/> "My mother was a huge fan of Dev Saab, so I grew up hearing his name and watching his films. How was I to know I'd one day go on to do many films with him?

I started my career with one legendary actor Raj Kapoor, then I quickly did Johnny Mera Naam with Dev Saab. You can imagine how nervous I was. I was so young and he was a huge star. But he never made me feel like a newcomer. Both Dev and his brother Vijay Anand who directed Johnny Mera Naam took such good care of me.

I remember we shot the film's cable-car sequence for the song Wada to nibhaya at Rajgeer in Bihar. The crowds got unwieldly. Dev Saab looked after me. The film was a runaway hit, my first blockbuster. We were signed for several films together. I had the privilege of being directed by all the three brothers Chetan, Dev and Vijay Anand.

But I didn't get a chance to be directed by Dev Saab until very late in Shareef Badmaash. He was a perfectionist. He would be the first on the sets with that trademark stick in his hand. I asked him why he carried that chadi with him.

He told me it was to prod those who wasted his time. Dev Saab was always on the move. He was so restless, and he didn't appreciate people around him who couldn't keep pace with him, Watching him at work was like taking a Vitamin tablet. He could convince me to do any role.

I agreed to do a guest appearance in Tere Mere Sapne because of Dev Saab and Vijay Anand Saab. Working with Dev Saab was always a pleasure. He was a very learned man and he was so articulate. He spoke very beautiful English.

He was a real hero. He wanted to launch my younger daughter Ahana. He would keep asking. But she wasn't interested. "