Mumtaz had rejected the role of Dev Anand’s sister: She used to choose scarves for him on the set, could not muster the courage to look at his face for the last time on his deathbed

Zeenat Aman played the role of Dev Anand’s sister in the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna, although this role was offered to Mumtaz before her. Mumtaz flatly refused to become Dev Anand’s sister in the film and stubbornly became the heroine in the film. There was a deep friendship between the two. So deep that when Dev Anand Sahab died, despite being in London, Mumtaz did not come to see him for the last time. She says that she wants to see Dev Anand in Evergreen, she cannot bear to see him in that condition.

Recently, in an interview given to Times of India, Mumtaz has given the reason for rejecting the role of Dev Anand’s sister in the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna. They said, Dev Anand came to my house with the offer of the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna. He told me the story of the film. He wanted me to play his sister in the film, but I felt that it would be very strange to play brother and sister after playing husband and wife in the previous film (Tere Mere Sapne). That’s why I refused to be his sister in the film. When I asked him to become a heroine in the film, he started explaining to me that the role of a sister is bigger than the role of a heroine and I should do the same. But I remained adamant, because in the film Tere Mere Sapne, people liked our pairing, our scenes, our songs a lot. He understood my point and said that you can do whatever role you want.

Mumtaz with Dev Anand in the film Hare Rama Hare Krishna.

He further said, Dev Saheb liked me a lot, I also respected him a lot. He lovingly called me Mumji. On the set, he used to get his scarf selected from me. He used to call me to his make-up room and ask me to choose a scarf for him. There were 6-7 scarves in her make-up room, among which she would choose one scarf and give it to her. I felt very happy to see that Dev Saheb gives importance to my choice.

Mumtaz-Dev Anand played the role of husband and wife in the film Tere Mere Sapne.

She was in shock after hearing the news of death, could not muster the courage to look at her face for the last time.

When Dev Anand Sahab died in London on 3 December 2011, Mumtaz was also in London at that time. As soon as she got this news, she was in deep shock. Even after getting information about the death of her close friend Dev Saheb, Mumtaz could not muster the courage to see him for the last time. On this he said, The sad thing is that where I live (London), the same hotel where he died was at some distance away. I remember people coming up to me asking me to see him for the last time, but I refused.

Mumtaz said, I loved him very much and could not see him in that condition. I always wanted to see him as evergreen Dev Anand, I couldn’t bear to see him in that condition.