I narrated the story of Awwal Number to him with a special emphasis on the role I wanted him to ply. But he seemed a little nervous at the idea of facing the camera for a professional acting assignment.
'It'd be fun holding the premier of the film in Pakistan, with you as its star,' I tried to enthuse him. He listened with interest s I spoke. 'You are already very big all over world. The film will further enhance your status, in India as well. I assure you, you'd be in the same league in the movie as Amitabh Bachchan in our country,' I aid with total conviction.
'But General Zia-ul-Haq wants me to join his cabinet as a cultural minister,' he countered.
'That's great! You can do both. Be a cultural minister, as well as a star,' I tried to convince him.
He was still in two minds, and kept harping on his political ambition.
'Let me leave the script with you. Go through it. If it succeeds in making up your mind, let me know,' I said.
He agreed.
I concluded by saying, 'I shall feel honoured having cast Imran Khan in a movie that my country would love to see.'
'But Mr Dev Anand...'
I cut him short, saying, 'And if you still persist in not wanting to be a film star, I shall delightfully accept your 'No', yet be happy at the thought that at least I succeeded in approaching the man I desired so much for the key role in my film.'
I thanked him for the time and hospitality he had given me, and left.
Next evening I received a packet at the Portman Hotel, with my script wrapped inside, and a note that said 'No' to my proposition.
The role I had approached Imran for went to Aditya Pancholi, who did a very good job of it.
Awwal Number was to find some resonance years later in the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan, which Aamir produced. Aamir was new and fresh when he did Awwal Number, and he was cast opposite another newcomer called Aarti, whom I had renamed Ekta.
Ekta got married to the handsome actor Mohnish Behl, who was the famous actress Nutan's son. He also did a film with me, directed by my brother Goldie. When I met him on the sets for the first time, as a co-star in the same film, I looked at his eyes and Nigahen mastana, the very melodious song I had sung with his mother in Paying Gust on a moonlit night on the sets of a lonely terrace of a house, came to my mind. The audience had swooned over both of us, as I had on Nutan!
In the picture: Dev Anand attends the wedding of Dilip Kumar's sister.
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