it, "India just lost its youngest star"... For making Indian films more beautiful...for making life more beautiful... a big Thank You to Dev Anand....
