Co-starring Parveen Babi, this film failed to leave a mark on anybody's heart. But it did have the charm and the style that was quintessentially Dev.

Captured by ace lensman Shyam Aurangabadkar, the picture taken on the sets of the film reminds one of what we call the Dev Anand magic. In the picture, Dev Anand is seen holding a pair of aviator shades.

The sunglasses, created originally for pilots to protect their eyes in 1936 achieved a cult status and were made popular by the most fashionable Bollywood hero of the 70s. Interestingly, the film brought together Parveen Babi and Kabir Bedi .

Now, Parveen had almost given up her Bollywood career once for Kabir, her boyfriend by following him across the seas, when he got a role in an Italian television series, Sandokan. This film also marked the debut of Jyothi Bakshi Gill - an actress, who at the time was hailed as one of the most glamourous women in Hindi cinema.

Unfortunately, the glamour fizzled out in her later years. Reportedly, her semi-decomposed body was found at her residence years later.

Some even believe, that shunned by the film industry, the actress did not have enough money to support herself. A similar fate, minus the monetary issues awaited the film's female lead Parveen as well.

She, who was once pitted against Zeenat Aman , was found dead in her Juhu flat (less)

The basic reason for that was because cinema was the only source of entertainment those days and, more often than not, its content was taken seriously by serious viewers," Dilip Kumar said. The veteran actor, who was supposed to attend the book launch of "The Dialogue of Devdas", penned by Nasreen Munni Kabir on Wednesday, could not do so because of his health.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan, who played Devdas in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2002 flick of the same name, read out the letter written by the thespian to the audience at the event. Among many remarkable characters he played on screen, the thespian is credited for immortalising the incarnation of Devdas in the 1955 flick, based on the novel of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

"I am speaking about this to emphasise the responsibility the director shouldered in our times when he chose to make a film that had deep emotional appeal for audience. Dialogues of Devdas are replete with a haunting sensitivity and spontaneity that came from the pen of Rajinder Singh Bedi, one of those rare writers whose syntax was so perfect that simple lines he wrote inspired actors to build up deep emotions in their rendering," the veteran actor said.

"I appreciated the precision and brevity of the lines he wrote for Devdas . They were lines of profound meaning at times but they were so simply and sensitively worded that generations of viewers have found pleasure in repeating them lovingly," the 89-year-old actor said.

The actor, who won the best actor award for Devdas, said in the letter that he had not read the novel before Bimal Roy approached him. "When Bimalda approached me with the idea of playing Devdas, I had neither seen the earlier films nor read Sarat Babu's famous novel.

He did not tell me that his intention was to discuss the film. After some pleasant conversation, he let our mutual friend Hiten Choudhury, who accompanied him, to bring up the subject.

It was something I had not anticipated, so I asked for a few days to think it over," he said. Reminiscing about how the melancholy of the novel moved the actor within him, the veteran said, "It was poignancy of the novel and the possibility of an intense rendering of the character of Devdas that spurred me to say Yes".

The veteran actor, who was honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1994, said he could recall how he shaped the script of the flick. "I think Bimalda knew from his own sources that I was a stickler for strong film scripts.

So he made it comfortable for me to participate in writing and shaping the script that was being handled by him and his formidable team led by Rajinder Singh Bedi," he said. Dilip Kumar's letter offers a rare glimpse into making of one of the most memorable and critically-acclaimed movies of the Indian cinema.

"Dialogues for Devdas as well as for two women who love him were written and rewritten with care, keeping the situations and audience's empathy in mind. In the making of 'Devdas', his aim was to convey the sense of hopelessness that pervades the relationship between Devdas and the two women and others who are a part of his doomed life without leading ardent viewers to cynicism and despondence," he added.

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The basic reason for that was because cinema was the only source of entertainment those days and, more often than not, its content was taken seriously by serious viewers," Dilip Kumar said. The veteran actor, who was supposed to attend the book launch of "The Dialogue of Devdas", penned by Nasreen Munni Kabir on Wednesday, could not do so because of his health.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan, who played Devdas in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2002 flick of the same name, read out the letter written by the thespian to the audience at the event. Among many remarkable characters he played on screen, the thespian is credited for immortalising the incarnation of Devdas in the 1955 flick, based on the novel of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

"I am speaking about this to emphasise the responsibility the director shouldered in our times when he chose to make a film that had deep emotional appeal for audience. Dialogues of Devdas are replete with a haunting sensitivity and spontaneity that came from the pen of Rajinder Singh Bedi, one of those rare writers whose syntax was so perfect that simple lines he wrote inspired actors to build up deep emotions in their rendering," the veteran actor said.

"I appreciated the precision and brevity of the lines he wrote for Devdas . They were lines of profound meaning at times but they were so simply and sensitively worded that generations of viewers have found pleasure in repeating them lovingly," the 89-year-old actor said.

The actor, who won the best actor award for Devdas, said in the letter that he had not read the novel before Bimal Roy approached him. "When Bimalda approached me with the idea of playing Devdas, I had neither seen the earlier films nor read Sarat Babu's famous novel.

He did not tell me that his intention was to discuss the film. After some pleasant conversation, he let our mutual friend Hiten Choudhury, who accompanied him, to bring up the subject.

It was something I had not anticipated, so I asked for a few days to think it over," he said. Reminiscing about how the melancholy of the novel moved the actor within him, the veteran said, "It was poignancy of the novel and the possibility of an intense rendering of the character of Devdas that spurred me to say Yes".

The veteran actor, who was honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1994, said he could recall how he shaped the script of the flick. "I think Bimalda knew from his own sources that I was a stickler for strong film scripts.

So he made it comfortable for me to participate in writing and shaping the script that was being handled by him and his formidable team led by Rajinder Singh Bedi," he said. Dilip Kumar's letter offers a rare glimpse into making of one of the most memorable and critically-acclaimed movies of the Indian cinema.

"Dialogues for Devdas as well as for two women who love him were written and rewritten with care, keeping the situations and audience's empathy in mind. In the making of 'Devdas', his aim was to convey the sense of hopelessness that pervades the relationship between Devdas and the two women and others who are a part of his doomed life without leading ardent viewers to cynicism and despondence," he added.

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Whoever copies Dilip Kumar are idiots like me," said SRK at the launch of Nasreen Munni Kabir's book The Dialogue of Devdas , which has complete dialogues by Rajinder Singh Bedi, based on a screenplay by Nabendu Ghosh and lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi from Bimal Roy's immortal classic Devdas . Shah Rukh Khan starrer Devdas was treated differently by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who gave it a larger than life feel and the magnum opus had Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai as Chandramukhi and Paro respectively.

The film won lots of awards. Dilip Kumar could not make it to the event.

However, he sent a letter and Shah Rukh Khan read it out at the event in Mehboob Studios. After a decade of the film's release, Shah Rukh feels that it was stupid of him to go ahead and do Devdas , which is a big screen adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel.

"I am not someone who would like to do something which has been so beautifully crafted. I have a very deep regard for the fact that my parents loved Devdas .

I was very young and stupid that I said yes and did it, but as I am getting mature, hopefully more intelligent, and perhaps would not be able to do it this time," the 46-year-old said. The first Hindi director to adapt the book was PC Barua who made it with KL Sehgal, then came the Dilip Kumar's version in 1955, followed by the SRK starrer.

The superstar also feels he would have never mustered the courage to be part of Devdas had he seen Dilip Kumar's version. "Had we seen the film before making it, we would never have had the guts to make it.

Sanjay, Aishwarya and Madhuri we all felt that first we should finish the film then we should watch it," he said. It is said that so far the novel has been made into films 15 times, including in languages like Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu and Assamese.

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Whoever copies Dilip Kumar are idiots like me," said SRK at the launch of Nasreen Munni Kabir's book The Dialogue of Devdas , which has complete dialogues by Rajinder Singh Bedi, based on a screenplay by Nabendu Ghosh and lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi from Bimal Roy's immortal classic Devdas . Shah Rukh Khan starrer Devdas was treated differently by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who gave it a larger than life feel and the magnum opus had Madhuri Dixit and Aishwarya Rai as Chandramukhi and Paro respectively.

The film won lots of awards. Dilip Kumar could not make it to the event.

However, he sent a letter and Shah Rukh Khan read it out at the event in Mehboob Studios. After a decade of the film's release, Shah Rukh feels that it was stupid of him to go ahead and do Devdas , which is a big screen adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel.

"I am not someone who would like to do something which has been so beautifully crafted. I have a very deep regard for the fact that my parents loved Devdas .

I was very young and stupid that I said yes and did it, but as I am getting mature, hopefully more intelligent, and perhaps would not be able to do it this time," the 46-year-old said. The first Hindi director to adapt the book was PC Barua who made it with KL Sehgal, then came the Dilip Kumar's version in 1955, followed by the SRK starrer.

The superstar also feels he would have never mustered the courage to be part of Devdas had he seen Dilip Kumar's version. "Had we seen the film before making it, we would never have had the guts to make it.

Sanjay, Aishwarya and Madhuri we all felt that first we should finish the film then we should watch it," he said. It is said that so far the novel has been made into films 15 times, including in languages like Bengali, Telugu, Tamil, Urdu and Assamese.

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. It looks like Salman is going to be the next Aamir Khan in the industry.

After delivering box office hits in last few years, Salman Khan doesn't want to go wrong when it comes to any of his roles in upcoming films. According to a unit hand from the sets of his upcoming film Ek Tha Tiger, the actor doesn't shy away from giving his suggestions and opinions to director Kabir Khan.

Very recently, the actor went on to direct an action sequence too. "There was an action sequence where the actor had to chase villains and beat them up, but Salman suggested that instead him chasing them, villains should run to him and he will beat them up smartly," revealed a unit hand.

Director Kabir Khan tried to convince him otherwise but Salman refused to do the scene. He asked the director to rewrite the scene.

Finally the director had no option but to change the action sequence according to Salman. The scene was shot according to Salman's suggestion and apparently has turned out perfectly.

It is believed that everyone including the director loved it. We hope Salman won't get infamous like Aamir among his directors for being one interfering soul (less)

On Thursday, Mira Road-based filmmaker Akash Pandey registered a complaint against Ms Bedi for allegedly threatening to extort extra money from him. In his complaint, Mr Pandey stated that Ms Bedi has been bombarding him with threatening SMSes, one of which says, "U guys have to pay now, otherwise I will see u.

" "Knowing her past, I fear she might try to harm me and hence I preferred to file a non-cognizable offence on Tuesday night against her. This is not a publicity stunt on my part as some have suggested.

If that were the case, I would have tried it before the film's release in Nepal," said Mr Pandey. Distress on debut According to Mr Pandey, he made his debut film Parichay with Ms Bedi and Nepali superstar Nikhil Upreti last year.

The flick was released in Nepal last month and reportedly received a good response. Mr Pandey says as per the contract, Monica had received Rs.

5 lakh as her fees, Rs. 3 lakh were towards her costumes and another Rs.

1.75 lakh for the staff who accompanied her to Nepal.

There were also certain terms in the contract, as per which she was promised another 5 lakh in case the film was released in India. "Even before the film's release here, Monica started making absurd demands for the remaining Rs.

5 lakh. I tried to make her understand that she is eligible for the amount only after the film hits screens in India, but (she) was being difficult.

She has been constantly harassing me with threatening SMSes. At times she talks about 'dealing with us' legally, while at other points she has tried to scare us by sending messages in typical 'bhaigiri' style that she will 'see' me," Mr Pandey said.

He added, "Even if she is supposed to be paid that amount, it is the producer who should be answerable for that and not me. I have been harassed with her SMSes for the last one month.

Left with no option, I had to finally approach Oshiwara police station on Thursday and register a non-cognizable offence against her." The other side When contacted by Mid-Day, Monica Bedi said, "I'm not aware of any such complaint.

I haven't sent any threatening SMSes to anyone. These are all rumors.

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On Thursday, Mira Road-based filmmaker Akash Pandey registered a complaint against Ms Bedi for allegedly threatening to extort extra money from him. In his complaint, Mr Pandey stated that Ms Bedi has been bombarding him with threatening SMSes, one of which says, "U guys have to pay now, otherwise I will see u.

" "Knowing her past, I fear she might try to harm me and hence I preferred to file a non-cognizable offence on Tuesday night against her. This is not a publicity stunt on my part as some have suggested.

If that were the case, I would have tried it before the film's release in Nepal," said Mr Pandey. Distress on debut According to Mr Pandey, he made his debut film Parichay with Ms Bedi and Nepali superstar Nikhil Upreti last year.

The flick was released in Nepal last month and reportedly received a good response. Mr Pandey says as per the contract, Monica had received Rs.

5 lakh as her fees, Rs. 3 lakh were towards her costumes and another Rs.

1.75 lakh for the staff who accompanied her to Nepal.

There were also certain terms in the contract, as per which she was promised another 5 lakh in case the film was released in India. "Even before the film's release here, Monica started making absurd demands for the remaining Rs.

5 lakh. I tried to make her understand that she is eligible for the amount only after the film hits screens in India, but (she) was being difficult.

She has been constantly harassing me with threatening SMSes. At times she talks about 'dealing with us' legally, while at other points she has tried to scare us by sending messages in typical 'bhaigiri' style that she will 'see' me," Mr Pandey said.

He added, "Even if she is supposed to be paid that amount, it is the producer who should be answerable for that and not me. I have been harassed with her SMSes for the last one month.

Left with no option, I had to finally approach Oshiwara police station on Thursday and register a non-cognizable offence against her." The other side When contacted by Mid-Day, Monica Bedi said, "I'm not aware of any such complaint.

I haven't sent any threatening SMSes to anyone. These are all rumors.

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"We're going to adopt a baby girl," she gushes, excitedly. "We want Vir to have a little sister.

We will be applying to an adoption agency when he turns one. It's a decision Raj and I made even before we got married - we were very clear that we wanted to adopt a girl.

It takes a month to a year for paperwork and other things to come through. As we wanted a small age difference between both the kids, this is the perfect time.

Guess I'm all set for the second one now," she says. Mandira admits it was she who postponed having her son.

"It's 'been twelve-and-a half years of marriage and the baby came into our lives after so long as I was delaying it," she informs, adding, "Now when I keep telling Raj that I just can't imagine how it would be without Vir, he wants to just beat me," she laughs. For now, she says her hands are full with her tot.

"I have to be around him all the time and if I have to leave home for a few hours it becomes unbearable. Vir has given us a new reason for living," she says.

With Mother's Day having just passed, Mandira also says she realised how much her son has taught her. "After a long day of being away from him I come back and realise how there's something new about him - a new face, pout or cry.

And just yesterday Raj said the baby was going to teach me one thing I lacked - patience! I was so fiery around the house and Vir has made me calmer and mellower," she admits (less)