"It's more than 60 years of my life as a film person. My journey from a wannabe in the streets of Mumbai to the actor, writer, director, producer in the studios - everything... all condensed in one book."
"When Baghdad was attacked by the US, I was in New York. Every channel showed the grim news about bombardment. I was at a loose end in my hotel room. That's when I started jotting down my thoughts.
"Out of my 83 years, 60 years of my active life in the movies is put into this book. And it isn't over yet. It'll only be finished when I'm gone. I've discussed everything from my initial struggle to my family, brothers.
Dev Anand started writing the autobiography some years back...
"Once I started writing I was hooked. The process of writing my book has given me a chance to live my own life. I kept writing in fits and starts until last year when I took it up very seriously. I finally finished the book in a two-month stretch."
"Every line in my book is mine. I haven't got any professional writer to help me and I didn't type it out because I don't know how to type. I've handwritten the entire monumental volume of my thoughts. Since every word has flowed from my mind to my hand and onto paper, I'm as excited as a child. "
"My autobiography is ready for publication. This is a historical moment for me."
"It would require six books to chronicle six decades of my career. But that wasn't possible. So I've condensed it all in one book to keep it interesting. After all, I don't want readers to get bored. I want them to feel the same excitement that they do when they watch a movie."
More on the evergreen star's autobiography...
"I've been honest in the book. Otherwise I had no business writing my autobiography. But in writing about my life I've made sure not to hurt anyone. I've let certain events in my life be ambiguously dealt with - let people draw their own conclusions.
"As for those whose names do crop up, I'd expect the world to be sporting enough. In my journey of life there are so many people I've met. I've of course brought them up in my book. But never to hit them below the belt! That's not my style."
"And then the publishers would want me to promote it all over the world. This isn't an empty boast... I don't think anyone else has attempted what I've in this book," he remarked.
"One is a love story called 'When Heartbeats Are The Same' to be shot in Croatia. It'll be my first film in English - again an experiment. It's a beautiful story of an NRI boy and a Croatian girl. The casting and locations are ready but it's winter in Croatia. So I can only shoot in April-May 2007."
The words tumble out in an effervescent flow ...
Dev Anand started writing the autobiography some years back...
More on the evergreen star's autobiography...
