The women in Dev Anand's life

In his long and successful career, Dev Anand has worked with, and given breaks to many actresses. But if you ask him to pick a favourite, he shies away. "I like all my actresses; they were all good," he says. "If I name one actress, the others will feel bad."

But he did go back in time to talk about some of the women he worked with.

He shares his thoughts with Patcy N.

Zeenat Aman

I was looking for a girl for one of my film for six months but could not find anyone.

I had gone for Amarjeet's (the director of Hum Dono) party. Zeenat, who was Miss Asia then, knew I was going for the party. So she dressed up well and came for it.

When I saw her, I knew she was the girl I was looking for. So I cast her.

When I was shooting for a film, Tina came to ask for an autograph. There were other girls with her too.

I saw her and thought that she could act in my film.

I asked her what she was doing and she replied that she just attended the Teen Princess contest in Aruba (an island in the Caribbean Sea), and won the Miss Photogenic title.

I asked her whether she would act in the film and she said no. So I asked, 'Even if the offer is good, you will not do it?'

She said that she would think it over if the offer was good.

I asked her to give a screen test and she was selected.

Today, Tina has become the richest woman in our country.

Waheeda got her first break in CID. I was the film's hero.

She did not know any acting. Guru Dutt brought her from Andhra Pradesh.

When we were casting for Guide, our foreign director wanted to cast someone else but I insisted on Waheeda because I had worked with her and liked her work.

People used to call her 'Dream Girl'. When her films weren't doing well, she told people to cast her opposite Dev Anand.

My brother Vijay Anand was making Johnny Mera Naam. He decided to cast her in that.

Sadhana was very sweet and charming. I liked her and cast her in Hum Dono. That was her second film.

I took her to the Berlin Film Festival and introduced her to big people.

Vyjayanthimala was part of the staff at Navketan (Dev Anand's production house).

Goldie (Vijay Anand) had written a film. He liked Vyjayathimala and asked me if we could take her. I said okay. So we cast her in Jewel Thief.