Dev Anand's memoirs 'Romancing with Life' to release in Sep

Mumbai, Jan 5: Legendary actor-filmmaker Dev Anand's memoirs 'Romancing with Life' will be released on his 84th birthday in September this year.

Speaking to mediapersons on the occasion of handing over the manuscripts of his autobiography to Penguin Ltd's representative Udayan Mitra, the evergreen star described it as a ''written journey of long, hectic, busy and forever learning span of my life''.

'Devsaab', as he is fondly called, said his autobiography will be delivered to the world to know him more and better, on his next birthday.

He described the occasion of handing over his 'precious and cherished wealth' to his publishers as a special occasion in his life. ''The manuscripts are the huge earnings I have made by gently and artistically looting the world to be given to where it belongs,'' he added.

Refusing to divulge any details of the contents of the book, he said it contained memorable moments of his existence including the 60 years in the show business. ''In the last 60 years, I have been playing the game of life. Sometimes winning and sometimes losing. But always coming to the winning post,'' he added.

''I have chronicled the book myself. Each sentence and paragraph has come from my inner being. Life is a romance. The fact that you are living means you are romancing with life,'' he said speaking about the title of the book.

. He said will also ready to write another edition of his autobiography if the first one is well received. When asked about the contribution of his family members in penning his memoirs, the actor-said the contents of the book were extremely personal and none of his family members were privy to them.

He said he had written about moments in his life which appealed to him and those he remembered. ''You cannot bare your entire life in public. In my book, if a chapter deserves to be told, it has been put on paper. All people who have come in my life and whom I remember are mentioned in the book,'' he said.

To a question on whether he would allow a film to be made on the book, Devsaab said, ''It will depend on the convictions of the filmmaker. I will first check his credentials if he is worthy of filming every facet of Dev Anand's persona.'' He recalled that recently he received a call from the Chicago based filmmaker stating that he was interested in making a documentary on him (Dev Anand). ''I told him that to make a documentary on me he will have to travel so many places and that was not easy. He has agreed. If he manages to convince me when he comes here, the documentary will happen. Otherwise, my documentation will be my book.'' Stating that his own desire prompted him to pen an autobiography, Devsaab said he started writing his memoirs three years ago in New York.

He said in the chapters of his life as an actor, filmmaker, he had focused more on the films he had made under Navketan banner.

Mr Udayan Mitra of Penguin said Devsaab had a ringside view of India's growth and development besides spending 60 years in the film industry. ''It is the first full length memoir by a leading Indian Star and hence a unique book. We are proud to publish it,''he added.

UNI