Dev Anand | |
|---|---|
 Dev Anand,c. 2005 | |
| Born | Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (1923-09-26)26 September 1923 |
| Died | 3 December 2011(2011-12-03) (aged 88) London, England |
| Other names | Evergreen Star |
| Alma mater | Government College, Lahore (BA) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1946–2011 |
| Organization | Navketan Films |
| Works | Full list |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2; includingSuneil Anand |
| Relatives | SeeAnand-Sahni family |
| Awards | Full list |
| Honors |
|
| Signature | |
 | |
Dev Anand (Hindi pronunciation:[de:uǝna:nd]ⓘ; bornDharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011) was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work inHindi cinema. He is considered as one of the greatest and most successful actors in the history ofIndian cinema.[1] Through a career that spanned over six decades, he worked in more than100 films. Anand is a recipient of fourFilmfare Awards, including two forBest Actor. The Government of India honoured him withPadma Bhushan, Indian third highest civilian honour in 2001 and withDadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002.[2]
In 1946, Anand debuted with a lead role inPrabhat Films'sHum Ek Hain, a film about Hindu-Muslim unity. He had his first commercial success inZiddi (1948) and gained widespread recognition with thecrime thrillerBaazi (1951), which is regarded as the forerunner of the spate of "Bombay Noir" films that followed in Hindi cinema in the 1950s.[3][4] He consistently starred in top–grossing Indian films from the early-1950s to the 1970s, such asJaal,Taxi Driver,Insaniyat,C.I.D.,Paying Guest,Kala Pani,Kala Bazar,Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai,Hum Dono,Asli-Naqli,Tere Ghar Ke Samne,Guide,Jewel Thief,Johny Mera Naam andHaré Rama Haré Krishna.[5] Despite the arrival of new crop of stars in the latter-half of the 1970s and 1980s, Anand continued to star in highly successful films, such asAmir Garib,Warrant,Jaaneman,Darling Darling,Des Pardes andLashkar.[6][7] Some of his most acclaimed performances, includeMunimji,Funtoosh,Baarish,Nau Do Gyarah,Solva Saal,Manzil,Jaali Note,Baat Ek Raat Ki,Sharabi,Teen Devian,Duniya,Prem Pujari,Tere Mere Sapne,Heera Panna andLootmaar.[8][9] The 2011 filmChargesheet, which Anand also directed was his final film.[10]
Anand was born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand on 26 September 1923[11][12] in theShakargarh Tehsil of theGurdaspur district inPunjab,British India (nowNarowal District,Punjab, Pakistan).[13][14]
His father Pishori Lal Anand was a prominent lawyer in Gurdaspur District Court. Pishori Lal Anand was also afreedom fighter and scholar affiliated with theArya Samaj organisation, who would study world religions in different languages (theBhagavad-Gita inSanskrit, theBible inHebrew, theQur'an inArabic while he also knewPersian).[15]
Dev was the third of four sons born to Pishori Lal Anand. One of Dev's younger sisters Sheel Kanta Kapur, is the mother of film directorShekhar Kapur. His older brothers included Manmohan Anand (Advocate, Gurdaspur Dist. Court) andChetan Anand, whileVijay Anand was his younger brother.[12]
Anand did his schooling till matriculation from Sacred Heart School, Dalhousie (then in Punjab), and went to Government CollegeDharamshala before going toLahore to study.[16][17] Later Dev completed a B.A. degree inEnglish Literature from theGovernment College, Lahore inBritish India. Part ofthe Anand family, he co-foundedNavketan Films in 1949 with his elder brother Chetan Anand.[18][19][20]
After completing his BA degree in English literature from theGovernment College, Lahore (then inBritish India), Anand left his hometown forBombay in the early 1940s. He began his career in the military censor's office at Churchgate, for a monthly salary ofRs. 65. Later, he worked as a clerk in an accounting firm for a salary of Rs. 85.[21] He joined his older brother, Chetan, as a member of theIndian People's Theatre Association (IPTA). Anand aspired to become a performer after seeingAshok Kumar's performance in films such asAchhut Kanya andKismet.[22] Anand quoted in an interview that "I remember when I gate-crashed into the office of the man who gave me the first break, he kept looking at me – Babu Rao Pai ofPrabhat Film Studios. At that time he made up his mind that this boy deserves a break and later mentioned to his people that 'this boy struck me because of his smile and beautiful eyes and his tremendous confidence.'"[23] Then he was soon offered the lead role inPrabhat Films'Hum Ek Hain (1946), a film aboutHindu-Muslim unity, where Dev Anand played a Hindu boy and was paired oppositeKamala Kotnis.[24] While shooting the film inPune, Anand befriended the actorGuru Dutt. Between them, they agreed that if one of them were to become successful in the film industry, he would help the other also to be successful. They formed a mutual understanding that when Anand produced a film, Dutt would direct it and when Dutt directed a film, Anand would act in it.[25]
In the late 1940s, Anand was offered a few roles starring as the male lead opposite singer-actressSuraiya in woman-oriented films.[26] While shooting these films, they became romantically involved. The two of them were paired in many films:Vidya (1948),Jeet (1949),Shair (1949),Afsar (1950),Nili (1950),Sanam andDo Sitare (1951).[27][28] In these films, Suraiya was always the first biller in the credits, indicating that she was a bigger star than Anand. She fell in love with him during the shooting of the songKinare Kinare Chale Jayen Ge from the filmVidya— while shooting the scene, the boat they were in capsized, and Anand saved Suraiya from drowning. Initially, Suraiya's family used to welcome Anand at home, but when her maternal grandmother found out that the two were in love, and even planned an actual marriage on the set ofJeet, she started monitoring them. The two shared love letters and messages through their co-actors, likeDurga Khote andKamini Kaushal, who went out of their way to engineer secret rendezvous. During the shooting of the filmAfsar (1950), Anand finally proposed to Suraiya and gave her a diamond ring worth Rs 3,000. Her maternal grandmother opposed the relationship as they were Muslim and Anand was Hindu, so, Suraiya remained unmarried.[29][30] They stopped acting together after her grandmother opposed their partnership, andDo Sitare was the last film in which they appeared together.[31][32] Although the films he starred in with Suraiya had been successful, the producers and directors of those films attributed their success to the acting prowess and screen presence of Suraiya. Anand began looking for an opportunity to play the main male lead in a film where his acting skills could be demonstrated, so as to dispel scepticism about his acting abilities.[33]
Dev Anand often spoke about Suraiya and his love affair with her, in various interviews, he gave to film magazines, such asStardust (June 1972 issue),Star & Style (Feb 1987 issue) and TV to Karan Thapar for BBC (2002), while both were alive and after Suraiya's death in interviews given on TV to Simi Garewal (Rendezvous with Simi Garewal) and others on TV and for news magazines.[34]
Anand was offered his first big break byAshok Kumar. He spotted Anand hanging around in the studios and picked him as the hero for theBombay Talkies productionZiddi (1948), co-starringKamini Kaushal, which became an instant success. AfterZiddi's success, Anand decided that he would start producing films. It was in the filmZiddi, that the first ever Kishore-Lata duet, "Yeh Kaun Aaya Karke Yeh Sola Singhar", was recorded.[35] This duet was an instant hit, and from here on both playback singers' associations with Dev Anand began. This continued for the next four decades. His association withKishore Kumar started when the former sang the first solo of his playback singing career – "Marne Ki Duayen" – picturised on Dev Anand in the movieZiddi. Dev had forged a very strong bond of friendship withKishore Kumar during the making of the film. In 1949, he launched his own companyNavketan Films (named after his elder brother Chetan's son Ketan and which means "New Banner"), which, as of 2011, has produced 35 films.Nirala (1950), a commercial success, saw him being paired oppositeMadhubala for the first time, with whom he would later form a popular pair.
Dev choseGuru Dutt as director for the crime thriller,Baazi (1951). The film, starring Dev Anand, Geeta Bali, and Kalpana Kartik was a trendsetter, regarded as the forerunner of the spate of urban crime films that followed in Bollywood in the 1950s. The filmBaazi saw the debut ofKalpana Kartik (aka Mona Singha) as the lead female actress andGuru Dutt as a director. The collaboration was a success at the box office and the duo of Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik were offered many films to star in together. They signed all the film offers and subsequently the moviesAandhiyan (1952),Taxi Driver (1954),House No. 44 (1955) andNau Do Gyarah (1957) went on to become big hits too. During the making of the filmTaxi Driver, the couple fell in love and Dev proposed marriage to his heroine Kalpana. In 1954,Taxi Driver was declared a hit and the two decided to marry in a quiet ceremony. The couple had a son,Suneil Anand in 1956 and later a daughter, Devina, was born. After her marriage, Kalpana decided not to pursue her acting career further.Nau Do Gyarah was the couple's last movie together.
A rapid-fire style of dialogue delivery and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's style in films such asBaazi (1951),Jaal (1952),House No. 44 (1955),Pocket Maar (1956),Munimji (1955),Funtoosh (1956),C.I.D. (1956) andPaying Guest (1957).[36] In the 1950s his films were of the mystery genre or light comedy love stories or were films with social relevance such asEk Ke Baad Ek (1959) andFuntoosh (1956). His style was lapped up by the audience and was widely imitated. He starred in a string of box office successes for the remainder of the 1950s opposite newcomerWaheeda Rehman inC.I.D. (1956),Solva Saal (1958),Kala Bazar (1960) andBaat Ek Raat Ki (1962). Waheeda first became a star whenC.I.D became a hit.[37] In 1955, he co-starred withDilip Kumar in the blockbuster actionerInsaniyat.[38] With his acting in the box office successKala Pani (1958) oppositeMadhubala andNalini Jaywant, as the son who is willing to go to any lengths to clear his framed father's name, he won his first Filmfare award for Best Actor for the film.[39] He attempted films of tragic genre occasionally, such asPocket Maar (1956),Kala Pani (1958),Bombai Ka Baboo (1960) andSharabi (1964) and tasted success with them. Dev also played a few characters with a negative shade, as inJaal (1952) where he played a smuggler, then as an absconding gang member inDushman (1957), and as a black marketer inKala Bazar.[40] Apart from his pairing withSuraiya andKalpana Kartik, his pairing withNutan,Waheeda Rehman andGeeta Bali was popular among the audiences in the late 50s and 60s. His filmsRahi (1952) andAandhiyan (1952), were screened along withRaj Kapoor'sAwaara. From the early fifties till the mid-sixties, the trio of actorsDilip Kumar,Raj Kapoor, and Anand ruled the roost.
In the sixties, Dev Anand acquired a romantic image with films such asManzil andTere Ghar Ke Samne withNutan,Kinare Kinare withMeena Kumari,Maya withMala Sinha,Asli-Naqli withSadhana Shivdasani,Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai,Mahal withAsha Parekh andTeen Deviyaan opposite three heroinesKalpana,Simi Garewal andNanda. In the filmTeen Deviyaan, Dev Anand played a playboy. One of his notable films of the early sixties wasHum Dono (1961) which he produced and acted in, as Anand, a young lover who joins the army in frustration over being shunned by the father of his love Meeta (played by Sadhana Shivdasani). Anand played a double role in the film, also acting as Major Varma, his look-alike who he runs into in the army and forms a deep friendship. Notable for its music byJaidev, the film was a box office hit.
His first colour film,Guide withWaheeda Rehman was based on the novel of the same name byR. K. Narayan. Dev Anand himself was the impetus for making the film version of the book. He met and persuaded Narayan to give his assent to the project.[41] Dev Anand tapped his friends in Hollywood to launch an Indo-US co-production that was shot in Hindi andEnglish simultaneously and was released in 1965.Guide, directed by younger brother Vijay Anand, was an acclaimed movie. Dev played Raju, a voluble guide, who supports Rosy (Waheeda) in her bid for freedom. He is not above thoughtlessly exploiting her for personal gains. Combining style with substance, he gave an affecting performance as a man grappling with his emotions in his passage through love, shame, and salvation.
He reunited with Vijay Anand for the movieJewel Thief (1967), based on the thriller genre which featuredVyjayanthimala,Tanuja,Anju Mahendru,Faryal andHelen and was very successful. Their next collaboration,Johny Mera Naam (1970), again a thriller, in which Dev was paired oppositeHema Malini was a huge blockbuster.[37] It wasJohnny Mera Naam which made Hema Malini a big star.[42]
In 1969, he was a member of the jury at the6th Moscow International Film Festival.[43]
Dev Anand's directorial debut, the espionage dramaPrem Pujari, was a flop but has developed a cult following over the years. The film introduced Zaheeda and had Waheeda Rehman as the female lead. He tasted success with his 1971 directorial effortHare Rama Hare Krishna, shot primarily in Nepal around Swyambhunath, and Bhaktapur,[44] in which talks about the prevalenthippie culture. His findZeenat Aman, who played the mini-skirt-sporting, pot-smoking Janice, became an overnight sensation. Anand also became known as a filmmaker of trenchantly topical themes. The same year, he starred withMumtaz inTere Mere Sapne, an adaptation ofA. J. Cronin's novelThe Citadel. The film was directed by Dev's brother, Vijay, and was also successful. In 1971 he paired again with Zaheeda inGambler which went on to become a success.
In the 1970s,Raj Kapoor started playing roles of father in films such asKal Aaj Aur Kal in 1971 andDharam Karam in 1974 and had put on a lot of weight and films withDilip Kumar as a lead hero likeDastaan andBairaag were failures at the box office. Some of the hurriedly made films with Dev Anand as the leading man—two each opposite Hema Malini –Shareef Badmaash,Joshila and two with Zeenat Aman –Ishk Ishk Ishk,Prem Shastra andSaheb Bahadur with Priya Rajvansh — became flops and posed a threat to his career as a leading man. He bounced back with the double-role filmBanarasi Babu in 1973. He delivered commercial hits again with young heroines like withSharmila Tagore inYeh Gulistan Hamara (1972), withYogeeta Bali andRaakhee inBanarasi Babu (1973), with Hema Malini inChhupa Rustam (1973) andAmir Garib (1974),[45] withZeenat Aman inHeera Panna (1973),Warrant (1975),[46]Kalabaaz (1977) andDarling Darling (1977) and withParveen Babi inBullet (1976). The presence of his discoveries in the 1970s—Zeenat, and laterTina Munim, in films and his good on-screen chemistry with beautiful young stars such asRaakhee,Parveen Babi,Hema Malini andZeenat Aman in various films boosted Anand's image as the evergreen star even though he was well into his fifties. He attempted different genres of films to acquire versatile hero images. He was already 55 when he was paired with Tina Munim in 1978 inDes Pardes, which became among the top five-grossing films of the year.
Dev Anand has also been politically active. He led a group of film personalities who stood up against theInternal Emergency imposed by the thenPrime Minister of India,Indira Gandhi.[47] He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in the Indian parliamentary elections in 1977. He also formed a party called theNational Party of India, which he later disbanded.[48]
The 1978 hitDes Pardes, directed by Dev Anand was the debut movie of actressTina Munim and this film's success gave him the tag of theEvergreen Star. Dev Anand was offered the lead role inMan Pasand by director Basu Chatterjee. Dev Anand's successful run at the box office continued in the 1980s withMan Pasand,Lootmaar (both opposite Tina Munim), andSwami Dada (1982), all being critically acclaimed and box office hits.
Though Dev Anand's demand as the lead hero had not decreased even in the 1980s, he decided that it was the right time to introduce his sonSuneil Anand in films as the hero. He launched his son in theKramer vs. Kramer-inspiredAnand Aur Anand (1984), which was produced and directed by Dev Anand himself and had music byR.D. Burman. He expected the film to do well, but the film was a box office disaster, andSuneil Anand decided not to act in films any more.
But films with Dev Anand as the lead hero inHum Naujawan (1985) andLashkar (1989) continued to be box office successes and were appreciated by critics.[49] He was already 60 years old in 1983 when he acted opposite Christine O'Neil and alongside Rati Agnihotri andPadmini Kolhapure inSwami Dada. In 1989, his directorial ventureSachche ka Bolbala was released. Though critically acclaimed, it was a commercial failure. His performance as Professor Anand in the 1989 filmLashkar was widely appreciated and was a major success at the box office.[50]Lashkar was his last hit film in the lead role in 1989, with him neither producer nor director of the film.
He directedPyar Ka Tarana in 1993, without casting himself in any role. His directorial movieGangster (1995) had a controversial nude rape scene and the movie was released uncut. He received offers to star in the lead roles outside of his home banners in films likeReturn of Jewel Thief andAman Ke Farishtey but the former was not successful at the box office and the latter wasn't released in 1993 though the film was fully ready to be released.
Since 1992, seven of his directorial ventures were box office failures. His last filmChargesheet (2011) was panned by critics across the board and was a box office flop.[51]
He also starred in English films such as TheEvil Within (1970), where he was paired opposite Vietnamese actress Kieu Chinh and Zeenat Aman[21] andGuide (English Version). The English language filmThe Evil Within was a 20th-Century Fox production that couldn't get the nod from the concerned authorities due to its parallel track dealing with opium selling and thus the Indian viewers were deprived of this American venture.[52] Of the 114 Hindi films, he appeared in, over 6 decades,Kahin Aur Chal (1968) had a delayed release in the early 1970s and the multi-starrer filmEk Do Teen Chaar (1980) remained unreleased andShrimanji (1968) had him in a guest appearance. By 2011, he had the second most solo lead roles in Hindi films— 92, with Rajesh Khanna having the record for the most films as the solo lead hero in Hindi films – 106.[53]
Dev Anand has produced 35 films. Of the 35 films he produced, 18 were commercially successful at the box office. He wrote the stories for 13 of his films. Anand's films are well known for their hit songs. He is known to have been an active participant in the music sessions of a number of his films. His association with music composersShankar-Jaikishen,O. P. Nayyar,Kalyanji-Anandji,Sachin Dev Burman and his sonRahul Dev Burman, lyricistsHasrat Jaipuri,Majrooh Sultanpuri,Gopaldas Neeraj,Shailendra,Anand Bakshi, andplayback singersKishore Kumar,Mohammed Rafi andHemant Kumar produced some very popular songs.Guru Dutt,Kishore Kumar,Mohammed Rafi,Pran,Dilip Kumar,Raj Kapoor,Sunil Dutt,Nargis,Vyjayanthimala,S.D. Burman,Shammi Kapoor andR.D. Burman were his closest friends from the film industry.[54][55]
Anand is credited with giving actors such asZarina Wahab inIshk Ishk Ishk (1974),Jackie Shroff inSwami Dada (1982),Tabu inHum Naujawan (1985) andRicha Sharma (Sanjay Dutt's first wife) a break in the film industry, discovering Zeenat Amaan, Tina Munim and encouraging music composerRajesh Roshan.[21] Amit Khanna started his career with Navketan as executive producer in 1971 and had been secretary to Dev Anand in the 1970s. He adds, "The uniqueness of Navketan today is that it's the only film company in the world still run by the one who started it."[56] Shatrughan Sinha disclosed in an interview that it was Dev Anand who gave him a break in films by giving him a role inPrem Pujari and since Dev had given Sinha a very small role in that film, he compensated for it by giving Sinha another role in his next filmGambler. Sinha quoted: "Later on we worked together inSharif Badmash and it was really a privilege to work with him".[57] It was under Dev Anand's Navketan Banner where Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Waheeda Rehman, S.D. Burman, Jaidev, Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Yash Johar, Shekhar Kapur and Kabir Bedi were given breaks into Hindi films and Dev launched actors Zaheera,Zaheeda Hussain, Zarina Wahab, Natasha Sinha,Ekta Sohini and Sabrina.[21]
Anand was in a relationship with actressSuraiya for four years from 1948 to 1951.[58][59] Anand nicknamed Suraiya "Nosey", while to Suraiya, Dev Anand was "Steve", a name chosen from a book Dev Anand had given her. Suraiya also called Anand "Devina" and he called her "Suraiyana", while faking an Italian accent.[29] During the shooting ofJeet (1949), both Anand and Suraiya, had made plans for marriage and elopement, but were unsuccessful due to the opposition from Suraiya's maternal grandmother and maternal uncle.[citation needed] In the 'Star and Style' interview, Suraiya said that she gave in only when both her grandmother and her maternal uncle threatened to get Dev Anand killed.[60] Suraiya and Anand were stopped from acting together after their last film in 1951 by her grandmother. In an interview withStardust, in June 1972, Suraiya revealed that she lacked the courage to resist her family and that Anand truly loved her. Anand wanted her to be bold and marry him in a civil court, but she refused.[61][62][63] Suraiya remained unmarried throughout her life till she died on 31 January 2004.[64] In his auto-biography, Anand said Suraiya was his "first true love". When Suraiya died in 2004, Anand hid from the media in his terrace, because he wanted to be away from the media.[65][66]
Dev Anand was broken after the relationship ended. In 1954, Anand marriedKalpana Kartik,[67] an actress fromShimla, in a private marriage during the shooting of the filmTaxi Driver.[68] They have two children, sonSuneil Anand, born 1956 and daughter Devina Anand.[69][70]
Anand died in his room atThe Washington Mayfair Hotel inLondon at age of 88 on 3 December 2011 of acardiac arrest.[71][72][73] His death came just two months after the release of his last filmChargesheet, which he directed and produced.[74] Anand was reportedly in London for a medical checkup at the time of his death.[75] On 10 December, his funeral service was held at a small chapel in London after which his coffin was taken to the Putney Vale Crematorium in southwest London. His ashes were returned to India for immersion burial in theGodavari River.[76][77]
Anand is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema.[78][79] Anand is noted for his diverse roles and charm. One of the highest paid actor from the 1950s to early 1970s, Anand appeared inBox Office India's "Top Actors" list sixteen times (1948, 1951–1963, 1970–1971).[4] In 2022, he was placed inOutlook India's "75 Best Bollywood Actors" list.[80] Anand was placed seventh among the "Greatest Bollywood Stars" in a UK poll celebrating 100 years of Indian cinema, in 2013.[81][82] He was also a part of the "Trinity – The Golden Trio" (along withRaj Kapoor andDilip Kumar).[83] In 2013, he was named as one of "the men who changed the face of the Indian Cinema" byCNN-News18.[84]
Anand was widely known as the "first fashion icon" of Bollywood.[85] He made fashion statement with his scarves, mufflers and jackets and his signature puff. Many film actors and fashion designers have taken inspiration from Anand.Filmfare place him third in its "Bollywood's most stylish men" list.[86] Commenting on his style,Rachel Dwyer said, "Dev Anand's offscreen persona was that of the modern Indian citizen created by the new state of India. Onscreen, he often appeared as himself from film to film, with his distinctive hair puff and stylish western clothes – the look was often similar, well-suited to an urban and urbane hero, he played a wide variety of roles convincingly."[87] After the filmKaala Paani, there was a period when Anand did not wear black in public.[88][89]In September 2007, Dev Anand's autobiographyRomancing with Life was released at a birthday party with the Indian Prime MinisterDr. Manmohan Singh.[90]
Anand is considered as one of the greatest actors in Indian cinema.[91] Anand played the leading man from the 1940s until the 1980s and was known for his strong roles. He was known for playing roles in diverse genres — from romantic dramas to actions and thrillers to musical dramas.[91][92]Anupama Chopra termed Anand the "most dashing hero", Indian cinema has ever seen and added, "The nodding head, flopping arms, casual charm inspired a legion of actors. Yet, in 77 years, Dev Saab hasn't had a true successor."[93] Although Anand was mainly a romantic actor, he also played complicated, compromised characters. Anand's filmBaazi is regarded as the forerunner of the spate of "Bombay Noir." He later appeared in many thrillers likeC.I.D,Kala Pani,Jaal,Jewel Thief andHare Rama Hare Krishna.[94] On this, filmmakerSriram Raghavan said, "Much before Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, much more than Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor, it was Dev Anand's bold film choices that shaped what is called the Bombay noir."[95]
Devesh Sharma ofFilmfare termed him a "debonair hero" and noted, "His true matinee idol good looks, suave demeanor and charismatic screen presence made his fans swoon every time he came on screen."[96] Subhash K. Jha ofFirstpost called him the "most easygoing superstar cinema has ever known" and said, "Dev Anand symbolized the most dazzling bastion of Hindi cinema. He was flamboyant, debonair, mischievous and romantic."[97] Shekhar Gupta ofThe Print said, "Nobody could match Dev Anand for style." He added, "Many of his films were ahead of his time. But you always walked out of the sultry small-town hall copying Dev Anand's leaning-tower gait, his mannerism, and always hummed his songs."[98] Journalist Rauf Ahmed added Anand on his "Biggest stars in Hindi filmdom" list and noted, "For almost five decades Anand has continued to fascinate his fans with his never-say-die spirit and flamboyance. He is one actor for whom time has had the courtesy to stand still."[99]Saibal Chatterjee ofThe Tribune noted, "There is nobody quite like Dev Anand. A timeless Bollywood icon, an eternal dreamer and a man of action, his creative life has never known anything akin to a full stop."[100] Siddharth Bhatia said, "Anand's various roles – whether in the black-and-white 1950s, when he usually played a down-at-heel cabbie or con artist, or in the 1960s when he matured, and even later – were all marked with a can-do spirit; maudlin self-pity was not his style."[101]
Anand was often compared to the famous Hollywood actorGregory Peck.[102] Anand said that he didn't feel ecstatic hearing the tagline bestowed on him in his heyday. "When you are at an impressionable age you make idols, but when you grow out of the phase, you develop your own persona. I don't want to be known as India's Gregory Peck, I am Dev Anand".[103] Acquainted with the Bollywood actor, Peck's personal interactions with him spanned four to five long meetings in Europe and Mumbai.[103][104]
Dev Anand and Suraiya met Peck for the first time at Bombay's Willingdon Club, after the Filmfare Awards in 1954. He knew of the "Indian Star" as an actor, more so probably because his romance with Suraiya was grabbing the headlines. The second time they met was inRome when Dev Anand was on his way back from the Venice Film Festival, and they exchanged pleasantries. The third meeting was inLondon on the set ofMoby Dick. However, Suraiya asked for an exclusive meeting with her idol at her house. Though Anand says jealousy was natural for anyone in love, he didn't mind that he was not invited. "I didn't quite feel anything. It wasn't as if they were going to fall in love or make love. Even if they would have, it wouldn't have mattered. I was mature enough. Moreover, he wasn't my rival. I too was a big star by then," says Anand.[105]
Journalist Jawed Naqvi wrote, "Often called India's Gregory Peck for his debonair looks, Anand's signature scarf and stylised acting brought him closer in demeanour toJohn Wayne."[106]
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 13th National Film Awards | Third Best Feature Film in Hindi | Guide | Won | [107] |
| 2002 | Dadasaheb Phalke Award | Outstanding contribution to Indian cinema | — | Honoured | [108] |
On the occasion of 100 years of Indian cinema, a postage stamp bearing his image and likeness was released byIndia Post to honour him on 3 May 2013.[127] In Anand's honour, a brass statue was unveiled atWalk of the Stars atBandra Bandstand, along with his autograph, in February 2013.[128] In 2016, Bhaichand Patel wrote about Dev Anand in his bookBollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema.[129]
Several actors have been inspired by Anand's work and fondly remembers him. ActorRajesh Khanna called him his "inspiration" and said, "I was an ardent admirer of Dev Anand from my teens. I was highly inspired by his acting style. Dev Anand was my inspiration, my idol."[130] ActressMala Sinha said, "Devsaab was the romantic idol of Indian youth. He paired successfully opposite every leading lady of his period."[131] Talking about his stardom, actressAsha Parekh said, "The only stardom I've seen seem that is comparable with Rajesh Khanna is Dev Anand. Deewane the fans Dev Saab ke." ("Fans were crazy about Dev Anand")[132]
Various film festivals have given tribute to Dev Anand. In 2011,Bengaluru International Film Festival and in 2023,Kolkata International Film Festival organised event and screened Anand's films.[133][134] A three-day weekend retrospective of five of Anand's biggest 1960s hits, was organised by theDirectorate of Film Festivals in 2005.[100] A garden named "Sadabhaar Dev Anand Udyan", after the actor was inaugurated by his son in Mahavir Jain Vidyalaya, Mumbai.[135] In 2023, to mark Anand's 100th birthday on 26 September, Film Heritage Foundation andNational Film Archive of India, in collaboration withPVR INOX, presented "Dev Anand@100 – Forever Young" – a weekend festival of four Dev Anand milestone films in cinemas in 30 cities and 58 cinemas across India on 23 and 24 September.[136] In 2023, an exhibition atKiran Nadar Museum of Art inNoida, named "Sitaare Zameen Par", had portraits of Anand that were captured by JH Thakkar.[137]
My father was an Arya Samaji. He was a freedom fighter, a lawyer and a great scholar. He knew Persian, studied the Quran in Arabic, the Geeta in Sanskrit, and the Bible in Hebrew.
Birth Anniversary of Dev Anand Commemorated through Postage Stamps
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