JOIN USIt was in the 1960’s. The Indian Students’ Association in Los Angeles, USA, had scheduled the screening of a Dev Anand and Mala Sinha starrer. We thought of inviting Dev Anand who was in town, to be present on the appointed day.
We, the office-bearers, went over to the posh hotel where he was staying. We had no appointment. We called his room from the lobby. He answered the phone himself. The secretary informed him that a group of Indian students were there to meet him. He sounded pleased. He said he would come down to the lobby. After a lapse of time, we called his room again and got the same response. This sequence continued for some time at intervals. But, at no time did he show any annoyance at our repeated intrusions.
Having already missed the forenoon session, we were anxious to get back to our classes at the university. In what we thought would be our last call, the secretary informed him that there was an Indian girl in the group. ’Oh! there is an Indian girl in the group? I will come down’ was his response. Sure enough, a few minutes later, he walked towards us, alone, wearing his hallmark smile. He didn’t look as tall as one would have thought from watching his films. He was also dark-complexioned.
We requested that he be present during the screening of the film which would please the mostly Indian audience. He declined, stating that it was not one of his better rated movies and so he would prefer not to come. His English was impeccable. Along with us, he remained standing throughout our chat, brief, but unhurried. He made enquiries of the courses we were pursuing and so on.
As we took our leave, he offered to invite us for the special screening of his film which had brought him to Los Angeles. He asked us to call him. The frequency of the calls generated enough familiarity to address him as ‘Dev’. The invitations did not come. Perhaps the plans had gone awry.
My excitement was lost on the American students. ‘You mean you missed classes just for an actor?’ I didn’t try to explain that he was not just an actor, but a star, the one and the only Dev Anand, who made time for students on scholarships.