• My guest this week is perhaps one of the most durable romantics of our time, in fact, of five generations — the most cheerful, the eternal and really wonderful Dev Anand.

Thanks for the compliment, Shekhar.

• You are used to getting compliments.

Well, I’m used to compliments. But some people tell lies and some people tell the truth. It is for me to analyse whether what they say is a lie or the truth. But you are a fine and honest man. I believe you.

• But you have also said in your autobiography (Romancing with Life) that life is all truth and nothing but the truth.

The very word ‘auto’ in autobiography means that I’m speaking and talking and writing about myself and that I’m sworn to myself and committed to my conscience to tell the truth. I have tried my best to tell the truth — that’s all I can say.

• You have a very sharp memory.

I think so.

• Politicians are sharp forever, but I don’t think many politicians at age 84 would be as sharp as you.

I don’t know. I can’t compare myself. But they are great people. I’m okay, I’m fine, I can remember things because when I started working (on the autobiography) I took a pause, which meant I’d go backwards to the earliest moment my memory was sharp enough to remember.

... contd.