Dev Anand
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The sources of this article
ii) When Dev Anand was mistaken for a taxi driver
Roshmila Bhattacharya,Mumbai Mirror | Nov 12, 2013
iii) Dev Anand loved premieres in Kolkata
The Times of India TNN | Sep 26, 2013
By Ranjan Das Gupta
PTI | Dec 4, 2011, 09.46PM IST
PTI | Dec 4, 2011
vi) When Dev Anand almost declared his love for Zeenat Aman
PTI | Dec 4, 2011
vii) Maestro SDBurman, Evergreen Dev Anand & All Time Great Rafi Sahab & Hidden Truths
By Vijay Bavdekar
Early life
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (he quickly shortened the name to “Dev Anand”) was born in Gurdaspur in Punjab on September 26 1923. Pishorimal Anand was the name of his father, a scholarly lawyer who sent his son to a convent school in Dalhousie in the Himalayas and saw to it that his son studied English literature at Lahore’s elite Government College. Dev Anand is the second of three brothers who were active in Hindi Cinema. His brothers are Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand. Their sister, Sheel Kanta Kapur, is the mother of renowned film director Shekhar Kapur.
After getting a BA, Dev Anand wanted to carry on with an MA in English but his father, who was facing financial problems, demanded that his son work in a bank. At this Dev Anand felt aggrieved, since his elder brother, Chetan, 10 years his senior, had been sent to university in London.
In Lahore, Dev Anand got his first exposure to the big western movies of the time. “This was the period of MGM, of Fox, of Paramount, of Clark Gable, of Gone with the Wind,” he noted. But it was not until he headed to Bombay – then as now the city of celluloid dreams – that he got his screen break.
He left for the city in 1943, aged only 19 and with just 30 rupees (not even £3) in his pocket. More than 55 years would pass before Dev Anand returned to Lahore, which had become part of Pakistan after Partition. Then, with the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he climbed on board a touring “friendship” bus as India and Pakistan attempted to resolve their differences. Dev Anand received a rapturous welcome and was serenaded by one fan who could play the melodies from all his hit movies on a flute.
Persona
Dev Anand, the debonair hero, whose signature puff hair and swagger enchanted fans across generations, outlived many of his contemporaries with his infectious zeal for life and cinema.
The charismatic star lived by the philosophy of "Main Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhata chala gaya, har fikar ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya," a song written for him by friend Sahir Ludhiyanwi in 1961 film "Hum Dono".
He broke new grounds, playing a smuggler in "Jaal", absconding gang member in "Dushman", blackmarketeer in "Kalabazaar" and a murderer in "Bombay Ka Babu".
Still, critics accused him of being more style than substance. But, Dev Anand proved his detractors wrong - first with a class act in "Kala Paani" (1958). Then came "Hum Dono" (1961) and he finally sealed all doubts with a nuanced performance in "Guide" (1966).
Honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002, Dev Anand had also been politically active. He led a group of film personalities, who stood up against the 1975 Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in 1977 Parliamentary elections. He also floated a political outfit, National Party of India, which he later disbanded.
Dev Anand, born September 26 1923, died December 3 2011
1946-49: Early career
Love for acting made Dev Anand leave his hometown and arrive in Mumbai (then Bombay), where he began working at the military censor office at Churchgate, reading letters written by soldiers to their families.
His first starring role came three years after he arrived in Bombay, with the film Hum Ek Hain (1946), about gangsters in Lahore. Dev Anand made his debut as an actor in 1946 in 'Hum Ek Hain'. By the time his 'Ziddi' was released in 1947 he was a superstar and has never looked back.
His first breakthrough "Hum Ek Hain" in 1946, with Pune's Prabhat studios, did little to boost his film career but he found a lifelong friend in fellow actor-director Guru Dutt. The duo made a pact: if Dev produced a film, Guru Dutt would direct and if Guru Dutt produced a film, Dev would act in it.
Dev Anand was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar for Bombay Talkies "Ziddi" co-starring Kamini Kaushal in 1948 which became a success.
Other productions followed and by 1948, the year Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated, he had begun to establish himself, earning 365 rupees a film.
This was enough to buy his first car, a Hillman Minx, which he took out for a spin on the day that Gandhi was killed. Returning to the set of Vidya after racing along Bombay’s Marine Drive, he found that filming had been suspended as India mourned the passing of the “Father of the Nation”.
Vidya was one of seven films in which Dev Anand took the role of male lead opposite the popular star Suraiya. The pair were often romantically linked but religious differences (she was Muslim, he Hindu) scotched any plans of marriage.
The 1950s
After Do Sitare (1951) the Dev-Suraiya pair did not share the screen again. Instead he sought to establish himself as a star in his own right by setting up the production company, Navketan. Always the one to think ahead, he decided to start producing after Zinddi's success by launching his own company Navketan in 1949. As promised, he signed his friend Guru Dutt to direct the crime thriller 'Baazi' (1951). This creative collaboration was a success.
Among Navketan’s first films was the thriller Baazi (1951), with Kalpana Kartik playing the female lead. Once again Anand found himself one half of a couple adored by audiences, and the pair reprised the success of Baazi throughout the Fifties in films such as Aandhiyan (1952) and Nau Do Gyarah (1957). By then, however, the screen couple had become man and wife in real life; following the marriage Kalpana Kartik began to wind down her film career.
1952, 1953: lean years
Reeling under the financial burden of two flops— 'Aandhiyan' (1952) and 'Humsafar' (1953)-- Navketan's 'Taxi Driver' drove on to the streets of Mumbai on a shoestring budget. Scripted by the youngest Anand, Vijay, fondly called Goldie, who was still studying at the St. Xavier's College, and fine-tuned by Chetan Anand's wife Uma, the film starred Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik.
Kalpana was a girl from an army background in Shimla, who was paired with Dev in Guru Dutt's 'Baazi' (1951) went on to make a hit jodi with him after the success of the crime thriller.
1954
The two signed up for Taxi Driver (1954). With Suraiya out of the picture, Dev fell in love with her and the two quietly got married on the sets during lunch break. However, they couldn't keep the wedding a secret for long because the cinematographer spotted a ring on Kalpana's finger, which hadn't been there an hour earlier. Enquiries revealed that her dashing groom had slipped it on. Two years later, Suneil was born. Kalpana quit acting after 'Nau Do Gyarah', went back to her original name Mona and over the years became a recluse.
Mohan Churiwala, Dev's close associate, remembers the song 'Jaayen to jaayen kahan' recorded separately by Lata Mangeshkar and Talat Mehmood. "Talat saab was an unusual choice for Dev saab, but Dada (SD Burman) insisted on recording the male version with him and the song won him the Filmfare Award for Best Playback (Male) while Burman was adjudged Best Music Director," said Churiwala.
Churiwala recalls how Dev was mistaken for a real cabbie when he had stopped outside Taj Mahal Hotel to pick up Sheila Ramani who plays to a club dancer Sylvie. "A foreigner jumped in and directed Dev saab to take him to the red light area. It took our hero a few minutes to convince him that they were shooting a film following which the apologetic guy got off," he narrates.
Mumbai (then Bombay), he points out, was mentioned in the credits, and the cab, a Buick, took viewers on a picturesque tour of the city. "At the film's premiere, members of the taxi drivers union who'd been invited, parked their cabs outside Minerva theatre before stepping in. It was a rare sight," Churiwala says, adding that in 1976 the film was remade by Chetan Anand as Jaaneman.
In Navketan's silver jubilee year Dev wanted all three brothers to make films under the banner. Chetan Anand made Jaaneman, Vijay Anand made Bullet, while Dev Anand started on Des Pardes which was released two years later.
Important films
A: The Topicality of his films
Amit Khanna, Sep 24, 2023: The Times of India
Dev saab was a thorough professional. He could make films with modest budgets although Guide (1965) and Ishk Ishk Ishk (1974) were among the biggest projects of their time. He loved fresh locations. Right from the scripting stage, he would be clear where he wanted to shoot. He would visit the locations before weaving them into the script. For Jewel Thief, he chose Sikkim. For Hare Rama Hare Krishna, he opted for Kathmandu.
He had a great sense of music. During sittings, he would pick a note and ask the composer to expand on it. His discipline extended to the way he lived. He was a frugal eater, but not choosy. In a party, a single peg of whisky would last the night. Sometimes he would leave even half of that.
His aesthetics were modern, in fact ahead of his time. He was a trend-setter with costumes. In his time, he was the only male star who could carry any dress in any colour.
He had a knack for making friends across sectors. King Mahendra of Nepal, Chogyal of Sikkim, King of Bhutan – all became his friends. So did Naval Tata, Ratan Tata’s father, Soli Godrej and Vithal Mallya, who was Vijay Mallya’s father. He hosted the Italian master Michelangelo Antonioni and Brit ish actor Rex Harrison. Hollywood star Shirley Maclaine was a friend. And yet he would write handwritten notes to his fans whenever he could. He would travel abroad, watch plays and movies. I remember him discussing the film, Midnight Express, with me. He invited the famous writer Irving Stone (Lust for Life) to India. Nobel prize recipient Pearl S Buck was involved with the writing of Guide’s English version. They had first met at the Berlin Film Festival where Hum Dono was being shown and she was on the jury. He exchanged notes with other writers such as RK Narayan, Manohar Malgaonkar, Agyeya, Kamleshwar and Khushwant Singh. Once we discussed the difference between star and actor. He quoted American director Elia Kazan who had said that an actor is admired, a star is loved. Dev saab was not apologetic about being called a star.
He worked with the maximum number of leading ladies. He always encouraged newcomers. He loved interacting with young people. The interactions kept him updated. Which is why his films were not just about current headlines, but also tomorrow’s headlines. Des Pardes (1978) dealt with migration long before it became a news story.
He had bought the rights of Malgaonkar’s The Princes. But the film was never made. He was also approached to collaborate with the great David Selznick (Gone with the Wind) whose wife Jennifer Jones (Duel in the Sun) was to play the female lead. The project was aborted after Selznick died of a heart attack.
Dev saab had a ‘never say die’ spirit. He looked towards tomorrow. We all know he faltered towards the end. But I never heard him speak ill of anyone. He remained a great human being. Lyricist-producer Amit Khanna worked closely with Dev Anand. He was also executive producer and production controller for Navketan, Dev’s production company. Writer photo by Rajesh Mehta.
B
Apart from Guide (1966), films that secured his place in India’s pantheon included Hum Dono (1961); Jewel Thief (1967); and Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971). Hum Dono was re-released in colour in 2011 as ‘Hum Dono Rangeen.’
Co- stars
Waheeda Rehman
Sep 24, 2023: The Times of India
When I was first signed to star opposite Dev, I had no idea that I would be working with him. Those days we got to know about our costars at the last moment. When I went on the sets of CID, director Raj Khosla introduced me to the whole unit. When I saw Dev, I was surprised and shocked. I went up to him and said “Dev saab, it’s an honour to meet you.” He replied, “Tum mujhe Dev saab nahi kahogi (You can’t call me Dev saab).” I told him that I was a newcomer, and he was a big star, so how could I call him by his first name? But he insisted. He explained very calmly that if someone uses words like ‘saab’ or ‘sir’, a distance is created and he doesn’t feel comfortable. As a result, he became the only person in the industry whom I called by name. Everyone else was “ji”, “saab”, and “sir”. He was just Dev for me.
Guide was made in Hindi and English. Vijay Anand directed the Hindi version; Tad Danielewski, the English. Both didn’t want to work with me. However, Dev insisted that only Waheeda will do the role. I told him not to force the directors. But he stood by me, and insisted that as the producer, he would take the call. I blushed when he told me that ever since reading the book by R K Narayan, he had only imagined me playing Rosie. I was taken aback when he told me that he knew that if problems arise, I would stand by him. That’s what happened. There was a lot of chaos as we were shooting simultaneously in Hindi and English. Ego clashes between the two directors hampered the shoot. Dev was very upset and worried. A lot of time was being wasted. One day, he suggested that we should first shoot in Hindi, then in English. He asked me for additional dates and I agreed without a second thought. “See, I knew you’d stand by me,” he replied.
During that era, there were three big stars: Dev, Raj Kapoor, and Dilip Kumar. All were very talented, but there was something different about him. He was not condescending. He insisted on working with new directors and crew, and made everyone comfortable. He was a charming actor and a charming human being. He was also a decent flirt. Dev was always the most welldressed person on the set. He had so much energy mentally and physically. If his clothes would get drenched in sweat or get soiled, he would run to his room, change, and then come back to take a shot. I used to joke, and call him an ‘Eveready Battery’, always charged. Dev also had an ear for good music and was very particular about the songs in his films. If he didn’t like a song, he would even tell (Sachin Dev) Burman da, “Dada, maza nahi aaya! Kuch aur banaiye.”
As I become older, it sometimes becomes difficult to recall the details of the time I spent with him. What I remember the most, however, is how broad-minded and progressive Dev was in his thinking. Also, he didn’t stick to the formulaic films or typical love stories that were being made in that time. He wanted every film of his to be different from the other. He had the guts to make Guide, which had a very bold subject. More than a love story, it was about three people who want to make something of their life. The characters were grey, and made unconventional choices. It was different, yet at the same time, very true to life and the people we see around us even today.
I am sure wherever he is, he is happy that his work is being honoured and remembered even today.
(As told to Shruti Sonal)
The songs of Dev Anand: SD Burman, Rafi and Kishore
Vijay Bavdekar writes in MohdRafi.com: It was always said that Kishore was SD Burman-da’s first choice for Dev Anand, also it is an open truth that Burmanda had a special feeling for Kishore In my opinion facts are somewhat different. So without prejudice, let us have a flashback.
Burman-da — Dev Ananad–Kishore combination
Few examples are as below.
Kishore,who started career from “Ziddi” (M D Khemchand Prakash-1948), sang for Dev under Burmanda’s music for the first time in 1951 and the song was- “Dil ye kya cheej hai” (Baazi), and thereafter he continued upto 60-70 deacade just as…”De bhi chuke hum dil nazrana” (with Geeta Dutt-Jaal) “Dukhi man mere“,”Aye meri topi palat ke aa“and “Wo dekhen to unki inayat“-with Asha-(Fantoosh), “Jeevan ke safar me raahi” (Munimjee) ,”Mana janabne pukara nahi“,”Hay hay hay ye nigahen” & “Jamana kya kahega“-with Asha,”(Paying Guest) Hum hai raahi Pyaarke” & “Aankhome kya jee“-with Asha, “(Nau do gyarah),”Oonche sur me gaye jaa“-(House no.44) “Khwaab ho tum ya“,”Are yaar meri“–with Asha, “Likha hai teri aankhonme” & “oof kitni thandi hai meri” -both with Lata (All from Teen Deviyan),”Gata rahe mera dil“-with Lata (Guide),”Ye dil na hota bechara” & “Aasman ke neeche“-with Lata-(Jewel Thief) ,”Phoolonke rangse” (Prem Pujari) and lastly “Dil aaj shayar hai gum aaj nagma hai“-(gambler).
No doubt these songs were great hits once upon a time, but I feel, they lack some variety and exact vocal expressions which Dev Anand shew on his chocolate face. You will find this, with something more in SD–DEV–RAFI–melodious & more romantic combination.” think over the songlist below.
SD Burman–DevAnand–Mohd. Rafi
“Thummak thummak chali kahan“(Ek ke Baad Ek), and more songs form this film,”Chale gaye hum bekhudime” & “Achhaji mai haari chalo maan jaao na“-with Asha-(Kala Pani) “Khoya Khoya chaand “,”Apni to har aah ek toofan hai” & “Rimzim ke Tarane leke aayi Barsaat“-with Asha (All from Kala Bazaar), “Diwana mastana hua dil“-with Asha, & “Saathi na koi manzil” (Both from Bambai ka babu),”O aaja panchhi akela hai“, “Kalike roopme chali ho dhoopme” – (Both from Nau do gyarah),”Dilka bhanwar kare pukar“,”tu kahan ye bata“,”sunle tu dilki sada” & “Dekho rootha na karo” (All from Tere gharke saamne),”Aise to na dekho” & “kahin bekhayaal ho kar” (both from Teen Deviyan),”Kyaa se kyaa ho gaya“,”tere mere sapne ab ek rang hai” & “Din dhal jaye haye“All from Guide), “Chupkese mile pyaase pyaase “-with Geeta Dutt and “mera man tera pyaasa” from gambler (last song of Rafi for Dev and SD).
Rafi sang for Dev Anand (One year before than Kishore ) “Sawan ki gahatao dheere dheere aana” Aage Badho with Khursheed–Sudhir Phadake-1947) and continued from 50-51 to 60-70 decade as below.
Husnalal Bhagatram- “Chhotasa fasana hai tere mere pyaarka” (with Lata –Birha ki Raat) & “O sanam, sanam sanam (Rafi-Sureiya-Film Sanam) , & more films. C.Ramchandra-”Dekh hame aawaaj na dena” (Rafi-Asha–Amardeep),”Duniya kya hai” (Sarhad) and more films. Chic Chocolete-”Aisa kya kusur kiya“(Rafi-Lata –Naadan) OPNayyar–”Aankho hi aankhonme“(Rafi –Geeta-CID),”Raat sard sard hai”(Jali note,–All rafi songs of this film are enchanting), Salil Chaudhari – Koi soneke dilwala (Maya), Shankar Jaikishan- teri julfonse judaai to nahi (Jab pyar kisisse hota hai)-”Dheere dheere chal“(Rafi-Lata-Love Marriage), “Aap naraz khuda khair karen”(Pyar Muhabbat)and more films, Jaidev-”Mai zindagika saath” and more (Hum dono), MadanMohan-”Sawan ke mahineme ek aagsi seeneme”and classic ”Mujhe le chalo aaj phir us galime” -(Sharabi) etc. etc.
Four songs the star made his own
Sunil Warrier, Sep 24, 2023: The Times of India
1 Flying limbs : In ‘Khoya khoya chand’ (Kala Bazar), Dev goes mountain-sashaying with legs and arms swinging with abandon as if unscrewed. Romance is in the air, but did you notice Waheeda?
2 Bare torso: A song that gives a glimpse of rare machismo. ‘Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata’ (Hum Dono): getting into army fatigues, bare chested.
3 Naughty and natty: Grey trousers, yellow shirt, white pullover, sola hat and black shoes with fancy socks on a sunny day in the Western Ghats never became a fashion statement for anglers. Nimble-footed Dev is one step ahead teasing and irritating carseated Tanuja and her pals with ‘Yeh dil na hota bechara’ (Jewel Thief).
4 Mischievously yours: Windows of various shapes and sizes magically open and shut in ‘Pal bhar ke liye koi hame pyar kar le’ (Johny Mera Naam) as Dev woos a vivacious Hema Malini who first resists and then capitulates to the ‘Jhoota hi sahi’ love.
Love life
Regarding Suraiya and Kalpana Kartik, also see above
In the 40s, Dev Anand got a few offers to star opposite singer-actress Suraiya, an established actress of that time.
While shooting these films, he became romantically involved with Suraiya. The two of them were paired in seven films together --"Vidya", "Jeet", "Shair", "Afsar", "Nili", "Do Sitare" and "Sanam" , all hits at the box office.
He finally proposed Suraiya on the set of "Jeet" but Suraiya's maternal grandmother opposed the relationship as they were Muslim and Dev Anand Hindu. Suraiya remained unmarried all her life. He married Kalpana Kartik after meetin her on the set of "Taxi Driver".
When Dev Anand almost declared his love for Zeenat Aman
Basking in the glow of the success of Hare Rama Hare Krishna in 1971, Dev Anand, the ever-romantic hero, soon realised that he was in love with the film's leading lady and his discovery Zeenat Aman.
Describing his feelings for Zeenat, Dev Anand wrote in his autobiography, Romancing With Life that he enjoyed it when newspapers and magazines started linking them together romantically after the film's success.
He almost declared his love to her, but quietly withdrew when he saw her getting close to Raj Kapoor, who wanted to cast her in his film Satyam Shivam Sundaram.
"Whenever and wherever she was talked about glowingly, I loved it; and whenever and wherever I was discussed in the same vein she was jubilant. In the subconscious, we had become emotionally attached to each other," Dev Anand wrote in his 2007 book.
Some years later, Dev Anand admitted he felt jealous when Raj Kapoor kissed Zeenat in full view of the invited audience at the premiere of his next film Ishq Ishq Ishq.
He soon realised that he was in love with her and wanted to declare it to her at a romantic meeting at the Taj in Mumbai.
He wrote: "Suddenly, one day I felt I was desperately in love with Zeenat - and wanted to say so to her! To make an honest confession, at a very special, exclusive place meant for romance. I chose the Rendezvous at the Taj, on top of the city, where we had dined together once earlier."
Dev Anand wrote that he called up Zeenat and arranged to go to the meeting place after a brief presence at a party, where "a drunken Raj Kapoor .. threw his arms around her exuberantly. This suddenly struck me as a little too familiar. And the way she reciprocated his embrace seemed much more than just polite and courteous."
Suspecting something, Dev Anand recalled that a rumour had been floating that Zeenat had gone to Raj Kapoor's studio for a screen test for the main role in his new movie Satyam Shivam Sundaram.
"The hearsay now started ringing true. My heart was bleeding," he wrote.
The situation changed further for Dev Anand when Raj Kapoor, "in drunken joviality", told Zeenat: "You are breaking your promise that you will always be seen by me only in a white sari."
A dejected Dev Anand wrote: "More embarrassment was written large on her face, and Zeenat was not the same Zeenat for me any more. My heart broke into pieces... The rendezvous had already lost all meaning in my mind. I sneaked out of the place."
He added: "The evening delivered a blow to my personality, and my dominating spirit. I had decided on the spur of the moment to tell Zeenat for the first time how much I loved her. And that there was an idea in my mind of another story that would put her on a pedestal as never before, the highest so far. But that was never to be."
Mumbai
Alpana Chowdhury, Sep 26, 2023: The Indian Express
In 1943, when Dharamdev Anand, a young graduate, stepped foot in Bombay, after a train journey from Lahore, it was love at first sight. Chasing his dream to become an actor, Anand, better known as Dev Anand, landed in the city in the midst of the monsoon which he never forgot. Decades later, he told me in an interview, “It rained and rained all through till October.” But that didn’t dampen his spirits.
Thrilled to be in the city that produced films, one of the first things he did after settling in at his brother, Chetan Anand’s friend’s house was to go to the theatres to see his idol Ashok Kumar’s blockbuster, Kismet (1943).
After the initial euphoria ebbed a bit, Anand began scouting for work and shifted to a room in a chawl, opposite King Edward Memorial Hospital, in Parel. Despite being the son of an advocate and a graduate from one of the most prestigious colleges of Lahore Anand had no qualms about living in such conditions.
Like many a struggler who came to the city to make a career, Anand, too, was ready to rough it out. “It didn’t bother me that I was living in a chawl because I was always very excited and full of dreams,” he explained. There were days when he would be penniless, even having to sell his precious collection of stamps to a man on the pavement of Hornby Road, but he continued undaunted.
Exploring the city, travelling in buses and trams, the young Anand imbibed the never-say-die spirit of the city and continued to dream. But he was also practical. As a stop-gap measure, he took up a job in the Military Censor’s office. Now, he could afford to go beyond mere window-shopping in the stylish Fort area and treat himself to an occasional cup of coffee at the popular Parisian Dairy. It was at the latter that he heard of a break in Prabhat Studios, Poona. The confident youngster applied and was signed on for a three-year contract as an actor. There was no looking back thereafter.
When Anand relocated to Bombay, he stayed at 41, Pali Hill, with his brother, who had by then shifted to Bombay. This time, the actor took in the sights and sounds of his favourite city with his friend from Poona, Guru Dutt, an aspiring director. Continuing to travel in Bombay’s famed BEST buses and local trains, Anand watched Hollywood films with his friend in swanky theatres. “Guru and I would roam around, watch a film, dissect it over a cup of coffee and return home, elated. Sometimes, we’d walk to the Golf Links of Pali Hill. It was beautiful and serene… I have walked the streets of Bombay, travelled its length and breadth. It is in my bones. The city grows on you. No matter where you are, in whichever part of the world, you eventually want to come back here,” exulted the actor, his eyes sparkling with memories of a different time.
There is an interesting story about how he became a star in the city of his dreams. “One day, I was at a local train station, about to board a train, when someone called out to me from within. I jumped in to find it was director Shaheed Latif and his writer-wife Ismat Chugtai. Latif asked me if I would like to work in his next film for Bombay Talkies. Of course, I would!” recounted the actor, when I was working on his biography. Fortuitous encounters like these in a modest local train could happen only in a city that was proud of its working-class culture which the actor admired and identified with.
The next day, full of beans, Anand took a train to Malad, a distant suburb, and then a tonga to Bombay Talkies, where he signed Ziddi (1948). After a few more hits, Anand built a home for himself on a plot of land, on the outskirts of Juhu, where he continued to live till the end. Through this meteoric rise, Anand’s love for Bombay grew stronger and it began to get reflected in his films. In Taxi Driver (1954), the city was even given a mention in the credits. Playing the titular character, as Anand cruises down Marine Drive, past the stately Art Déco buildings, or down the seafront near Gateway of India, past elegant bungalows and the grand Taj Mahal hotel, or along the sweep of Worli sea-face and then on to the palm-fringed Juhu beach, you see a glorious city, beautifully captured on film, in black and white, by the talented V Ratra.
“There is no place like Bombay anywhere in the country!” exclaimed the actor. “The best thing about it is that it doesn’t have a small-town mentality, being totally cosmopolitan. It was a beautiful city once, where people came to earn a living.”
But Anand’s understanding of the city was not just a rose-tinted one, aware as he was of its dark underbelly that got depicted in films like Kala Bazar (1960), written and directed by his younger brother Vijay Anand.
Over the years, as politicians and short-sighted administrators made a mess of running the city, it broke the actor’s heart to see it rapidly deteriorate. “Every few years a new lot of people come to power to introduce narrow-minded measures, do irreparable damage and disappear. It is depressing to watch the character of the city being changed like this,” he told me in an interview in 1987.
For those, like Anand, disheartened by the changing character of the city, his black and white films might be a good way to rewind to the city’s pristine past, when Bombay was what Anand described as “an international city, a clean city, a sophisticated city, unpolluted by parochial sentiments”.
Refusal to accept the advent of age
When his contemporaries like Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar stopped playing the leading men in movies, Dev Anand continued to woo young heroine in movies till 1983.
Even though after 'Awwal Number' (1990), his movies did not do well at the box office, the evergreen hero's mantra was always to think positive. "I never give myself a chance to get depressed. I think ahead."
His recent movies focused on the themes of present times like "Sau Crore", "Censor", "Mr Prime Minister" and the latest "Chargesheet" where he always played the central character.
In 2007, he released his memoirs " Romancing with Life" where he admitted he has never looked back in his life, always preferring to remain optimistic and confident about future.
The Telegraph adds: During the Seventies and Eighties, Dev Anand managed to defy the passing of time, resolutely wooing much younger female stars on screen. Eventually, though, as he moved into his 70s, audiences and critics found it increasingly difficult to suspend their disbelief.
Despite the enormous and enduring affection in which he was held, Dev Anand’s later films – such as Love at Times Square (2003); Mr Prime Minister (2005); and Charge Sheet (2011) – did not prosper. But his energy and enthusiasm for the film business never waned. The fact that Navketan was producing the movies meant that he could go on living the life of the Bollywood hero until the very end. Even as one film was being taken off the screens by weary distributors, Dev Anand was enthusiastically planning his next cinematic disaster.
He usually wrote the treatments for these films in English and was proud of the fact that did not require a ghostwriter for his autobiography, Romancing With Life.
His last years
In his last years he was involved in the direction of a new all American film Project 'Song Of Life' - a musical love story which was to be shot in the United States.
He was to play the central character in the film which was to have a predominantly American star cast.
Keeping up with his image of an evergreen star, the actor had said that he wanted to be reborn as Dev Anand.
In an interview to PTI in 2010, he said, "I am always in a rush because time is slipping away and I am chasing it, chasing it. I have so many stories to tell but where is the time. I wish I am born again as Dev Anand and people will see a young star 25 years later. That will give me some time to finish what I want to do."
His films spoke of his modern sensibilities and desire to portray tomorrow's headlines today. The Bollywood legend always said that his films were expression of his world view and hence dealt with socially-relevant subjects.
His later years
Jai Arjun Singh, Sep 24, 2023: The Times of India
Our movie history is full of instances of male stars trying to reinvent themselves, making alterations to their screen image or choice of collaborators — to fit a new zeitgeist, to stay relevant for new audiences, or simply to play their age. Thus, most recently, Shah Rukh Khan teamed up with the Tamil director Atlee for a new sort of masala action film; in an earlier time, Amitabh Bachchan (when he was exactly the same age SRK is now — 57 going on 58) overturned his shaky fortunes by hosting Kaun Banega Crorepati. Mass superstar Rajinikanth worked in the explicitly political Pa. Ranjith film ‘Kaala’, and even Rishi Kapoor played gritty roles in indie cinema late in his career.
By way of contrast, there is Dev Anand — who was not just forever young, as the cliché has it, but also confident (or over-confident?) enough to not seek an image overhaul (one can imagine him disapproving of the ‘Kaala’ scenes where the younger version of Rajinikanth is evoked through animation interludes). Dev, for that’s what he wanted us to call him (“those who like me and love me call me Dev, just Dev, short and sweet and possessive, godly and sexy,” he declared in his extraordinary memoir ‘Romancing with Life’, a book that reads as if he had personally written every word and never allowed an editor near the thing) — Dev just went on, regardless of what anyone thought, confident that his fan base would follow him anywhere.
This attitude would result in a number of latter-day films that very few people think of as good cinema. The stories behind the making of some of these films — the continuing infatuation with much younger actresses, the rush to launch a new, untested face as fast as possible — can be embarrassing too. And so, in assessing Dev Anand’s career, one usually sees a clear divide made between the quality of the work in the first two decades (broadly the period from ‘Baazi’, 1951 to ‘Johny Mera Naam’, 1970) and the diminishing returns that followed — the head-bobbing mannerisms, the displays of narcissism on screen, the hurriedly made ego projects.
As a critical approach, this is useful, because his best work shines so bright. ‘CID’, ‘Taxi Driver’, ‘Kala Bazaar’, ‘Paying Guest’, ‘Guide’, ‘Jewel Thief’… these, to name just a few, are enshrined films that define his legacy, and the reason why he is one of our most important star-actors whose centenary deserves to be celebrated with nationwide screenings.
But here’s a proposition: drawing a sharp line between Dev’s early and late career can be a barrier to understanding something essential about the man and the star: that unflagging optimism and self-belief fuelled him through six decades.
For my generation, many of the 1980s Dev Anand films, which are thought to represent a decline (from ‘Swami Dada’ to ‘Sachche ka Bol Bala’ to ‘Awwal Number’), had a strange power because he was a bridge between a much earlier time and the “now” that we were growing up in. As a child, watching my family’s sentimental reactions to him, I realised that this funny, nodding gent — still playing the youthful hero on equal terms with a Jackie Shroff or Aamir Khan — was also the dashing star whom my grandmother had crushed on three decades earlier. This was a very different revelation from watching, say Dilip Kumar and Raaj Kumar reunited in ‘Saudagar’, two respectable old men who clearly were old men, with their younger versions played by other actors. (Dev, who infamously cast Cindy Crawford as his mother in a still photograph around the same time in ‘Awwal Number’, would have scoffed at such timidity!) For me personally — and I’m sure for others — Dev provided a living, immediate link to the distant past in a way that an elderly Dilip Kumar, singing “I love you” to an elderly Nutan in ‘Karma’, couldn’t quite do.
Playing devil’s advocate, one can make a small, defensive case for the last few films too — the ones that most people either politely overlook today or turn into funny internet memes.
Such as the ‘Love at Times Square’ phone conversation where Dev’s character tells his daughter about her mother dying in a grisly plane crash, and then, within seconds, changes the subject with a sing-song “Ab aur rona dhona nahin, jo ho gaya so ho gaya”. It’s unintentionally funny, yes, but it is also very much part of the DNA of this forever-sanguine man, the man one finds in the pages of his memoir — where, each time a chapter in his life closes on a sad note (the broken love story with Suraiya, for instance), he quickly moves on to the next phase, with a mention of the ray of light that is forever showing him the way.
That buoyancy, however caricatured it may have become in his later work, is inseparable from the qualities that made him such a great star-actor in his prime — the dashing hero forever associated with ‘Main zindagi ka saath nibhaata chala gaya’ and ‘Gaata rahe mera dil’. At the level of personal preference and good taste, it’s understandable that a movie buff would pick a repeat viewing of ‘Guide’ over a first-time viewing of ‘Mr Prime Minister’, but if you really want to grasp the spirit of one of our most beloved legends, all of Dev Anand’s work is vital.
Politics
IANS | Dec 4, 2011
Dev Anand was perhaps the first Bollywood star who formally tried his luck in politics.
He had a short but not sweet stint, but certainly started a trend of celebs entering the corridors of power.
Way back in 1977, after the Emergency was imposed by then prime minister Indira Gandhi, Dev Anand decided to set things right and "teach the politicians a lesson". He plunged into politics by launching the National Party of India (NPI).
His opposition to Indira Gandhi, her late son Sanjay Gandhi and other top Congres leaders of the time arose mainly out of his disdain for Emergency, which he vociferously mentioned in public and private, his favourite line being: "Unko sabak sikhana hai", said a close family friend, who was also an office bearer of the NPI.
This was despite the fact that Dev Anand enjoyed good relations with top leaders, including the country's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and even Atal Behari Vajpayee, who also went on to become prime minister.
In his autobiography aptly titled "Romancing With Life", Dev Anand has devoted a significant portion to his short-lived political movement.
He recalled the slogan "Indira is India, India is Indira" and referred to Sanjay Gandhi as the "Pampered young Prince"- "......I knew I had become a marked man for the Sanjay coterie," he wrote.
About the 1975-1977 period of Emergency, Dev Anand wrote: "The pro-Emergency lobby enforced strict discipline amongst the masses and the rank and file of the government offices through certain legislative measures. It did a lot of good to the country. But, the fact was that the soul of the people was smouldering, their spirit stifled by an iron hand."
"They were dying to break the shackles, and the lava inside them was gathering momentum, soon to explode into a spluttering volcano. It just needed a single matchstick to light up. And the matchstick was provided by Indira Gandhi herself."
He got inspired from the initiative taken by late southern superstar M.G. Ramachandran, whose foray into politics did wonders for the people of Tamil Nadu.
"I accepted the challenge and was elected president of the party, the determined motto of which was to help elect only those people to the Lok Sabha who were the most qualified in respective fields, and therefore the most deserving," he wrote.
For the new-born NPI's inaugural rally at the historic Shiva ji Park here was comparable to political rallies by any other mainstream political party.
Besides Dev Anand, other Bollywood big names like F.C. Mehra and G.P. Sippy addressed the crowds which cheered enthusiastically - signalling that "Bollywood had finally arrived in politics," according to his close friend, who attended the rally, but declined to be identified.
However, for the evergreen star, the dust and grime of real life politics was difficult to stomach.
Though he quit politics, Dev Anand and his top colleagues were seen regularly in public, rushing to help the victims of floods, earthquakes, riots or other natural and man made calamities around the country.
After that, he was never considered close to any party, though he was invited by Vajpayee when he went on his famous Bus Yatra to Pakistan over a decade ago, in Feb 1999.
Dev Anand, born in undivided India and educated in Lahore, now in Pakistan, and some other celebs grabbed the opportunity to travel on the bus.
It is believed that political parties realised the crowd-pulling magnetism of actors only after the NPI and later almost every party made it a norm to include one or two celebs in its top rungs.
For instance, Indira Gandhi nominated the late Nargis Dutt to the Rajya Sabha, much later, her late husband and actor Sunil Dutt also became a Lok Sabha member from Mumbai and was a minister at the centre.
There were politicians like Shatrughan Sinha and Vinod Khanna in the Bharatiya Janata Party.
In fact, film stars are a 'must' on the list of speakers for most major political rallies.
Dev Anand and Calcutta
April 6, 1966. A crowd of about 1,000 enthusiastic fans were waiting outside a city five-star to greet their idol, Dev Anand.
The evergreen hero was in Kolkata, along with brother, director Vijay Anand and leading lady Waheeda Rehman, for the premiere of 'Guide'. As Dev saab came out to greet the crowd, a female fan threw an autograph book to him, which he caught. Much to her delight, he signed 'With Love, Dev Anand' and returned the book to her. He also made it a point to visit Paradise and Lotus cinemas where 'Guide 'was being screened to packed houses.
Kolkata was Dev saab's favourite city to premiere his films. Taxi Driver, Nau Do Gyarah, Hum Dono, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Heera Panna — most of his films started their journeys from this city. He had fond memories of his first visit to Kolkata in 1951 for the premiere of Baazi. The actor, then young and shy, was overwhelmed to be introduced to Uday Shankar by his friend, director Guru Dutt.
In the '60s, whenever he visited Kolkata, he made it a point to meet actress Suchitra Sen with whom he had worked in Bambai Ka Babu and Sarhad. He was also fond of singer Sandhya Roy, who played his rakhi-sister in Asli Naqli. Their bond was so strong that Dev treated her as his own sister.
While shooting Teen Deviyan here in 1965, the actor is said to have taken help from ace director cinematographer Ajay Kar. "This is the capital of culture. It is the land of icons like Pramathesh Barua, Chabi Biswas, Uttam Kumar and Satyajit Ray and its audience has appreciated my films the most," Dev sahab always said. His last visit here was in May 2011 to launch a book.
Dev Anand and London
In 1978 he set Des Pardes, a film about illegal immigration, in London. Despite missing out on the chance to attend university in Britain, he always felt at home here and was a frequent visitor. At any restaurant in London he would be instantly recognised by Indians, old and young, and would happily sign autographs and pose for group pictures.
Dev Anand, who had gone to London for a medical check up, was not keeping well for the last few days, family sources told PTI. His son Sunil was with him when he breathed last.
Honours
For his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, Dev Anand was honoured with the prestigious the 'Padma Bhushan' in 2001 and 'Dada Saheb Phalke Award' in 2002.
Dev Anand has won two Filmfare Awards - India's equivalent of the Oscars - in 1958 for his performance in the film 'Kala Paani' (Black Water) and in 1966 for his performance in 'Guide'.
'Guide' went on to win Filmfare Awards in five other categories including 'Best Film' and 'Best Director' and was sent as India's entry for the Oscars in the foreign film category that year.
In 1993, he received a Filmfare 'Lifetime Achievement Award' and in 1996 he received a Screen Videocon 'Lifetime Achievement Award'.
Complete filmography
As an actor
1946 Hum Ek Hain
1947 Aage Badho
1947 Mohan
1948 Hum Bhi Insaan Hain
1948 Vidya
1948 Ziddi
1949 Jeet
1949 Namoona
1949 Shair
1949 Udhaar
1950 Afsar
1950 Birha Ki Raat
1950 Dilruba
1950 Khel
1950 Madhubala
1950 Nili
1950 Nirala
1951 Aaram
1951 Baazi
1951 Do Sitare
1951 Nadaan
1951 Sanam
1951 Sazaa
1951 Stage
1952 Aandhiyan
1952 Jaal
1952 Tamasha
1952 Zalzala
1953 Armaan
1953 Humsafar
1953 Patita
1953 Rahi
1954 Baadbaan
1954 'Ferry'
1954 Taxi Driver
1955 Dev Anand in Goa (Alias Farar)
1955 House No. 44
1955 Insaniyat
1955 Milap
1955 Munimji
1956 C.I.D.
1956 Funtoosh
1956 Pocket Maar
1957 Baarish
1957 Dushman
1957 Nau Do Gyarah
1957 Paying Guest
1958 Amar Deep
1958 Kala pani
1958 Solva Saal
1959 Love Marriage
1960 Bombai Ka Babu
1960 Ek Ke Baad Ek
1960 Jaali Note
1960 Kala Bazar
1960 Manzil
1960 Sarhad
1961 Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai
1961 Maya
1961 Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja
1962 Asli-Naqli
1962 Baat Ek Raat Ki
1962 Hum Dono
1963 Kinare Kinare
1963 Tere Ghar Ke Samne
1964 Sharabi
1965 Guide
1965 Teen Devian
1966 Akalmand
1966 Pyar Mohabbat
1967 Jewel Thief
1968 Duniya
1968 Kahin Aur Chal
1969 Mahal
1970 Johny Mera Naam
1970 Prem Pujari
1970 The Evil Within
1971 Haré Raama Haré Krishna
1971 Tere Mere Sapne
1972 Yeh Gulistan Hamara
1971 Gambler
1973 Banarasi Babu
1973 Chhupa Rustam
1973 Heera Panna
1973 Joshila
1973 Shareef Budmaash
1974 Amir Garib
1974 Ishq Ishq Ishq
1974 Prem Shastra
1975 Warrant
1976 Bullet
1976 Jaaneman
1977 Darling Darling
1977 Kalabaaz
1977 Saheb Bahadur
1978 Des Pardes
1980 Ek Do Teen Chaar
1980 Lootmaar
1980 Man Pasand
1982 Swami Dada
1984 Anand Aur Anand
1985 Hum Naujawan
1989 Lashkar
1989 Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá
1990 Awwal Number
1991 Sau Crore
1994 Gangster
1996 Return of Jewel Thief
1998 Main Solah Baras Ki
2001 Censor
2003 Aman Ke Farishtey
2003 Love at Times Square
2005 Mr Prime Minister
2009 Chellamay (TV Series)
2011 Chargesheet
As a director
Anand had perhaps just two hits as a director)
1970 Prem Pujari (mega-budget flop)
1971 Haré Raama Haré Krishna (hit: the no.5 or no.7 hit of the year)
1973 Heera Panna
1974 Ishq Ishq Ishq
1978 Des Pardes (a success; no.16 that year)
1980 Lootmaar
1982 Swami Dada
1984 Anand Aur Anand
1985 Hum Naujawan
1989 Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá
1990 Awwal Number
1991 Sau Crore
1993 Pyaar Ka Tarana
1994 Gangster
1998 Main Solah Baras Ki
2001 Censor
2003 Love at Times Square
2005 Mr Prime Minister
2011 Chargesheet
He established his film production company 'Navketan International Films' in 1949 and has produced more than 35 movies.
1950 Afsar
1953 Humsafar
1955 House No. 44
1956 Funtoosh
1957 Nau Do Gyarah
1958 Kala pani
1960 Kala Bazar
1962 Hum Dono
1963 Tere Ghar Ke Samne
1965 Guide
1967 Jewel Thief
1970 Prem Pujari
1971 Haré Raama Haré Krishna
1971 Tere Mere Sapne
1973 Heera Panna
1973 Shareef Budmaash
1974 Ishq Ishq Ishq
1976 Jaaneman
1978 Des Pardes
1980 Lootmaar
1982 Swami Dada
1984 Anand Aur Anand
1987 Madadgaar (associate producer)
1989 Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá
1990 Awwal Number
1991 Sau Crore
1993 Pyaar Ka Tarana
1994 Gangster
1998 Main Solah Baras Ki
2001 Censor
2003 Love at Times Square
2005 Mr Prime Minister
2011 Chargesheet
As a scriptwriter
1952 Aandhiyan
1970 Prem Pujari
1971 Haré Raama Haré Krishna
1973 Heera Panna
1978 Des Pardes
1985 Hum Naujawan
1989 Sachché Ká Bol-Bálá
1990 Awwal Number
1993 Pyaar Ka Tarana
1994 Gangster
2001 Censor
2003 Love at Times Square
As a playback singer
1966 Pyar Mohabbat (Sun, sun, sun re balam)
1969 Mahal
Lesser known facts
Dev Anand: Lesser known facts about the actor
Bollywood's evergreen hero Dev Anand, who worked in more than 100 films and has entertained us with films like Guide, Hare Krishna Hare Ram, Des Pardes, Jewel Thief and Johnny Mera Naam to name a few, holds a special place in everyone's heart. One of the most handsome actors of his times, Dev Anand was asked not to wear black suit in public apparently because women would go crazy seeing him dressed in black and would jump from buildings. The Bollywood superstar was born as Devdutta Pishorimal Anand and was called Dharam Dev Anand. His nickname was Chiru.
He earned Rs. 160 before becoming an actor: The legendary superstar spent his early years in Gharota village near Gurdaspur town. He did his schooling till matriculation from Sacred Heart School, Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh (then in Punjab) and went to college Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh before going to Lahore to study. Later, Dev completed BA degree in English Literature from the Government College, Lahore in British India. During his struggling days in Mumbai, Dev Anand worked as a clerk in an accountancy firm for a meagre salary of Rs 85 to make ends meet. He also worked at the Military Censor Office and earned Rs. 160 before becoming an actor.
Ashok Kumar aka Dada Muni inspired Dev Anand to become an actor. Yes, it was Ashok Kumar, whose films like Achut Kanya motivated him to take up acting seriously. Ashok Kumar gave Dev Anand his first movie break in Ziddi. Apparently, he spotted Dev Anand on the sets and took him in for the Bombay Talkies production 'Ziddi'. The film was directed by Shaheed Latif.
The Dev-Suraiya romance: Indian film industry has seen number of beautiful onscreen pairs who light up the screen with their presence and chemistry. One such pair was Dev Anand and his alleged love interest Suraiya. According to reports in the media, Dev Anand and Suraiya's romance blossomed on the sets of the film Vidya. The famous on-screen pair fell in love while shooting for the film Vidya. In fact during the shooting of the song Kinare kinare chale jaayenge on a boat, the boat overturned and in a true Bollywood hero style Dev Saab rescued Suraiya and wanted. He wanted to marry her. He also proposed to Suraiya on the sets of the film Jeet with a diamond ring worth Rs 3,000, but Suraiya's maternal grandmother was strongly opposed to the inter-religious romance. Suraiya remained unmarried all her life.
When Dev Anand turned down Junglee, Teesri Manzil and Zanjeer: The legendary actor, who has given a break to many newcomers in Bollywood had turned down many blockbusters. Very few people are aware of the fact that Dev Anand was the original choice for films like Subodh Mukherjee's Junglee and Nasir Hussain's Teesri Manzil but the actor turned down both the offers owing to differences with the makers. Both the films went on to become the biggest hits of Shammi Kapoor's career. Apart from Teesri Manzil and Junglee, even Zanjeer was originally offered to Dev Anand.
His famous chequered print cap: Dev Anand, who is best remembered for his romantic roles and style statements left an impressive impact on the generations to come. The legendary actor’s iconic, chequered print cap worn in the film Jewel Thief was reportedly purchased from a shop in Copenhagen, Denmark. While shooting for Pyar Mohabbat with Saira Bano, the actor bought this iconic checkered cap.
See also
Dev Anand
