Dev Anand Birth Anniversary 2023: Saira Banu recalls Shankar Mukerji’s ‘Pyaar Mohabbat Saab’ on his centenary

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Dev Anand was a prolific actor who was loved by the masses. The star sparkled in a career that began before Independence and lasted into the second decade of the 21st century. He is well known for films like 'Guide', 'Jewel Thief', 'Johny Mera Naam' and Hare Rama Hare Krishan'.

On his centenary, Saira Banu Khan took to social media to sing his praise and celebrate him. Saira Banu while posting multiple memories with Dev Saab wrote, "Happy 100th Birthday!

In the 1955 film "C.I.D" Dev Saab wanted to cast my mother Naseemji but at that time Sultan bhai and I were schooling in London and she had to be there with us, so she declined. Shakilaji did the same role. A similar thing happened in the 1958 film "KAALA PAANI" where Naseemji's role was then played by Nalini Jaywant. Sahib had described her as the "Greatest Actress" he ever worked with."

Later she continued and wrote, "We the family knew Dev Saab as an effervescent and friendly guy who loved all of us, be it Sahib, Naseemji, and myself. His favourite punch line was "Hey"! We must meet" but that happened infrequently.

For Shankar Mukerji's "PYAAR MOHABBAT" Saab and I were filming on a huge ship from Bombay to Aden, shooting on board songs, romantic and comedy scenes with a houseful of foreigner Tourist laden Europeans. The journey was for a couple of days and we were to finish our work in that time. Now, would you believe it, he was so withdrawn of this crowd of foreigners that on the first day he wanted to get accustomed to the idea of them being out there.

He was a shy, withdrawn person Dev Saab, he felt he had to get used to the faces of the crowd before starting the work. "Shankar I have to relax and get used to the faces of these foreigners!"

The next day Shankarji and I ventured into his cabin and talked to him. I said, look you have to pick me up and throw me into the swimming pool and times running out soon, the ship will land at Aden in a days time and we must pack up! I got him out and it was smooth sailing since then."

The actress further talked about Dev Anand forwarding roles to her. She said, "Fortunately, Dev Saab would always forward a role to me in his film, one good example was "GUIDE" for which Ted Danielwski came to my mother's Nepean Sea Road House at ‘Sea Belle' to ask me for the film. At that time I was to do Mehboob Khan's ‘HABBA KHATOON" , the story of the Kashmiri poetess and the role of Yusuf Chak, the Kashmiri prince was to be played by Sahib. This was my priority and so I had to decline "GUIDE". I am happy about this because I feel I would have been too young to do this role. Similarly I could not do "TEEN DEVIYAAN" or "JEWEL THIEF."

The actress with the last line left her fans excited as she shared, "Now, there's another funny incident with Dev Saab, I will write about it tomorrow."