Dev Anand

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Dev Anand in Taxi Driver
Dev Anand in Taxi Driver

Dharam Dev Ānand (he goes by his middle name) (Hindi: देव आनन्द, Urdu: دیو آنند) (born September 26, 1923) is a famous Indian actor and film producer. His real name was Devdutta Pishorimal Anand. Dev Anand is one of the most popular stars the Hindi Film Industry has seen. In his heydey, he was considered the epitome of the suave, urban gentleman.

His elder brother Chetan Anand is credited with bringing him and his younger brother Vijay Anand into the film world. Though he attempted to help launch his son Suneil Anand's film career in films with Anand aur Anand, the film and Suneil did not get noticed.

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Dev Anand was born in Gurdaspur in Punjab to a well-to-do advocate, Pishorimal Anand. He graduated in English literature from the Government College, Lahore (now in Pakistan). His love for acting made him leave his hometown. Dev began his career in the military censor office at Churchgate, Mumbai, for a princely salary of Rs 160.

He was soon offered a break as an actor by Prabhat Talkies to star in their Hum Ek Hain (1946). While shooting for the film in Pune, Dev struck a friendship with fellow actor Guru Dutt. Soon, they were swapping shirts, double dating and sharing dreams. They made a pact: if Dev produced a film, Guru Dutt would direct it; if Guru Dutt produced a film, Dev would act in it.

Dev made the grade first. By a strange coincidence, Dev was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar, his favourite star. Kumar spotted Dev hanging around in the studios and picked him as the hero for the Bombay Talkies production, Ziddi, costarring Kamini Kaushal (1948). His first success came with Ziddi (1948).

In 1949, he turned producer and launched his own company Navketan, which continues to churn out movies. Though his maiden attempt at direction, Prem Pujari, flopped, his second directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna in 1971 with Zeenat Aman was a big success.

Dev never looked back. He bought his first car, a black Hillman. His dream of working with his teenage idol, actress Snehprabha Pradhan, was also fulfilled.

As promised, Dev gambled on Guru Dutt as director for the crime thriller, Baazi (1951). The dice rolled in favour of this creative collaboration; the Sahir Ludhianvi, lyricist song, Tadbeer se bigdi huyee taqdeer bana de, proved prophetic and Dev became a true star. It also crystallised his image as an urban cowboy with more than his share of smarts.

At this stage, Dev was drawn towards grey-shaded roles and films with a noirish flavour, like Jaal (1952). He played a gambler, a smuggler and a blackmarketeer. The year 1954 was a crucial one. Dev was one of the earliest Indian stars to visit Russia. His films Rahee and Aandhiyan, were screened there along with Raj Kapoor's Awaara. In the same year, Taxi Driver was declared a hit. Dev's heroine was Kalpana Kartik again, and the two decided to marry in a quiet ceremony during a lunch break.

Marriage and the birth of son Suneil in 1956 did not affect Dev's draw. A rapid-fire style of dialogue delivery, an array of hats (see for example Aye meri topi palat ke aa), and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's style in films like Munimji, CID and Paying Guest.

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 with hits including Munimji, CID, Paying Guest and Gambler, Tere Ghar ke Saamne and Kaala Pani.

Despite his characteristic style, Dev's detractors cast aspersions on his acting abilities and questioned his inclusion in the hallowed Raj Kapoor-Dilip Kumar league. Dev made them eat humble pie with his class act in Kala Pani (1958), as the son who is willing to go to any lengths — including sweet-talking a courtesan into believing he is in love with her — to clear his framed father's name. He won the Best Actor Award for the film.

He was romantically involved with singer-actress Suraiya and the two of them paired in six films together. During the shooting of a song sequence in the file, a boat capsized and Dev Anand saved Suraiya from drowning. She fell in love with him but her grandmother opposed the relationship. Suraiya remained unmarried all her life.

Dev Anand married film actress Kalpana Kartik in 1954.

He followed it up with an interesting double role in Hum Dono (1961) as a mustachioed major and his clean-shaven lookalike.

His first film in colour, Guide with Waheeda Rehman was based on the novel of the same name by R. K. Narayan. The impetus for making a film from the book came from Dev Anand himself, and he met and persuaded Narayan to give his assent to the project. Dev Anand tapped his friends in Hollywood to lauch an Indo-US co-production that was shot in Hindi and English simultaneously and was released in 1965. This is regarded by many as his best work to-date.[citation needed]

Guide, directed by younger brother Vijay Anand, silenced the staunchest of critics. Dev played Raju, a voluble guide who supports Rosy (Waheeda) in her bid for freedom; but is not above thoughtlessly exploiting her for personal gains. Combining style with substance, Dev gave an affecting performance as a man grappling with his emotions in his passage through love, shame and salvation.

Guide was Dev's creative acme. He reunited with Vijay Anand for the much-hyped Jewel Thief, featuring a bevy of beauties led by Vyjayanthimala and including Tanuja, Anju Mahendru, Faryal and Helen.

Their next collaboration, Johnny Mera Naam (1970) was a big hit. The film was released in the same year as Raj Kapoor's magnum 'flopus' Mera Naam Joker (it was a commercial failure). Unlike Raj and Dilip who slowed down in the Seventies, Dev continued to be a romantic hero.

His maiden attempt at direction, the espionage drama, Prem Pujari flopped, but Dev got lucky with his sophomore directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It talked about the prevalent hippie cult. Zeenat Aman, who played the mini-skirt sporting, pot-smoking protagonist Janice, became an overnight sensation. Dev also became known as a filmmaker of trenchantly topical themes.

The presence of his discoveries — the zestful Zeenat and later, the elfin Tina Munim (heroine of Dev's last recognised hit Des Pardes in 1978) — fuelled Dev's image as the evergreen star even when he was well into his fifties.

Dev Anand is one of those few Indian actors/filmmakers who are politically aware and active and are ready to stand up for the cause that is dear to them. He was the one who led a group of film personalities who stood up against the Internal Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in [Indian parliamentary elections in 1977 while very few among the film fraternity showed the courage to fight against the authoritarian regime.

Most of his films are an expression of his world view and have dealt with socially relevant subjects. He always emphasises this in his interviews. He thinks that his films represent his personal points of view.[citation needed]

Dev Anand's films are best known for their great music. Some of the most popular Bollywood songs were from his films.[citation needed] His association with music composers O. P. Nayyar, Sachin Dev Burman and his son Rahul Dev Burman, lyricists Majrooh Sultanpuri, Neeraj, Shailendra, and playback singers Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar produced some very popular songs.

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During the shoot of Warrant, actress Zeenat Aman saved Dev Anand from drowning.

  • In 1996, Dev Anand bagged the Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award
  • In 1997, he was given the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images Award for his Outstanding Services to the Indian Film Industry. [3]
  • In 1998, he was given a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the Ujala Anandlok Film Awards Committee in Calcutta. [4]
  • In 1999, he received the Sansui 'Lifetime Achievement Award’ for his 'Immense Contribution to Indian Cinema' in New Delhi. [5]
  • In July of 2000, in New York City, he was honoured by an Award at the hands of the then First Lady of the United States of America - Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton - for his 'Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema'. [6]
  • Donna Ferrar, Member New York State Assembly, honoured him with a New York State Assembly Citation for his 'Outstanding Contribution to the Cinematic Arts Worthy of the Esteem and Gratitude of the Great State of New York' on May 1, 2001. [7]
  • The President of India honoured Dev Anand with the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award (India's third highest civilian award from the Government of India) on India's Republic Day - August 15, 2001. [8]
  • In 2001, he received a 'Special Screen Award' for his contribution to Indian cinema. [9]
  • In 2002, he was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest award for cinematic excellence
  • In 2003, he received the special Lifetime Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Indian Cinema’ at IIFA Award [10] in Johannesburg, South Africa. [11]
  • In 2004, he was honoured with the Living Legend Award by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in recognition of his contribution to the Indian entertainment industry. [12]
  • In 2005, he was honoured with the Sony Golden Glory Award[13]
  • In 2005, he was honoured with a Special National Film Award by the Government of Nepal at Nepal’s first National Film Festival. He got this honour for his contribution to its film industry. [14]

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