Reminiscing about Dev sahab’s special bond with Nepal

The scenic locales of Nepal have attracted many Hindi filmmakers prompting them to shoot significant portions of their movies like Khuda Gawah, Love in Nepal, Mahan, Gharwali Baharwali, Yudh, Bekabu and Ek Hasina Ek Diwana.

Updated on: Jul 11, 2012, 23:50:23 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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The scenic locales of Nepal have attracted many Hindi filmmakers prompting them to shoot significant portions of their movies like Khuda Gawah, Love in Nepal, Mahan, Gharwali Baharwali, Yudh, Bekabu and Ek Hasina Ek Diwana.

But none of them were able to encapsulate the country like Dev Anand, Hindi cinema’s evergreen hero, who shot three of his films — Johny Mera Naam, Ishq Ishq Ishq and the path-breaking Hare Rama Hare Krishna in this Himalayan nation.

Through these films, he showcased Nepal to lovers of Hindi films in his own unique way. Dev Anand used to comment about his emotional involvement with Nepal, and the citizens of this country also showered their love on him by honouring him with an award in 2005.

The legend’s last trip to Nepal was in 2008 when he reached Kathmandu to launch his autobiography, Romancing with Life. The ever youthful filmmaker was very excited and even announced plans for another trip to shoot a film in the country.

But fate played spoilsport.

Last week, Hindi movie buffs and fans of Dev Anand got a chance to pay tributes to this friend of Nepal courtesy a two-day event organised by the Indian embassy and the BP Koirala Nepal-India Foundation.

The first day of the event saw young Nepali dancers performing on popular numbers from Hare Rama Hare Krishna, a documentary recollecting Dev Anand’s days of shooting in the early 70s and singers crooning a medley of his evergreen songs.

“He was very much in love with Nepal and deeply touched by the affection and resonance he found here. Dev Anand also helped nurture the people-to-people bond between Nepal and India,” said Indian ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad in his address.

Celebrations continued on the second day with screening of Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Johny Mera Naam. Both events witnessed impressive participation from Kathmanduites.

The maverick may have gone, but the love for him and his creations still resonates beyond boundaries.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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