Dev Anand’s admiration for Rajeev Khandelwal: “You inspire me a lot”
Late legend Dev Anand was one of the most successful and greatest actors in the Hindi film industry. Best remembered for movies like Guide, Jewel Thief, Hum Dono, C.I.D., Kala Pani, Johny Mera Naam and Hare Rama Hare Krishna to name a few, the superstar made a huge contribution to Hindi cinema for several decades.
Dev Anand once wanted to sign Rajeev Khandelwal for a film after his debut movie, Aamir. Here’s what their first meeting went like, the Showtime actor reveals it all.
Rajeev Khandelwal recalls meeting Dev Anand after his debut in Aamir
In a recent interview with Radio Nasha, Rajeev Khandelwal shared his experience of meeting the legend, Dev Anand as the latter called him for a film in 2008. While Khandelwal didn’t wish to sign his movie, he still wanted to meet him.
The Aamir actor recalled that Dev Anand was the only person he brought his camera to.
Khandelwal shared that he doesn’t usually touch people’s feet unless he wants to pay respect to his elders whom he admires from the heart. The 48-year-old actor bent down to touch legend Dev Anand’s feet.
“I went to Dev saab and I touched his feet. He stopped me there and asked ‘what are you doing?’ I said ‘sir, you inspire me’,” he recalled.
Quoting Dev Anand, Khandelwal added, “If that is the case then I should be touching your feet because youngsters like you inspire me a lot.”
Khandelwal was surprised by Dev Anand’s gesture of treating him with the utmost respect.
Rajeev Khandelwal asked Dev Anand about botox
In the same interview, Rajeev Khandelwal further shared that he got a picture clicked with Dev Anand after their first interaction. Khandelwal remembered asking “idiotic” questions to the late legend as he mentioned quizzing him whether the latter got any botox treatment or not.
Dev Anand’s skin “looked so fresh”, Khandelwal recalled while adding that the legend laughed at it. The superstar advised him to “think good, be happy and positive”.
The legend narrated the story of his script, however, later Khandelwal refused to work with him.
Khandelwal concluded by saying that he felt sad about saying no to Dev Anand’s Navketan Films project. The legendary actor died of cardiac arrest at the age of 83 in 2011.
Rajeev Khandelwal’s notable films include Aamir, Table No. 21, Shaitan, and Court Martial.
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