In the 60s, one didn't meet too many people who weren't a fan of Audrey Hepburn, at least in Dhaka's middle class cine going circles. Everyone had heard of her iconic movie, "Roman Holiday" with another super star Gregory Peck and in Dhaka, many had seen that movie.

Dhaka had one movie hall dedicated to English movies -Naz. It sat atop the iconic Gulistan cinema hall and was almost a boutique hall. In the 50s the movie might have been seen but in the early and mid- 60s it kind of took up residence there and stayed for months, shown every Sunday morning.

Did it have that many English movie fans to keep it going for months? Well, that is the point. The fans were true fanatics. They kept seeing the movie again and again, week after week.

I had returned from Karachi in 1964 after a year there, where my father had been transferred. He was soon to return but before that he sent us three out of 4 brothers home, keeping the youngest with them.

My eldest brother was one of the "Roman Holiday" fanatics.

He took me one Sunday morning to see the movie and I realized that the crowd that had gathered there all seemed to know each other, nodding in recognition. Soon the gateman came and opened the doors and most just walked in not even showing their tickets. A few did but it seemed they were not from the fan tribe, newbies like me.

My brother took me to a particular row and took his seat and asked me to take mine, the next to him. Soon the movie began and quite a few people mimicked the movie's lines in half hushed voices. And I realized they had seen the movie many many times and knew every line, every word. The movie was nice and Audrey Hepburn very beautiful but it's the crowd that impressed me more. I mean that's called dedication or maybe fanaticism.

As we left after the show was over, I asked my brother how many times he had seen the movie. He just tersely said, "Every week. " Lord knows how many weeks it had run. And how many more it did. He never missed a show.

Fast forward to 1989

Having done the first lap of my lifelong job steeplechase, I ended up as a staff member of Unicef in 1986. I was involved with the Information and Communication section of the organization which included PR activities. And one such activity included looking after or shepherding the VIPs that came visiting. This included the UNICEF envoys and of course one of them turned out to be Audrey Hepburn.

By then Audrey Hepburn had retired from active film work and was focused more on charitable duties. And in that era if you put such voluntary work and super star both Audrey Hepburn and Bangladesh are spelt together. And of course one day it was announced, she was coming. I leaked it to the media and the buzz caught on.

I was asked to co-ordinate her trip. I wasn't the boss but the one who held the shoes metaphorically speaking. I liked the work, that kind of work. It was very informal, hands on, no office or desk work and not predictable at all. And full of interactions and human events.

I first struck gold when I called Rafiqun Nabi bhai, the artist, to ask if she could have a guided visit to the Arts college and she could take the opportunity to call the artists to come forward and help the cause of children. She had done similar work elsewhere. The response I got cemented my reputation as a person who had the right contacts.

I approached Nabi bhai, our senior friend and mentor from the old Bichitra days and he did the rest. Not only did the artists invite her but they held an art exhibition organized in her honour and she inaugurated it. Even she was impressed. Artists were stars everywhere and Audrey Hepburn herself was thrilled. It was a great success. After all, all had seen "Roman Holiday" more than once.

Shabana +

The Film Development Corporation (FDC) visit went like a dream with Shabana, Babita and all the stars of the cine world welcoming her. It got miles of coverage and the GOB was very impressed, a major objective. She talked of helping the children particularly through immunization and Shabana had already posed for anti-tetanus shots so she was our ally in this.

Our field visit to Mymensingh went like a dream as we drove down amidst the green and the star was struck by the beauty of the countryside. We stopped several times as UN photographer John Isaac, a South Indian born person whom the stars admired for his wonderful pics, shot her in many scenarios including one where she tried her hands-legs actually- to pedal a rickshaw with a bunch of kids as her passengers.

It was a great visit and great fun too. Audrey Hepburn was one fantastic human being with zero star aura but just a beautiful and semi magical person who had acted in a movie, one which all those who mattered in Bangladesh loved.

Thanks Roman Holiday