Dev Anand, one of India's living legends, was an interesting and unlikely member of the 125-member Indian Merchants Chamber business delegation that was in Canada from June 14 to 19.
His autobiography Romancing with Life was released in Toronto on June 16, at a dinner where Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay was the chief guest. In Vancouver, British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell released the book on June 18.
Speaking to India Abroad in his hotel suite in downtown Toronto, Hindi filmdom's evergreen star handled questions -- on topics ranging from sex to his long innings in films -- with characteristic aplomb.
How come you are here with a business delegation?
I am invited by the delegation. Gul Kripalani [vice president, IMC] is a friend of mine. He said, 'Come along with the delegation.' I said, 'I have nothing to buy and nothing to sell.' His suggestion was that this could be an opportunity for me to release my autobiography in Toronto and in Vancouver, two stops on the delegation's itinerary.
Romancing with Life, my autobiography, was released on my birthday, September 26, last year by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
Since then, I have been travelling all over the country releasing and promoting this book. I have also travelled to the United Kingdom and many, many parts of the United States. All 40,000 copies of the book, published by Penguin, have been sold out. Canada was left out. So, there was a temptation to come here.>
I was here in the 1990s for the Miss India-Canada Beauty Pageant when Ruby Bhatia was crowned Miss India-Canada. And after that I came again for my golden jubilee celebrations when I was in Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria. I carry some beautiful memories of those moments. I said to myself, this book has to be released in this country. So, I am here.
The book is a history of my 53 years career in the film industry. It is wholly written by me. It is my language, my screenplay -- everything is mine. Canada is also emotionally mentioned in the book.
I am not trying to tell anything in this book. I am only telling about myself. It is an honest autobiography. It is Dev Anand. So, it is called Romancing with Life. That's the main purpose. I am not concerned with the millions and billions that business people talk of. This was an opportunity to meet some friends and make some more friends, renew my contacts and go back to India.
Text: Ajit Jain | Photographs: Uday Kuckian
Also Read: Pic: Birthday boys Manmohan Singh & Dev Anand
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