Dev Anand is back

After over 16 months of staying away from the media, Dev Anand opened his doors to DNA to talk about his forthcoming movie Chargesheet. People close to the movie have been heavily gossiping that the movie makes a reference to the alleged romance between underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and yesteryear’s actor Mandakini a.k.a. Yasmeen Joseph love story.

A highly placed production source says: “The film shows how a don falls in love with a young girl who asks him to give her a Bollywood film post which he makes some phone calls to big producers and film-makers and gets her a big launch. In the research Dev Anand definitely had Dawood and Mandakini’s alleged affair in mind.”

When cornered at his make-shift office in Khar with this question, Dev says: “I have not mentioned anyone’s name in my movie. When I’m writing a script and thinking about a murder plot involving Bollywood as well the underbelly, it is but natural that real-life incidents will inspire me. When people see the movie, they will exactly know who all I’m speaking about through my film. It is true that there is a love story between a Don and a girl who becomes an overnight superstar but there is no direct reference to anyone. I start my film saying it is a work of fiction.” 

Mandakini, who was born in an Anglo-Indian family in Meerut, shot to stardom at an early age of 16 in 1985 as she was cast by late film-maker Raj Kapoor in his controversial Ram Teri Ganga Maili.

She delivered an iconic Bollywood waterfall bathing sequence wearing nothing but a transparent white saree. The movie sparked allegations of nudity against Raj Kapoor who backed his film to the hilt.

But within a decade of her film career, especially after the Mumbai serial bomb blasts in 1993, it was alleged that she was either having a romantic relationship with the dreaded don Dawood Ibrahim or his brother Anees and that she even had a child with the gangster who was being brought up in the US. It was also reported that she had moved in with Dawood to Dubai and the don was credited for her once soaring film career. However, Mandakini has always denied such accusations and has been living in Mumbai since 1996. It is said that Mandakini married a Buddhist doctor and has a son with him. She currently practices yoga as a profession.