Then & Now: Casper on the Raju Chacha poster (left) and at the Agarwal home

Shillong, Sept. 28: The strains of the title song of actor Ajay Devgan?s home production, Raju Chacha, often waft out from a music system at the Agarwals? residence in a quiet Shillong locality. Nothing unusual about a favourite tune being played over and over again, but wait till you know for whose listening pleasure the Agarwals have to rewind the song by Shaan.

Inside the residence, sitting on his haunches and facing the music system with ears cocked up is Casper, a seven-year-old Cocker Spaniel that featured in the same film along with Devgan and his wife Kajol.

Gifted to the Agarwals by Devgan himself, Casper is still enamoured of the music of the film that catapulted him to stardom. He was brought to Shillong nearly five years ago, but it was only recently that Casper?s protective guardians revealed his celebrity status to the townsfolk.

?When Casper came here, he was just two years old. We thought he was too young to handle extra attention. But he has grown up now and matured. Why not let him enjoy stardom? After all, every dog has its day,? chuckles Casper's owner, Pankaj Agarwal.

The businessman and his family were initially unsure how the star dog would adapt to his new surroundings. ?But he has adapted quite well,? he says.

The story of Casper?s journey to Shillong is interesting enough to make a film.

Agarwal?s wife Eva Kurbah had visited her brother Pradip, who was a chief assistant director for Devgan Entertainment & Software Ltd, in Mumbai during the making of Raju Chacha.

The couple?s two daughters, Guddi and Rashika, took a liking to Casper the moment they saw him at their uncle?s set. Born in Pune, the Cocker Spaniel had just been taken to Mumbai by the Devgans and trained by an expert to act in films.

?He (Casper) got very close to us, especially my daughters. They actually became almost inseparable. So we asked Devgan if he would give us Casper and he surprisingly agreed,? recalls Eva.

In Shillong, Casper acted in a music video ? Jyngkyrmen ? produced by Pankaj?s firm Sonarashi Arts. But it is not just Casper's celebrity status that has generated interest. His display of emotions whenever songs from Raju Chacha are played ? particularly Ye Vaada Hai and the title number ? that leaves visitors spellbound.

?He will suddenly lift his long ears, stay still for a moment and then run towards the player as if he remembers every bit of the film,? says Pankaj. ?The only thing he cannot do is, perhaps, cry. There is so many emotions in him.?

Family friend Akash Sharma agrees.

?He is definitely different from other dogs that I have come across,? says Sharma, who once saw Casper during a display of his ?doggy emotions?.

At other times, Casper loves to dig his nose into some ice-cream and munch chips. ?But when he is angry, he will refuse to eat for days. We have to cajole him with ice-cream and chocolates,? Pankaj reveals.