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Romancing with Life
In "Romancing with Life", the first-ever full-fledged memoir by a leading Bollywood star, Dev Anand tells his remarkable life story like only he can. Here are tales from Dev's youth in 1930s Gurdaspur and Lahore; his years of struggle in 1940s Bombay; his friendship with Guru Dutt and his doomed romance with Suraiya; his marriage to co-star Kalpana Kartik; his relationships with his brothers Chetan and Vijay Anand, with S.D. and R.D. Burman, with his compatriots Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor; to both of whom he was very close, and with his heroines from Geeta Bali, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Nutan, Vyjayanthimala, Mumtaz and Hema Malini to Waheeda Rehman, Zeenat Aman and Tina Munim, all of whom he launched. Dev Anand has produced an unputdownable book chock-full of bittersweet reminiscences, written in a pacy, effervescent style that carries the reader through sixty of Bollywood's most interesting years. With rare pictures from his personal archive, "Romancing with Life" is the quintessential Dev Anand.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
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586 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 10, 2020
Dev Anand narrates an honest tale of his life, which revolves around his family, friends, fans, movies, a film production house, foreign travels, award functions, love affairs, and romantic encounters. Read the complete review here https://wp.me/p6rxcY-i.
July 21, 2008
Love or hate this book by Dev Anand but if there's one thing going for it, it is the fact that, unlike most autobiographies that are ghost-written, this one is, without a shred of doubt, penned by the man himself.
How else do you explain the fact that the book has the exact trajectory for his career-- from delightful to delusional?
The fun part of this book is that it doesn't necessarily require you to read it in sequence. I for one, was quickly drawn to pages in the middle where he talks about how he fell in love his protegee Zeenat Aman and was jealous when Raj Kapoor 'made advances' and took her on for Satyam Shivam Sundaram. He says, "A hint of suspicion crossed my mind. A couple of days earlier, a rumour had been floating around that Zeenat had gone to Raj's studio for a screen test for the main role in his movie. The hearsay now started ringing true. My heart was bleeding."
Another part that I noticed while I was browsing it and stayed to read, was the phone call that the actor made to writer R K Narayan, requesting the rights to make The Guide, which eventually ofcourse, turned out to be one of the highlights in the actor's career.
Clearly, the first 200 pages or so of this book are extremely readable and abound in many interesting anecdotes. From his intense love story with Suraiya to his enchanting bicycle rides with Guru Dutt in the serene lanes of Pune (then Poona), from his guilt at driving rashily and hurting co-star Geeta Bali to his child-like excitement at creating avant garde cinema with his charismatic elder brother, Chetan Anand....all of it points towards a man deeply romantic, eternally optimistic, with an insatiable desire to be loved and lusted after.
In many ways, Dev Anand's nervous energy and creative longing to break free from established cinematic norms perfectly reflected the zeitgeist of the 50s and 60s, a period that was looking pregnant with possibilities.
That he had an exaggerated sense of himself and his works even at the height of his stardom is quite obvious. But to give him his due, his passion for cinema mixed a perilous streak for taking risks is what gave him an edge as an actor and producer. Additionally, Dev Anand was blessed to have two phenomenally talented filmmakers as his brothers.
...readers can read the rest on my blog, www.sandyi.blogspot.com
How else do you explain the fact that the book has the exact trajectory for his career-- from delightful to delusional?
The fun part of this book is that it doesn't necessarily require you to read it in sequence. I for one, was quickly drawn to pages in the middle where he talks about how he fell in love his protegee Zeenat Aman and was jealous when Raj Kapoor 'made advances' and took her on for Satyam Shivam Sundaram. He says, "A hint of suspicion crossed my mind. A couple of days earlier, a rumour had been floating around that Zeenat had gone to Raj's studio for a screen test for the main role in his movie. The hearsay now started ringing true. My heart was bleeding."
Another part that I noticed while I was browsing it and stayed to read, was the phone call that the actor made to writer R K Narayan, requesting the rights to make The Guide, which eventually ofcourse, turned out to be one of the highlights in the actor's career.
Clearly, the first 200 pages or so of this book are extremely readable and abound in many interesting anecdotes. From his intense love story with Suraiya to his enchanting bicycle rides with Guru Dutt in the serene lanes of Pune (then Poona), from his guilt at driving rashily and hurting co-star Geeta Bali to his child-like excitement at creating avant garde cinema with his charismatic elder brother, Chetan Anand....all of it points towards a man deeply romantic, eternally optimistic, with an insatiable desire to be loved and lusted after.
In many ways, Dev Anand's nervous energy and creative longing to break free from established cinematic norms perfectly reflected the zeitgeist of the 50s and 60s, a period that was looking pregnant with possibilities.
That he had an exaggerated sense of himself and his works even at the height of his stardom is quite obvious. But to give him his due, his passion for cinema mixed a perilous streak for taking risks is what gave him an edge as an actor and producer. Additionally, Dev Anand was blessed to have two phenomenally talented filmmakers as his brothers.
...readers can read the rest on my blog, www.sandyi.blogspot.com
January 31, 2019
My review might be a bit biased as I grew up loving the man, his skewed movies, and his mannerism. But nothing can take away from the fact that the man 'Dev saab' was effervescence personified. He was obviously so full of life. It would a blessing to live a life the way he did. A big life and a long and fruitful one. His joy for life was indeed infectious.
Yes, the man had his faults. But then, who doesn't. Okay, enough of the man. The book was honest. It was entertaining. But when he switches between illusion and reality, it becomes a bit tedious. A straightforward narrative would have been more enjoyable.
Still, I cannot help but give the man and the book a 5-star rating. Unlike other books that I review, I know that Dev saab will not be reading my review. Wish he could and respond to me.
Yes, the man had his faults. But then, who doesn't. Okay, enough of the man. The book was honest. It was entertaining. But when he switches between illusion and reality, it becomes a bit tedious. A straightforward narrative would have been more enjoyable.
Still, I cannot help but give the man and the book a 5-star rating. Unlike other books that I review, I know that Dev saab will not be reading my review. Wish he could and respond to me.
September 21, 2013
Having been brought up amidst the 70s Hindi film music and many gossipy insights from my father on the lives of the 60s and 70s Hindi film actors, I've looked forward to reading their biographies to know the real humans. Over the 3-day stay at the lovely Walterre, that included many well-stocked reading shelves, I breezed through this autobiography.
I read the first few chapters with some focus to know about Dev Anand's upbringing and then only those paras from chapters that appeared intriguing to me. I'd always wondered about his relationship with his wife so looked for those descriptions with more interest. I needed to know if he remained loyal to his wife or had affairs with his muses--some of them would have been the age of his granddaughter.
He's been honest about the women in his life. He mentions his first sexual encounter with candidness--with an unknown woman on a train journey--and goes into old school English in its description. Elsewhere, the language is contemporary and readable. His wife's screen name was Kalpana Kartik but she met him as Mona--a carefree and spoilt sister of 5 brothers and a Christian. She is talkative and boisterous, wants to be acknowledged for any value she brings to a movie or as his partner. He likes her. But then he easily falls for beautiful women. For a long time, he remains very shy as a person but he's aware of the effect his good looks have on women and he flirts all the time--in his own reserved manner. Mona and he enjoy spending time together but she had to still corner him into a proposal and marriage. He's already had some box office successes by then--2 with her. Before and after he meets her, he's desperate to be with and marry Suraiya but is prevented by her relatives to be with her. She's more famous than him but she's also child-like and accedes to his charm. In years ahead he finds himself falling for his find Zeenat Aman but figures about Raj Kapoor's crush on her, and a possible sexual connection between the two so leaves them to it. Shows him to be a romantic guy and not just a corrupt director. He talks about some other heroines with respect, not implying affairs. His relationship with his wife after the birth of his 2 children is unclear. He mentions her 2 major outbursts and later alludes to her vague ways of staying inside her room with her beautician or Church group. His son Suniel studies management in a foreign university but surprises him by wanting to be an actor. He makes a movie starring him and the son that doesn't do well. Don't know what happens of Suniel after that. The daughter Devina is a produce of boarding schools and marries early. She has a baby girl but ends her marriage early too. Dev Anand mentions his granddaughter with fondness.
In the early years, he goes over his years in Gurdaspur, living in the shadow of his erudite father, doting mother and 8 siblings. Talks about the time he loses his Mom to TB but feels her blessings with him. He likes a pretty girl in his English grad course but never sums up courage to go beyond a hello. He wants to study abroad like his brother Chetan but learns of the father's dwindling financial situation so feels forced to leave for Bombay to become an actor. Struggles for many years in the beginning, lives off some people, including Chetan Anand when he also gets to Bombay after quitting his teaching job in Doon school. The really good innings come with his younger brother Vijay Anand joining him and writing for his movies.
All along, Dev Anand is a polite gentleman. He looks up to Ashok Kumar,Guru Dutt and establishes good relations with the Nepal royal family and many politicians through his polite demeanour and charming ways. He relates his interaction with Pt Nehru with much pride but repeats the general impression of Indira Gandhi being a 'dumb doll.' Later, he was brave enough to speak and act against the Emergency and devotes some energies to supporting BJP. Despite many years of early struggle, he earns and lives well as his movies start doing well.
He always looked for inspiring stories that he could show as movies. Goes over how Guide happened in English and Hindi, and incidents behind major milestones in his movie making or any preliminary groundwork. All the flops of the last decade were based on some strong ideas and always a pretty, 'fresh' face. I feel that Vijay Anand's partnership in his directorial ventures was a balancing factor for him. After his younger brother's death, he keeps working and making movies but sort of loses touch with the audience and reality. But he remains a romantic guy, looking for love and showing love in his movies all his life, almost as if his life depended on it.
I read the first few chapters with some focus to know about Dev Anand's upbringing and then only those paras from chapters that appeared intriguing to me. I'd always wondered about his relationship with his wife so looked for those descriptions with more interest. I needed to know if he remained loyal to his wife or had affairs with his muses--some of them would have been the age of his granddaughter.
He's been honest about the women in his life. He mentions his first sexual encounter with candidness--with an unknown woman on a train journey--and goes into old school English in its description. Elsewhere, the language is contemporary and readable. His wife's screen name was Kalpana Kartik but she met him as Mona--a carefree and spoilt sister of 5 brothers and a Christian. She is talkative and boisterous, wants to be acknowledged for any value she brings to a movie or as his partner. He likes her. But then he easily falls for beautiful women. For a long time, he remains very shy as a person but he's aware of the effect his good looks have on women and he flirts all the time--in his own reserved manner. Mona and he enjoy spending time together but she had to still corner him into a proposal and marriage. He's already had some box office successes by then--2 with her. Before and after he meets her, he's desperate to be with and marry Suraiya but is prevented by her relatives to be with her. She's more famous than him but she's also child-like and accedes to his charm. In years ahead he finds himself falling for his find Zeenat Aman but figures about Raj Kapoor's crush on her, and a possible sexual connection between the two so leaves them to it. Shows him to be a romantic guy and not just a corrupt director. He talks about some other heroines with respect, not implying affairs. His relationship with his wife after the birth of his 2 children is unclear. He mentions her 2 major outbursts and later alludes to her vague ways of staying inside her room with her beautician or Church group. His son Suniel studies management in a foreign university but surprises him by wanting to be an actor. He makes a movie starring him and the son that doesn't do well. Don't know what happens of Suniel after that. The daughter Devina is a produce of boarding schools and marries early. She has a baby girl but ends her marriage early too. Dev Anand mentions his granddaughter with fondness.
In the early years, he goes over his years in Gurdaspur, living in the shadow of his erudite father, doting mother and 8 siblings. Talks about the time he loses his Mom to TB but feels her blessings with him. He likes a pretty girl in his English grad course but never sums up courage to go beyond a hello. He wants to study abroad like his brother Chetan but learns of the father's dwindling financial situation so feels forced to leave for Bombay to become an actor. Struggles for many years in the beginning, lives off some people, including Chetan Anand when he also gets to Bombay after quitting his teaching job in Doon school. The really good innings come with his younger brother Vijay Anand joining him and writing for his movies.
All along, Dev Anand is a polite gentleman. He looks up to Ashok Kumar,Guru Dutt and establishes good relations with the Nepal royal family and many politicians through his polite demeanour and charming ways. He relates his interaction with Pt Nehru with much pride but repeats the general impression of Indira Gandhi being a 'dumb doll.' Later, he was brave enough to speak and act against the Emergency and devotes some energies to supporting BJP. Despite many years of early struggle, he earns and lives well as his movies start doing well.
He always looked for inspiring stories that he could show as movies. Goes over how Guide happened in English and Hindi, and incidents behind major milestones in his movie making or any preliminary groundwork. All the flops of the last decade were based on some strong ideas and always a pretty, 'fresh' face. I feel that Vijay Anand's partnership in his directorial ventures was a balancing factor for him. After his younger brother's death, he keeps working and making movies but sort of loses touch with the audience and reality. But he remains a romantic guy, looking for love and showing love in his movies all his life, almost as if his life depended on it.
March 15, 2017
Quite an interesting read. The initial chapters are nice. It gives you a lot of insight to the legend's initial career days. The memoir also gives an account of his declining career phase during the later part of his life. However, one cannot take away the fact that DEV ANAND is and will always be remembered for the passion he had towards making movies. He lived and breathed movies and he dedicated his life to the last breath to movies. Go for it.
August 5, 2016
A dear friend presented me with "Romancing with life" for my last b'day, and I started reading every page with sheer excitement (since I am a die-hard Dev Anand fan). The book is well-written and details out some interesting anecdotes (such as, his encounter with Guru Dutt and how their friendship blossomed, his relationship with King Mahendra of Nepal and so on). These anecdotes in the first two hundred pages will grip your mind because they are real and delightful. However, the second-half of the book will bore you to death; Mr. Anand deviates from shades of reality to layers of illusion he cultivates. Regardless, he sincerely talks about his highs and lows, thanks to his crisp and cogent inner thoughts. Personally, I admire him for following his passion relentlessly: "I kept on giving my life company, and blew ever weary thought away like smoke-rings" (Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya, Har fiqr ko dhuye mein udaata chala gaya). If you love Dev Anand, you should definitely read Romancing with life. If you don't, you might want to invest few hours getting to know his extra-ordinary mind.
May 5, 2021
Romancing with Life, an Autobiography by Dev Anand
This was one of my buys at Delhi International Airport on my recent visit to India. My flight was delayed by a couple of hours so I spent several hours walking and browsing the few bookstores at the airport. I picked up this book and returned it to its shelf several times until I felt sorry for the store owner and bought it. I don’t know whether to rate the book 3/5 or 4/5. It is definitely a book written by the man himself. He is of course full of himself and is unabashedly honest about it. What I truly enjoyed was the history as it plays out. He came to Bombay before independence from Gurdasapur near Lahore. You see historical events unfold in his story telling. That part I truly enjoyed to see history unfold as observed and experienced by a person as opposed to written by a historian. His career spanned over six decades in which he acted, directed or produced 111 films. You have to give it to the man - his zest for life and his roaming eye for beauty in nature and people.
This was one of my buys at Delhi International Airport on my recent visit to India. My flight was delayed by a couple of hours so I spent several hours walking and browsing the few bookstores at the airport. I picked up this book and returned it to its shelf several times until I felt sorry for the store owner and bought it. I don’t know whether to rate the book 3/5 or 4/5. It is definitely a book written by the man himself. He is of course full of himself and is unabashedly honest about it. What I truly enjoyed was the history as it plays out. He came to Bombay before independence from Gurdasapur near Lahore. You see historical events unfold in his story telling. That part I truly enjoyed to see history unfold as observed and experienced by a person as opposed to written by a historian. His career spanned over six decades in which he acted, directed or produced 111 films. You have to give it to the man - his zest for life and his roaming eye for beauty in nature and people.
March 2, 2025
Dev Anand and his lessons on self love and affirmation. The power of manifestation of thoughts. Dev Anand revels alot in self praise and in creating an image of a Playboy whom every woman he met admired and longed for. The text is easy to read ornamented by Dev Saab's colonial era english and has the charm of his personality. The man loved life, the world, the success it has bestowed upon him, the people who loved him crazy and above all, himself.
It does get dreadful at times especially when he narrates that how every woman in the world was hot for him but except this, you get to understand alot about the man who ruled the hearts of masses for a long time. There's not a lot of inside stories with his contemporaries which I was looking forward to and utter lack of acceptance that most of the movies directed by him were barely watchable, an exercise in vanity to say the most. The way he cast his actors shows Dev Saab's outdated understanding of cinema. But one thing that everyone can learn from the man is that whatever endeavour he took up in his life he did so with childlike gusto and divine passion.
It does get dreadful at times especially when he narrates that how every woman in the world was hot for him but except this, you get to understand alot about the man who ruled the hearts of masses for a long time. There's not a lot of inside stories with his contemporaries which I was looking forward to and utter lack of acceptance that most of the movies directed by him were barely watchable, an exercise in vanity to say the most. The way he cast his actors shows Dev Saab's outdated understanding of cinema. But one thing that everyone can learn from the man is that whatever endeavour he took up in his life he did so with childlike gusto and divine passion.
April 13, 2018
We all know of Dev Anand as the Evergreen Hero who romances women two generations younger, on screen.
But what comes as a pleasant surprise is his command over English and his abiity to write.
Of the many celebrity biographies I have read this is the best because it is written with honesty and flair. (Prem Chopra's beautiful bio written by his daughter reluctantly must go to second best)
This book does exactly what you expect of an autobiography: A look inside the celebrity.
As you look inside, you realise that the core of Dev Anand is action. Like a river in flow, a life in action washes away the dirt.
But what comes as a pleasant surprise is his command over English and his abiity to write.
Of the many celebrity biographies I have read this is the best because it is written with honesty and flair. (Prem Chopra's beautiful bio written by his daughter reluctantly must go to second best)
This book does exactly what you expect of an autobiography: A look inside the celebrity.
As you look inside, you realise that the core of Dev Anand is action. Like a river in flow, a life in action washes away the dirt.
May 22, 2018
An awe inspiring saga of a marvelous, learned genius with exuberant positivity and passion for the celluloid. I was simply floored by the truthfulness and eccentricity of this great thespian who inspires us to change our thought process with time. A must read for every Bollywood fan.
January 1, 2024
The initial chapter, or up until the 1960s, was quite fascinating. The entire world was flirting with in his worldview but it was still believable for the charm and looks he had at his prime, and I really enjoyed those banters too. The early influences, his experiences, his friendships, the fun times he had during filming etc were quite fun to know. But the book starts to go reaally downhill after he starts to age and sounds more and more delusional. The god complex was both funny and a little sad but the flirting didn't seem cute anymore - especially how he harps on younger women.
Hope we can all just pretend he retired in 1972 and then just went to live a secluded life.
Hope we can all just pretend he retired in 1972 and then just went to live a secluded life.
November 26, 2012
Dev Anand , one of my hot favorites, had a phenomenal impact on Indian cinema and Indian audience ..And I wish it were the same for his autobiography, but it does not. It is interesting in the beginning , but after 50% of the book gets over, it gets increasingly repetitive.
He just goes on about how he went abroad for some shooting..and then finds this beautiful girl and then starts planning a film with her. It really gets on your nerves.
If one is very keen...pleas read till he discovers Zeenat Aman. But not beyond that....
He just goes on about how he went abroad for some shooting..and then finds this beautiful girl and then starts planning a film with her. It really gets on your nerves.
If one is very keen...pleas read till he discovers Zeenat Aman. But not beyond that....
July 30, 2012
AWESOME...Something i was looking for all along and finally found it...Looking forward to similar works...Couldn't take my eyes off this masterpiece. MUST read...
June 13, 2014
A very lucid reading !
February 20, 2023
Like most people I know, I like fifties and early sixties Dev Anand. I'd be really hard pressed to find anyone who liked anything from Navketan & Dev Anand thereafter. Straight off the bat, I don't like the cover and the title. They really should have used a fifties Dev Anand for the cover. He produced his best cinema then, and the early part of the book is about that. The latter half of the book is mostly him blowing his own trumpet and rambling about this and that. To be fair, when one picks up an autobiography it is only to be expected which is why "unauthorized" biographies work better, but the second half was really boring. The book-title lacks imagination. Dev Anand was a "romantic hero", yes, but still - too predictable!
He talks about "spicing it up" in the preface and he spices it up alright it doesn't make for good reading either - so here's another one that the bad sex award committee missed that year but you really don't know now which of these things actually happened and what bits are being made up for effect.
There is virtually nothing in the book about the business aspect. Just how did he fund those duds? Tireless film-maker he may be, but the man churned out an astounding number of flops one after the other in the eighties, nineties and noughties! There are a series of tiresome chapters in the middle about how he found his "leading ladies" and gave them their big break - abroad mostly - but you've never seen them in another movie since??!! Sometimes you get the impression that Dev Anand wanted to be a traveler more than anything and film making was just an excuse for him to spend time on the road and meet more nubile twenty somethings.Maybe it's just me, but these are names I have never heard - neither the actors nor the movies! No, Seriously!
One of the reasons I picked up the book is because some reviews mentioned that the book is well written. Far from it. He writes like he speaks - with not a little pomposity. I think this is because - like most people from the pre-Independence era he holds things British in awe and this is evident when he prides himself in the use of the language or makes such a great deal about it - but what he's really doing is mixing metaphors or is unintentionally funny - like when he is translating Hindi idioms into English. But then again he is a film-maker and not a writer which kind of explains the way he writes - it's - i dunno - "visual" if you will and for want of a better word like that but sometimes the writing gets bizarre and surreal like in the chapter when he is recovering post hernia surgery. He makes such a big deal about that too. Like he goes to great lengths to keep things hush hush. No one should know he is being operated upon. Like why would anyone care? It's hernia dude. Not life threatening ... Very odd!
So, only the first third of the book documenting the fifties and early sixties held any interest for me and it was all downhill from there.
On the plus side, Dev Anand had a long, long life. It must not have been an easy task deciding what to pick and what to leave out. Like, for example, there is a chapter about his son Suneil failing at the movies but he does not mention why his daughter didn't take to Bollywood, but he does talk about her divorce? Also, early on in the bio, I would have liked him to dwell a little on why he wanted to become an actor than just have him say that a couple of girls in the neighborhood found him handsome.
It's not a very big book though for a life that long and it's nicely divided into short chapters. It could have used a lil more by way of editing, proof-reading, vetting or better - ahem - "post production". But he never bothered doing that with his movies cause by the time he'd finish filming one, he'd have found his next muse already. Fat chance, then!
Again, coming from the pre-independence era, he talks about the partition and independence with emotion and is quite the nationalist, works in a bit of politics into the writing - but not a lot - i liked those asides. A bit of history to punctuate all that time. Not to mention the romance of utopia and idealism, that all but had him launch a political party too, but that didn't see fruition, given that none of this was clearly thought through. Not that one was expecting a blueprint or manifesto for some full-fledged economic theory, a la Ayn Rand. It's not like anybody else has that kind of panacea either, but just saying.
All in all, a pretty honest account nonetheless but somehow not as entertaining as I thought it might be. That said, you take what you get. There's not another book nearly good enough about Dev Anand in the market the last time I looked.
I bought a paperback from Amazon and didn't get a DVD, so the review is only for the book.
He talks about "spicing it up" in the preface and he spices it up alright it doesn't make for good reading either - so here's another one that the bad sex award committee missed that year but you really don't know now which of these things actually happened and what bits are being made up for effect.
There is virtually nothing in the book about the business aspect. Just how did he fund those duds? Tireless film-maker he may be, but the man churned out an astounding number of flops one after the other in the eighties, nineties and noughties! There are a series of tiresome chapters in the middle about how he found his "leading ladies" and gave them their big break - abroad mostly - but you've never seen them in another movie since??!! Sometimes you get the impression that Dev Anand wanted to be a traveler more than anything and film making was just an excuse for him to spend time on the road and meet more nubile twenty somethings.Maybe it's just me, but these are names I have never heard - neither the actors nor the movies! No, Seriously!
One of the reasons I picked up the book is because some reviews mentioned that the book is well written. Far from it. He writes like he speaks - with not a little pomposity. I think this is because - like most people from the pre-Independence era he holds things British in awe and this is evident when he prides himself in the use of the language or makes such a great deal about it - but what he's really doing is mixing metaphors or is unintentionally funny - like when he is translating Hindi idioms into English. But then again he is a film-maker and not a writer which kind of explains the way he writes - it's - i dunno - "visual" if you will and for want of a better word like that but sometimes the writing gets bizarre and surreal like in the chapter when he is recovering post hernia surgery. He makes such a big deal about that too. Like he goes to great lengths to keep things hush hush. No one should know he is being operated upon. Like why would anyone care? It's hernia dude. Not life threatening ... Very odd!
So, only the first third of the book documenting the fifties and early sixties held any interest for me and it was all downhill from there.
On the plus side, Dev Anand had a long, long life. It must not have been an easy task deciding what to pick and what to leave out. Like, for example, there is a chapter about his son Suneil failing at the movies but he does not mention why his daughter didn't take to Bollywood, but he does talk about her divorce? Also, early on in the bio, I would have liked him to dwell a little on why he wanted to become an actor than just have him say that a couple of girls in the neighborhood found him handsome.
It's not a very big book though for a life that long and it's nicely divided into short chapters. It could have used a lil more by way of editing, proof-reading, vetting or better - ahem - "post production". But he never bothered doing that with his movies cause by the time he'd finish filming one, he'd have found his next muse already. Fat chance, then!
Again, coming from the pre-independence era, he talks about the partition and independence with emotion and is quite the nationalist, works in a bit of politics into the writing - but not a lot - i liked those asides. A bit of history to punctuate all that time. Not to mention the romance of utopia and idealism, that all but had him launch a political party too, but that didn't see fruition, given that none of this was clearly thought through. Not that one was expecting a blueprint or manifesto for some full-fledged economic theory, a la Ayn Rand. It's not like anybody else has that kind of panacea either, but just saying.
All in all, a pretty honest account nonetheless but somehow not as entertaining as I thought it might be. That said, you take what you get. There's not another book nearly good enough about Dev Anand in the market the last time I looked.
I bought a paperback from Amazon and didn't get a DVD, so the review is only for the book.
September 9, 2017
Romancing with Life, Dev Anand's autobiography was an impulse purchase at Delhi airport with an eye on a light read during an upcoming vacation. A firm belief in the venerable Vinod Mehta's quip 'Politicians and filmstars make the most boring people to interview (read)', makes me a bit wary of books on celebrities, particularly filmstars. But Romancing with Life came as a surprise. Dev Anand's growing up years in Gurdaspur along with his siblings including Goldie and Chetan Anand, education at the elite Lahore University and a Bachelor's degree in English Literature which gave him a remarkable flair for the language, helping his urbane and cosmopolitan image makes for the most interesting part of the book. The highlight of his initial days in Bombay is his job as a censor for letters penned by Indian soldiers, wherein one gets the first flashes of his unbridled charm as a ladies man. Once he embarks on his career, the book follows a linear narrative about his filmography, direction and anecdotes around them. Dev Anand stands out among the reigning stars of the era as a well read, well travelled man; his political activism as an opponent of Emergency and someone whose interactions and associations included the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Gregory Peck, the royal families of Nepal, Burma, Assam etc. On the flip side, the book is an extension of Dev Anand the star, so while his leading ladies like Zeenat Aman, Tina Munim, Reecha Sharma etc. get dedicated chapters and more, the likes of Amir Khan, Aditya Pancholi and Jackie Shroff who acted in his directorial ventures have to be content with a few lines. The fact that his latter day movies were either inspired by newspaper headlines or a spur of the moment idea without enough thought going into them, explain their repeated failures at the box office. So while one may fault him for his penchant for quick decisions/ideas, it was precisely these quick witted traits and mannerism which accounted for his success. One sees a man who lived in the fast lane, literally, breaking bones frequently thanks to his proclivity to walk fast. As Raju the Guide says, 'Na Sukh, na Dukh, sirf main hi mai hoon', well these could well sumarise Romancing with life and the phenomenon called Dev Anand!!
July 2, 2024
Romancing with Life (Hardcover) by Dev Anand- Before I started reading "Romancing with Life", the memoir of Bollywood star Devanand, I read the books (1) Truth, love and little malice by Khushwant Singh, (2) Balraj Sahani, an autobiography by Balraj Sahani, (3) Balraj Mera Bhai, by Bhisham Sahani, (4) Dilip Kumar, the substance and the shadow by Dilip Kumar (5) Apne aur paraye by K L Gauba and other contemporary books. This reading gave me an idea of life in pre-independence Gurdaspur, Lahore, Amritsar, Karachi, Jalandhar and other parts of Western India. Author narrates his days as a youth in India of 1930s in the cities of Gurdaspur and Lahore where he and his brothers entered school and college. College fees in Lahore was high. His father was a practicing lawyer. He was not able to pay fees and hostel fees for three Brothers. So, the author moved to Bombay in 1940 with his elder brother Chetan Anand. His friendship with Guru Dutt, his doomed romance with the beautiful actress Suraiya; his marriage to his co-star Kalpana Kartik; his relationships with his brothers Chetan and Vijay Anand, his friendship with S.D. Burman and R.D. Burman, with his compatriots Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor; to both of whom he was very close, and with his heroines from Geeta Bali, Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Nutan, Vyjayanthimala Bali, Mumtaz and Hema Malini to Waheeda Rehman, Zeenat Aman and Tina Munim, most of whom he has launched on the silver screen. The book is illustrated with rare pictures from his personal archive, which makes readers relate to his style of wok in various movies. Important events are making of movie Guide, his visit to Pakistan with Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee, his meeting with Indian and foreign leaders. The book is an honest tale which revolves around his loving family, supportive friends, adoring fans, own production house, showcasing inspiring movies. It is a classic book for film buffs and all others to read.
June 4, 2020
For me, the essence of the charismatic Dev Anand was embodied in his early songs like
Hai apna dil to awaaraa, na jaane kis pe aayegaa Solvan Saal,
Main zindagi ka saath nibhataa chalaa gaya Hum Dona,
Khawaab ho tum ya koi haqeekat Teen Deviyaan.
And later, in
Gaata rahe mera dil Guide,
Dil pukaare, aa re aa re Jewel Thief
Pal bhar ke liye koi hamen pyaar ka le Johny Mera Naam.
I did not much care for what he did after Tere Mere Sapney (inspired by The Citadel by A.J. Cronin).
This book can only be savoured by a die-hard fan of Dev Anand – and there are millions across the world still. I am one, hence the four star rating. I expected something like Guide but, disappointingly, found it to be something akin to the execrable Anand Aur Anand or Ishq Ishq Ishq. He need not have included such cringe-worthy bits like
The debonair, suave Dev Anand has starred in 111 films from 1946 to 2005, directed 15 films and introduced actors like Zeenat Man and Tina Munim. It is an honest book - not ghost-written - and reflects his narcissism and obsession for nubile females.
Hai apna dil to awaaraa, na jaane kis pe aayegaa Solvan Saal,
Main zindagi ka saath nibhataa chalaa gaya Hum Dona,
Khawaab ho tum ya koi haqeekat Teen Deviyaan.
And later, in
Gaata rahe mera dil Guide,
Dil pukaare, aa re aa re Jewel Thief
Pal bhar ke liye koi hamen pyaar ka le Johny Mera Naam.
I did not much care for what he did after Tere Mere Sapney (inspired by The Citadel by A.J. Cronin).
This book can only be savoured by a die-hard fan of Dev Anand – and there are millions across the world still. I am one, hence the four star rating. I expected something like Guide but, disappointingly, found it to be something akin to the execrable Anand Aur Anand or Ishq Ishq Ishq. He need not have included such cringe-worthy bits like
…outlining her as she hovered above me, the two pinnacles of her conquest, with a rosebud on each of the peaks, protruding in their arrogance, shining like giant marbles.Something suitable for the “Bad Sex Award.”
The debonair, suave Dev Anand has starred in 111 films from 1946 to 2005, directed 15 films and introduced actors like Zeenat Man and Tina Munim. It is an honest book - not ghost-written - and reflects his narcissism and obsession for nubile females.
June 2, 2023
I can dare say that it is sanitized however cannot agree that it measures up to be called an Autobiography. Whatever he has written is candid ( and often amorous and unnecessarily erotic) however one misses his personal life through the 400 odd pages. This can be safely considered as his solo travelog of his film journey and little bit here and there. We never get to know him well however as a Son, Husband,Father, Brother and a grandfather. The book is also heavily painted in hue of megalomania. I mean,in his senior citizenship years, every other page he professes a girl 1/4th his age walking up to him and offer him herself completely. Oh come on...He writes it as if the girl really fell for his old looks rather than the reality of appeasing a potential producer who could give her a first break in Bollywood.
Another thing remained unanswered is how did he manage to rake up finances for such a string of trash flop films.
That being said, the first half , rise to the stardom are the ones that are really fun to read. But again, I would allege him to have painted only his public persona and not an autobiographical one.
I guess in his heart he was always convinced of being Mr. Perfect and that reflects through the narrative.
Another thing remained unanswered is how did he manage to rake up finances for such a string of trash flop films.
That being said, the first half , rise to the stardom are the ones that are really fun to read. But again, I would allege him to have painted only his public persona and not an autobiographical one.
I guess in his heart he was always convinced of being Mr. Perfect and that reflects through the narrative.
July 19, 2023
What a book!
For the sheer energy which this person brought to his life and craft, it is worth a read.
Dev Anand covers the story of his life, just as it would, in a film, with its highs and lows, some moments of sheer ecstasy, followed by unspeakable depths of despair!
Of course, he is the central character, the hero of the book; but he gives importance to others too, making no bones about some, whom he despises and some, whom he adored, covering his feelings and opinions with clarity.
One is poignant when he, as a young 23 year old, simply leaves home by the Frontier mail, from Peshawar to Mumbai, covering the frontier effortlessly and ironically, goes back to his Alma mater, the Lahore Government College, as part of a diplomatic entourage with PM AB Vajpayee in 1999!
His Travels all around the world, from shooting in New York, on millennium eve, to Nepal, makes for an interesting read.
At times, he writes as a layman, sharing the same thrills and joy, one would feel if one sees one's posters on the road!!
Active till the last day, he was his own man and the biography reflects, as such.
The annotated photographs in between, also transition from black and white to colour, which brings relief to the eye in an otherwise, fast-paced story.
For the sheer energy which this person brought to his life and craft, it is worth a read.
Dev Anand covers the story of his life, just as it would, in a film, with its highs and lows, some moments of sheer ecstasy, followed by unspeakable depths of despair!
Of course, he is the central character, the hero of the book; but he gives importance to others too, making no bones about some, whom he despises and some, whom he adored, covering his feelings and opinions with clarity.
One is poignant when he, as a young 23 year old, simply leaves home by the Frontier mail, from Peshawar to Mumbai, covering the frontier effortlessly and ironically, goes back to his Alma mater, the Lahore Government College, as part of a diplomatic entourage with PM AB Vajpayee in 1999!
His Travels all around the world, from shooting in New York, on millennium eve, to Nepal, makes for an interesting read.
At times, he writes as a layman, sharing the same thrills and joy, one would feel if one sees one's posters on the road!!
Active till the last day, he was his own man and the biography reflects, as such.
The annotated photographs in between, also transition from black and white to colour, which brings relief to the eye in an otherwise, fast-paced story.
June 10, 2018
Dev Anand is one of my favorite actors.. As a kid 6-7 year old I had seen the movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It had moved me a lot. Till many years' later the question used to linger as to ' why couldn't Dev Anand save his younger sister from clutches of the Hippie culture', only to realize way later as a teenager, that it was fiction after all. That was the profound impact the movie had on me. The broken marriage between parents, beautifully portrays ego clash between individuals, is a sure shot learning curve for a 6-7 year old kid like me, life sessions taught too early :)
Much of my sensitivity came from watching these kind of movies as a 6-7 year old kid. I owe way too much to Dev Anand for the nature of movies he has made.
Reading his autobiography I was overwhelmed to understand what it was like his growing up years, years of struggle. The book has more details on the movies made, a bit on personal life, a bit on friends, overall very diplomatic and specific in few places.
Cheers,
Much of my sensitivity came from watching these kind of movies as a 6-7 year old kid. I owe way too much to Dev Anand for the nature of movies he has made.
Reading his autobiography I was overwhelmed to understand what it was like his growing up years, years of struggle. The book has more details on the movies made, a bit on personal life, a bit on friends, overall very diplomatic and specific in few places.
Cheers,
March 29, 2023
As a fan boy, I picked up this book to know more about Dev Anand, and it doesn't disappoint at all.
Personally I was most interested in his early years, the influences in his life that made him get into the Hindi Film Industry.
The early years also make for fascinating reading. On the disagreement in the 60s on his film Guide with the author RK Narayan, we naturally get to read Dev Anand's perspective here.
The latter part of the autobiography wasn't very interesting to me, since I stopped associating Dev Anand with great movies ...not the box office element, just the stories.
Definitely worth a read to understand the life of one of Mumbai film industry's leading star
Personally I was most interested in his early years, the influences in his life that made him get into the Hindi Film Industry.
The early years also make for fascinating reading. On the disagreement in the 60s on his film Guide with the author RK Narayan, we naturally get to read Dev Anand's perspective here.
The latter part of the autobiography wasn't very interesting to me, since I stopped associating Dev Anand with great movies ...not the box office element, just the stories.
Definitely worth a read to understand the life of one of Mumbai film industry's leading star
September 10, 2020
A earnest depiction with utmost care to the "bigger than life" sort of persona the writer enjoyed in the heydays of his glitzy film career. A true icon with charismatic on-screen presence is found out to be a man with the heart full of love to direct the real life in a whirlwind of a journey of life. The fervor as well the zeal with which he had approached every singly phase of his life is exemplary for all of us belonging presently to a world devoid of the poignant soul one should crave for.
September 22, 2025
What a fabulous actor and his wonderful story of life ..
Magnificient ..!
The book tells about his personality, his family, his acting carrier, his love affair with actress Surriya and last but not the least, his love for the movie making. There is a background story attached to each one of the movies he has acted in or has created on the cellulide, especially the magnum opus of his carrier "the Leader" that he made in dual languages Hindi and English.
Read "The Story of Guide" movie : https://nasreenghori.blogspot.com/202...
Magnificient ..!
The book tells about his personality, his family, his acting carrier, his love affair with actress Surriya and last but not the least, his love for the movie making. There is a background story attached to each one of the movies he has acted in or has created on the cellulide, especially the magnum opus of his carrier "the Leader" that he made in dual languages Hindi and English.
Read "The Story of Guide" movie : https://nasreenghori.blogspot.com/202...
January 29, 2025
I started reading the book as I was looking for a light read and I am a big fan of Dev Anand.Book starts very well and we get to know about his upbringing and formative years.It gives us a fair insight of Hindi film industry of 1950s and 60s but book looses its pace in the second half. I found it bit difficult to finish the last 150 pages.
June 23, 2019
Wonderfully written life account of a man who celebrated life and chased his creative ambitions relentlessly. Eternally youthful and brimming with ideas and with devil may care attitude, the Dev Anand phenomenon is worth reading.
Want to read
January 11, 2020This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2020
Devanand, a king of romance... A fashionable , romantic person of indian Bollywood...
all truths about him he wrote in this book...
A milestone person...
all truths about him he wrote in this book...
A milestone person...
June 22, 2021
Exceptional Autobiography of India's evergreen star Dev Anand or 'Dev Saab' ....a must read for all Hindi movie fans.
December 17, 2022
Inspiring life of legend Dev Anand
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