The Dev Anand I know

Sitting in his office is like going through a journey of his life. Dev Anand has been coming to this place regularly for the last 60 odd years. Each nook and cranny is filled with gifts, mementos, lots of bouquets of beautiful flowers and books.
As usual Dev saab makes his entry into his office at the dot of 2pm, everyday. Traveling from his residence in Juhu to his office in Bandra, the octogenarian quickly sorts out his agenda for the day with his faithful lieutenant of several decades, Anand. Not surprisingly, Anand talks like his boss, using the same pauses and expressions that won Dev Anand millions of fans in the mid 20th century.
Eying a beautiful antique table clock amidst all that clutter, I picked it up for a closer scrutiny. From over my shoulder, Dev Saab’s voice drifted, “I got this as a gift from a fan in Czechoslovakia. I then went and shot my film there. This clock has been used in the film.” I asked for it as a memento and Dev saab added, “I do not give away anything that has been gifted to me. Apart from my furniture and furnishings, my entire office is a collection of gifts given by some fan or the other. And they help me to make my movies. Where do you think the money comes for making my films? Do you know I receive bouquets daily. They add colour to my surroundings. ”
Talking of colour, I remember meeting him in Panchgani for lunch. He always stays at this particular colonial style hotel which has beautiful cottages facing the hills of Mahabaleshwar. And trimming the grounds were some bright red flowers. Co-incidentally I was wearing a red cardigan to ward off the afternoon chill alongwith Dev saab, whose favouirite colour is red.
As we walked along the garden path, Dev saab stopped to take in the vista. “The palette of colours in Panchgani revive and rejuvenate me. Just see the bright splashes of red against the brown hills, amidst all the greenery around me. I had come here to shoot a song sequence with a leading heroine of my time. Since I was more engrossed with the beauty around me, I failed to compliment the beauty romancing with me. The actress, lets not get into what is her name, was very disappointed in me. And people think that I am a truly romantic hero. I wish people knew me...”, revealed the evergreen actor.
There are so many incidents that reveal the various facets of Dev Anand.. Today on his 85th birthday, we stick to his love for films and colour, because that is truly the essence of a man, who is vibrant.