Shakti Samanta Presents Mercedes to Sachinda
(One of the anecdotes)
After the phenomenal success of Aradhana', mainly due to its music, one day Shakti ji landed at 'The Jet' bungalow where Dada lived. He drove in a brand-new Mercedes 125, while his driver was driving his car. He went up to meet Dada, leaving after few minutes in his car with his driver at the wheel.
It was later known that Sachinda had declined to accept the Mercedes, saying that he was very happy with his two cars (Fiat 1961 and 1968 models), adding that he had no use for a third car. Samanta left the keys of new car, insisting that Dada use the new Mercedes, and if Dada doesn't like it, he will take it back.
Dada did not even sit in the Mercedes, which was lying unused in the garage, regularly cleaned by Dada's driver Babu (nickname). After few days, Samanta sent a driver to collect the Mercedes.
(Source: Aslam, who heard it from his boss R.D. Burman, as well as his father Babu, who was S. D. Burman's driver.)