Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 21, 2014)

The take-off point for Navketan’s spy thriller Jewel Thief was a man whose presence is felt and yet he is invisible. RK Narayan’s intriguing story and its suave villain unmasked in the last reel, had Vijay Anand hooked. He toyed with the idea of casting Raaj Kumar in the role, then felt that with Jaani the mastery would be lost and instead settled on Ashok Kumar. The actor was game but having just undergone a heart surgery was clear that he would not agree to any fights as they could prove fatal. Goldie reassured him that this was an “intellectual” villain who used his brains.

 Ashok Kumar then chalked out his schedule. He would arrive at 11 am and pack-up at 5 pm. In between he needed an hour-long lunch break. The director agreed to all the demands. On the first day of the shoot, both Dev and Goldie were waiting on the sets at11 am sharp. Only Vyjayanthimala was missing and despite repeated reminders, she turned up close to 1 pm. Goldie announced a lunch break, informing her that they had an ailing actor on the sets and everyone had to come on time.

Their professional equation started on the wrong foot and it didn’t help that Dr Chamanlal Bali whom she married the following year, was often listening in when Goldie explained a scene to Vyjanthimala. Even more upsetting was that she refused to rehearse the song Hothon pe aisi baat, driving straight to the sets on the day of the shoot.

Goldie called for “pack-up” and told her she could spend the day practising with choreographer B Sohanlal’s assistant Saroj Khan. She drove away after 15 minutes and eventually learnt the difficult steps on the sets. Being an excellent dancer, she carried off the song without too many retakes. But Goldie was disappointed by Vyjanthimala’s starry airs.

“He had another problem when Dev saab, impressed with the song and the lavish set at Mehboob Studio, suddenly announced that he wanted to be a part of the song too. Goldie tried to reason with him, pointing out that it didn’t have a male playback and he didn’t know classical dance. But Dev saab was adamant. So finally, he put a damroo around his neck and made him croon O Shalu,” recalls Mohan Churiwala, a close associate of the Anands, adding that this was the first time a round trolley was used.

 Rula ke gaya sapna mera, was picturised on Dev Anand, rowing down a lake created at Mehboob Studio. This was the only song written by Shailendra. “But after the debacle of his debut production, Teesri Kasam, he couldn't deliver and Majrooh Sultanipuri replaced him as the lyricist,” says Churiwala.

The songs are unforgettable as is Dev Anand’s jaunty signature cap. Says Churiwala , "He picked it up in Copenhagen and the film was the jewel in his crown.”