MUMBAI: Scores of fans of India‘s evergreen star Dev Anand thronged the Mehboob Studios where a memorial prayer was organised in memory of the star who passed away on 4 December.

While most of the mourners were above the age of 50, there were many young people who had come to have a glimpse of the stars and those from the film fraternity who had come over to pay their last respects to the departed soul.

Among those we could spot near the podium, where a giant sized portrait of the Guide star was placed, were notable names like Aamir Khan, Ashutosh Gowariker, Rishi Kapoor, Dheeraj Kumar, Prem Chopra, Waheeda Rehman. Asha Parekh, Ramesh Sippy, Yash Chopra, Sushma Shiromanee, Anadji (of Kayanji Anandji fame), Bappi Lahiri, Raza Murad, Mrs Manoj Kumar, Kunal Goswami, Rohan Sippy, Sushil Kumar Agarwal of Ultra and Padam Sacheti among others.

Paying his condolence to Dev Anand, Dheeraj Kumar said, "Dev Anand was a legend and is a legend, legends don‘t die. Even after his departing from the world, he must have taken a rebirth by now. He shall grow up to entertain the millions across the globe in the entertainment and media sector."

According to me Dev Saab was a true karmavir who performed his karma in the field (the entertainment world) which shall again be his karmabhoomi. I had a strong bond with Dev Saab both on a human level as well as on the professional level," Kumar said.

Bappi Lahiri added, "Dev Saab is Dev Saab. There was no other great and humanitarian person as he was. He must have given a break to more than thousand people in the film industry. I have had the honour of working with him as well as his brother Vijay Anand. They were people beyond comparison."

A teary eyed Prem Chopra said, "Dev Saab was an actor and died an actor. I think he is the only film personality in the world who died as an actor cum filmmaker. I bow down to him."

Fans and film folks were still streaming in even after the appointed time chanting his songs that made the world go mad for him.