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Legendary actor Dev Anand passes away in London at 88
New Delhi, December 4, 2011
File photo of Dev Anand.
Legendary Indian actor and film-maker Dev Anand, the "evergreen" star who had a large fan following across generations and who introduced several actors, directors, music composers and cinematograpers to the film industry, died after a massive cardiac arrest in London last night. He was 88.
Dev Anand, who had travelled to London for a medical check-up, had not been keeping well for the past few days. His son Suneil was with him when the end came, sources said.
"It is with great sadness that the family of Dev Anand announces his death. He passed away in his sleep last night after a sudden cardiac arrest. His family requests privacy till further announcements are made," a statement from the family, read out by an official of the Washington Mayfair hotel, where the actor was staying, said.
The Government of India had honoured Dev Anand with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 for his contribution to Indian cinema.
Born as Dharam Dev Anand on September 26, 1923, Dev Anand was the second of three brothers who made a name for themselves in Hindi cinema. The brothers were Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand, both well-known film-makers who had pre-deceased him. Their sister Sheel Kanta Kapur's son is the well-known film director Shekhar Kapur.
Dev Anand graduated in English literature from the Government College, Lahore, now in Pakistan, and came to Bombay in the early 1940s to make a career for himself in show business. After a brief stint in the military censor office in Bombay, he joined Chetan Anand's Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA).
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He made his debut as an actor in Hum Ek Hain (1946) produced by Prabhat Talkies, during the making of which he struck a lasting friendship with actor-director Guru Dutt.
His first major break came in Ziddi (1948), a Bombay Talkies production in which he co-starred with Kamini Kaushal.
He turned producer in 1949 and launched his own company, Navketan, which has produced more than 30 films, including some big hits.
In 1951, he co-starred with Geeta Bali and Kalpana Kartik, who was making her debut. Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik went on to work in many films together. During the making of Taxi Driver, Dev Anand proposed to her and they got married in a quiet ceremony. Their son Suneil Anand was born in 1956. Kalpana stopped acting in films after she got married.
After a string of box office successes, including CID, Solva Saal, Kala Bazar and Baat Ek Raat Ki, Dev Anand won his first Filmfare award for Best Actor for Kala Pani (1958).
More hits followed in the early sixties -- Manzil, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Kinaare Kinaare, Maya, Asli Naqli, Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai, Mahal and Teen Deviyan.
In 1965, he made Guide, with Waheeda Rehman as his co-star, based on the novel of the same name by well-known writer R K Narayanan. The film, an Indo-US production, was directed by Vijay Anand and was highly acclaimed. Guide was India's entry for the Oscars that year.
The two brothers went on to make Jewel Thief and Johnny Mera Naam, both thrillers and huge hits with the audiences.
Dev Anand made his directorial debut with Prem Pujaari, an espionage drama that failed to make the cash registers ring. But his next venture, Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), in which Zeenat Aman made her debut, was a huge success.
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The same year saw him starring in another Vijay Anand film Tere Mere Sapne with Mumtaz. More films followed in the '70s, including Banarasi Babu, Chhupa Rustam, Amir Garib, Heera Panna, Warrant and Darling Darling at a time when his contemporaries such as Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kapoor were no longer doing the main leads in films. In 1978, he starred opposite debutant Tina Munim in Des Pardes, earning the tag of "evergreen hero".
In the early 1980s, he starred in movies such as Man Pasand, Lootmaar and Swami Dada.
Dev Anand also briefly dabbled in politics in the late 1970s. He was amongst the film personalities who opposed the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and had campaigned against her in the 1977 elections. He also formed a party called the National Party of India, which he later disbanded.
In 1984, he produced and directed "Anand vs Anand", with his son Suneil in the lead, but the film did not do well and Suneil did not act in films after that.
During his illustrious career, Dev Anand directed 19 films and produced some 35 movies. Apart from being commercial successes, many of his films were also popular for their songs.
NNN
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