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88 facts you didn't know about Dev Anand -- IV
The last rites of Bollywood's legend Dev Anand took place on Saturday in London.
An illustrious chapter may have closed but the life and works of the evergreen star will continue to inspire individuals.
Here, we bring the fourth installment of the nine-part series of lesser known facts about the star's life.
Catch the first, second and the third parts here.
1. Sold stamp collection for Rs 30 during his struggling days
Dev Anand arrived in Mumbai as a homeless struggler.
To make ends meet, he had to sell off his precious stamp collection for Rs 30.
2. Durga Khote was his first costar
Before he met his first love Suraiya and tasted success with onscreen pairing with Kalpana Karthik, Dev Anand debuted in Hum Ek Hain in the year 1946.
Durga Khote was his first costar.
3. Similarity with contemporary Raj Kapoor
Dev Anand, like his contemporary Raj Kapoor, wanted to join the Royal Indian Navy of the British Armed Forces.
Both were rejected.
4. He had a nickname for Suraiya
Suraiya was Dev Anand's great love but the couple couldn't get married because of their religions.
He called Suraiya 'Nosey', and she called him 'Steve'.
5. His nickname in adolescent years
The actor also went by the nickname 'Chiru' in his adolescent years.
6. Double dates with Guru Dutt
Dev Anand used to go on double dates with Guru Dutt, one of his closest friends and work associates.
7. Kishore Kumar's first Bollywood song was for Dev Anand
Kishore Kumar's first Bollywood song was sung for Dev Anand -- Marne ki duayen kyon mangoon (Ziddi).
When the singer started his career, the only hero he agreed to sing for, apart from himself, was Dev Anand.
8. Broke an industry rule to cast Mumtaz
Dev Anand broke an industry rule of those times to cast Mumtaz in Hare Rama Hare Krishna.
In those days apparently, Bollywood actors were allowed to do only seven films at a time. Only after completing the seventh film, were they allowed to sign the eighth.
She was under this ceiling when Dev Anand was casting for the film. He not only fought with everyone, but threw down the gauntlet by flying her out to Kathmandu with police protection.
9. Shekhar Kapur debuted as an actor in a Dev Anand film
Shekhar Kapur, the maker of Oscar-nominated films like Elizabeth, started his film career as an actor in uncle Dev Anand's Ishq Ishq Ishq.
10. Rejected Zanjeer for the lack of a duet with heroine
It is said that Dev Anand had refused to star in Zanjeer, which turned out to be Amitabh Bachchan's big break.
One of the reasons, it is believed, was the lack of a duet with the heroine.