Revision as of 20:32, 25 November 2013

The 1950s

When Dev Anand was mistaken for a taxi driver

The Times of India

Roshmila Bhattacharya,Mumbai Mirror | Nov 12, 2013, 12.00 AM IST

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.

Dev Anand and Calcutta

Dev Anand loved premieres in Kolkata

The Times of India TNN | Sep 26, 2013

By Ranjan Das Gupta

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.