Hollywood actor Gregory Peck had come to meet Suraiya late at night

True love does not believe in any restrictions, laws, high-low, caste, religion, or even God. True love just happens and once it happens, no power in the world can come in its way. And if your true love is a short-term affair then it is not true love and that is why today we have only a few true love stories that are eternal like Romeo and Juliet, Shirin-Farhad, Laila-Majnu, Heer-Ranjha Ki Prem Kahani and Dev and Suraiya Ki Prem Kahani.

But before this, know how Hollywood actor Gregory Peck came to meet Suraiya late at night

Suraiya had received an offer to do a film with Hollywood actor Gregory Peck. When Gregory Peck came to India, he had tea with the actress and this made a lot of headlines. When Suraiya met Hollywood director Frank Capra during the International Film Festival of India in 1952, she gave him an autograph to give to Peck. Later, Peck himself revealed that he had received Suraiya's autograph.  

Suraiya was the leading female singer and actress of the 1950s and Dev Anand was a struggler trying to make a name for himself in the industry after doing films like 'Hum Ek Hain' and 'Ziddi'.

Gregory Pack had reached Suraiya's house to meet her

Once when Gregory Peck came to Mumbai, he went to meet Suraiya at her house. Suraiya herself revealed this during a conversation. She said, 'Gregory Peck had written me a letter in which he had written that if I come to Mumbai, we will definitely meet. But I always used to think that will he come and meet me.' But when Suraiya came home tired from her work and was resting, the doorbell rang and Suraiya's mother opened the door. Gregory Peck very lovingly asked her mother, "Madam, is Suraiya here?" After which her mother was also surprised and she woke Suraiya up at around 12 o'clock and said that Gregory Peck has come to meet you. At first Suraiya thought that she was joking, but later she was surprised to see this Hollywood actor standing in front of her. Her happiness knew no bounds on seeing her favorite actor. She welcomed him and took good care of him.

Suraiya used to compare Dev Anand with Gregory Peck

Suraiya and Dev Anand did many films together. It is said that during this time both of them fell in love with each other. Suraiya was such a big fan of Gregory Peck that she started comparing Dev Anand with Hollywood actor Peck. When Suraiya told Dev Anand that his looks and style resembled Gregory Peck, then Dev Anand told her not to compare him with peck. When Suraiya asked the reason for this, Dev Anand replied with great confidence that my looks are much better than his. Suraiya smiled at this and very lovingly told Dev Anand that I am impressed by your confidence.

At that time, all the actors, directors and producers were in love with Suraiya and wanted to marry her.

But Suraiya fell madly in love with the young and handsome Dev Anand. This love was mutual and deepened with time. Their romantic films Jeet, Neeli etc. helped in furthering their love. Dev continued to progress and became a big star. Dev felt that this was the right time to propose Suraiya. He proposed to Suraiya but Suraiya was a little nervous. Dev was a shy person but he had decided that he would not lose Suraiya. To show his love, Dev gave Suraiya a diamond ring which was worth ₹3000 at that time. But this ring later became the symbol of the end of their love.

Dev proposed to Suraiya one more time and he was surprised by the reason for her refusal as Suraiya too loved him very much. The reason was that Suraiya's maternal grandmother Badshah Begum and her mother were totally against this relationship just because Dev was a Hindu and Suraiya kept on refusing Dev's proposal for this reason. It is said that Dev slapped the big star of that time saying that she was a timid lover. Their love story ended when Suraiya's maternal grandmother, who was their love enemy, forcefully removed the diamond ring from Suraiya's finger which Dev had given to Suraiya and threw it in the sea outside their house Govind Mahal.

And that was the end of this great love story which could have ended like all other great love stories. It is true that Dev Anand and Suraiya's love story did not turn into marriage but their love story will be remembered as long as love exists in this world. Dev Anand married his co-star Kalpana Kartik while they were shooting at Mehboob Studio. Suraiya never married in her whole life and she proved that she was a true lover. Dev got married but he talked about his love for Suraiya at every opportunity and sometimes Dev would even start crying while talking. She was the only woman for whom Dev Anand cried as he loved her very much.

Dev faced a very delicate and difficult situation in his life when Suraiya who was also known as the richest woman in India, died suddenly in her home Govind Mahal.

The next morning, Dev Anand reached his office 'Anand' very early. He asked his staff to put up a small tent on the roof of 'Anand' and went inside the tent with a landline phone and some scripts. Dev Anand had not given the number of this phone to anyone, he knew that after Suraiya's death he would receive continuous calls from media people.

I don't know why but I was the only person whom Dev Anand called and asked to spend time with him in the tent. Dev Anand was trying his best to hide his feelings but finally tears came out of his eyes and he put his head on my shoulder and started crying. I was with him till midnight and he was constantly trying to stop himself from talking about Suraiya and the more he tried to stop himself, the more Suraiya was coming in his every talk. He was repeatedly trying to stop his tears, covering his eyes but the tears of a true lover were not stopping.

Dev said that Suraiya was not only forbidden to marry him but was also not allowed to work in a film with Dev Anand. He also said that Suraiya's grandmother and mother had become so cruel to Dev Anand that they had asked men to kill Dev Anand when Suraiya and Dev Anand were in love. Suraiya knew about this evil act of her grandmother and mother, so to save Dev Anand's life, she refused to marry him. I can write a lot about the love story of Dev Anand and Suraiya but I will not write their entire story because I have made this promise to Dev Anand. And I will not break my promise made to a person whom I consider like God.

Nowadays filmmakers are making biographies of people and are looking for good subjects, why don't they make a film on Devina, the name which Suraiya had given to Dev when they were in love and later Dev also named his daughter Devina?

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