When Dev Anand explained the correct meaning and usage of the word Boffo

When I met Dev Anand years ago at Mehboob Studio and requested an appointment with him, he initially thought I was a fan who had bunked school to meet him, but then everything became alright as soon as I mentioned that I am from Mayapuri press. He sat on a chair on the set. Although he was neither the director nor the producer of that film, he was just an actor, yet he was not sitting in the make-up room but was observing everything very closely on the set. The atmosphere was steeped in history, but his energy seemed ageless. There was swiftness and bird-like lightness in his gait. His eyes were shining. He always spoke fluent, clear English. When I talked to him about his fluency and command over this language , he said , 'Language is your window to the world. I have made it my mission to learn, listen and express myself so that anyone, anywhere, can understand me. Even while I was growing up in Gurdaspur, I loved listening to the BBC and reading Western novels. When I arrived in Bombay, I wanted to stand out – learning English and speaking it well was part of my dream.'

Dev Anand said that living with total enthusiasm was the biggest key to a happy, long life. He said, 'It is the mind that controls everything. I am mentally and physically active. I can work 17 hours a day, sleep only for five or six hours and still feel totally alive and awake. This is because I love my work more than anything else. Age has nothing to do with enthusiasm. The more enthusiastic I am about my work, the younger I feel.

Dev sahab was always thinking ahead, always planning his next film, his next script, even what he would do next time in a bold way. He used to say, 'I can't say what I will be tomorrow, so I must make the most of the now, use every opportunity and grow until the end of my life.' Even after crossing the age of eighty, he was working on scripts, some in English, and dreaming up new stories to share with the world.

'For me cinema is everywhere, in events, in the people I meet, in the headlines I read, even in you' he said. 'My first directorial venture, "Prem Pujari", arose from the Indo-Pak war of 1965. The idea of "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" came to me after I saw a random, eerie image in a hippie café in Kathmandu. A dark-skinned girl with a foreigner? Oops. That scene became a film like a picture in my mind and Zeenat Aman became the star.

His philosophy about films was different, 'Nobody knows what makes a hit. Some of my best films did not succeed. Some mediocre films, people watch again and again. You never know which emotion, which raga will touch the heart of the audience. The only way to work is to trust your intuition.' Dev Anand admitted that not all his films were hits, but he never let failure discourage him. 'Sometimes you have to be courageous enough to lose money. I am not a spendthrift, I run my studio and my money. Flops do not break me. I always believe that in the end things will work out for me."  His eyes angered up when we talked about censorship and the challenges of creativity. "I once walked out of a censor board meeting fuming. They didn't want to approve a scene in which my character was drunk. I tried to explain to them - I don't always play myself. Cinema is made of characters. Why would anyone bring in human realities? Our censorship is outdated, and sometimes I feel they don't understand artistic freedom at all. I made the film "Censor" in response, to start this debate. I don't promote obscenity or bad habits, but I want India to have a creative, democratic censorship code, not one that is tied to old thinking."

After that meeting, I had many more meetings with Dev sahab. Dev Anand was not afraid to express his views even in front of political power. He recalled, "During the Emergency, we film folks had our backs pushed to the wall. They banned Kishore Kumar's songs, forced people to chant slogans. I told the Information Minister V.C. Shukla on his face - I will leave only if you accept that India is a police state. I even started a political party after the Emergency, but I realised I was not cut out for politics. I am too optimistic. I love filmmaking too much. Politics needs a cold heart, and I have always had a warm heart."

His views on India's future were at once pragmatic and sentimental. 'The best minds of the country should be our leaders. We need more literacy and more knowledge. Only then will people stop accepting bad rulers. I only hope the youth come forward and their young liberal thinking comes to the fore. Otherwise, I am disappointed at the very little changes I see.'

Despite his quarrels with the establishment, Dev Anand was above all, a romantic and a believer in the power of dreams. "I came to Bombay without any relations, without any recommendations. I lived in a chawl, I was deprived of food, but I always dreamt of seeing my face on big cinema posters. To succeed, you have to pursue your dreams single-mindedly. You have to keep the faith." When he remembered the difficult times, his eyes would sparkle, as if the struggle itself had become a sweet memory.

Talking about the emotional aspect of his life, he said, 'I have always been ready to fall in love and then suffer a heartbreak. I too suffered heartbreak  due to social norms . Yes, I cried on my brother Chetan's shoulder, but after breaking up with her , I never looked back and moved on. I focused on Navketan Films, met a girl named Kalpana Kartik, (Mona) married her , who was very helpful and educated. We did not want any big drama in the marriage. For me, simple was best.'

Dev sahab did not judge others, but made it clear that certain things were not for him. 'I never liked dancing for money at weddings. It's like selling your soul, and I could never do that.'"

Dev Anand's respect for women and old-fashioned courtesy was something he learned at home, "My mother was affectionate and gentle. She died of TB and I took care of her as a child. That compassionate nature of hers, that gentleness, I try to maintain in my films and life. Courtesy, polite behaviour, these values never go out of fashion."

From Ingrid Bergman to  his everyday fans, he admired modesty and purity rather than glamour. "Ingrid Bergman, to me, was what a wonderful actress should be. So much charm, but so much innocence, without any vulgarity. That's the beauty I like - the kind that makes you happy just by being in someone's company.'

We talked about his scripts which were often inspired by his own image. 'That's true. I didn't have to act much. I just had to be myself. The love scenes came easily because I truly believe in romance, compassion and gentleness. These things never get old, no matter how much the world changes."

On his personal health and longevity, he said, "I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't eat meat. My optimism is my real diet. I forgive easily. I never hold on to sorrows for long. Sorrows don't stay with me. Every next moment is a new excitement for me. Maybe I'll live for a hundred years.(but he didn't) "

Dev Anand's optimism was legendary in the industry. He once emphatically stated, 'I am an incurable optimist. I never look back. Life is too short. New challenges are exciting. Every day the sun rises with something new for me to do."

He also had a progressive outlook on life and the ever-changing world, 'Change is the only constant. I have seen this industry grow from black and white silent films to colour, digital. But what really matters is your hunger for work. As long as you are excited, you remain relevant.

About success in films, he was always honest, 'When you make a film, you can never say whether it will be a 'boffo' blockbuster or not. Sometimes, the story is ordinary, but it touches people's emotions, and they keep coming to the theatres again and again. That's when films become massive hits. That is, they are spectacular successes. I always say if your work touches hearts, money and awards will follow you. But if you only run after money, you lose the art and the thrill.'

I once asked him what keeps him away from regrets and bitterness. He smiled, 'What I told you, I forgive easily. For me, tomorrow is a new chapter. When there is so much to do, why waste time thinking about yesterday's troubles? My joy is in working, making new films, meeting new people, travelling the world. That's what keeps you young - not your body but your soul.'

With the fleeting comings and goings of fame as the industry changed, Dev Anand believed in humility. "If people like your work once you are lucky. If they like you for decades you should be grateful. I am grateful every day. I was once an unknown person full of dreams and the world gave me everything because I never stopped believing, never stopped working.'

At times he would get philosophical about the relationship between art and destiny. “Sometimes I really think, did someone write this life for me? Because I had nothing, no money, no friends in Bombay. But destiny has a fateful way of rewarding crazy, passionate dreamers. The actor in me never slept. I think that's what matters, never giving up, always being ready to walk the extra mile.”

When the conversation turned to the modern world and current film trends, he shrugged, “Every era has its own style. But films should always have heart. Technology may change, but not emotions. I try to keep love, hope and humanity at the centre of my stories. People ask why I keep acting and writing - because stories never end. The world needs new stories, and I have thousands of stories left to tell."

I asked him, how he would use a word like 'boffo' to describe his career? he laughed and said , 'Yes, I had many boffo years. But success is more than just numbers. It's about living your dreams and inspiring others to do the same. If you're honest, hardworking and kind, you'll have your own kind of boffo success.'

Since the word boffo was beyond my understanding, I asked him what the word boffo actually was. He said, "Boffo" is actually an American slang that came into use in the world of show business around the 1940s. It is used to describe something—especially a film, play or show that is extremely successful, popular or gets an enthusiastic response from the audience. The word is usually used in entertainment industry, reviews and reports to indicate a spectacular or record-breaking success. When you give your best, break your own records, and the audience loves you—that's what boffo really means. I remember after "Guide" was such a huge success, people called it a boffo hit. For me, real success is touching people's hearts again and again. Whoever you are. "

He has left behind more than just hit films. He has left behind a way of living, a restless, joyful, endlessly curious spirit, always looking forward, always believing that there is no end to the future and the best is yet to come.  Perhaps, with his indomitable optimism and passion for life, he gave the world its biggest blockbuster.

Dev Anand said during our last meeting, "For me, real success is to touch people's hearts again and again. Whoever you are, in any profession or any field, always aim for a brilliant performance. But keep your soul and your smile."

This is the philosophy of Dev Anand - clear, generous and forever young.

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