DEV ANAND............

Biography

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 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 "banner" Navketan, which continues to churn out movies year after year. Though his maiden attempt at direction, Prem Pujari, flopped, his second directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna in the 1970's 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 blue 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, a black-marketed. The year 1954 was a crucial one. Dev was one of the earliest Indian stars to visit Russia. His starrers, 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 on the sets!

Marriage and the birth of son Suneil in 1956 did not affect Dev's draw. A rapidfire style of dialogue delivery, an array of hats (remember Aye meri topi palat ke aa?), and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's USP 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 1950's and some of his hit films include Munimji, CID, Paying Guest, Gambler, Tere Ghar ke Saamne and Kaala Pani.




Sure, he had style, but 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, 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. 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 coproduction that was shot in Hindi and English simultaneously and was released in 1965. This is regarded by many as his best work till date.

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

Guide (1965), 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, including Tanuja, Anju Mahendru, Faryal and Helen.

With their next collaboration, Johnny Mera Naam (1970), Dev was worth his weight in gold. The film was released in the same year as Raj Kapoor's magnum 'flopus' Mera Naam Joker, and was a golden jubilee hit. 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 hit lucky with his sophomore directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It talked about the prevalent hippie cult.

Zeenat Aman, who played the mini-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.




For the past two decades, however, success has been like a miffed mistress with Dev. But even at 83, exuberance races through Dev's veins. "Watch out for my next, Love At Time Square," he enthuses. Dev belongs to the rare race that subscribes to the dictum: Never say never.

Dev Anand is one of those few Indian film 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 Smt. Indira Gandhi. He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in 1977 parliamentary elections in India while very few among the film fraternity showed the courage to fight against an 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. He is an auteur in true sense of the term.

Dev Anand's films are best known for their great music. Some of the most popular Bollywood songs were picturized on him. His association with music composers - O. P. Nayyar, Sachin Dev Burman and his son Rahul Dev Burman, lyricists - Majrooh Sultanpuri, Neeraj, Shailendra, and playback singer Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar produced some of the best songs in the Bollywood history.


Mini Biography

After having played the Lead Actor for more than five decades in over 110 motion pictures, Dev Anand continues to bestride Indian Cinema today. He has given a new dimension to that magical state known as Stardom. And for his exemplary work he was recently awarded the Padma Bhushan - a title awarded to a person of extraordinary talent, in his discipline, for his outstanding contribution and/or achievements by the President of India. From the time he embarked on his career as a Film Actor in the mid-forties till now, his movies has been a journey filled with enriching experiences for the 'Evergreen Living Legend' of Indian Cinema. And he has always remained eternally youthful by his remarkable ability to live always in the present and the future--never in the past.

Also, as head of his film production company Navketan International Films, which was founded in 1949, Anand has introduced a multitude of talent to the Indian Film Industry by way of actors, directors, music composers and cinematographers. Today, he continues to introduce new talent to cinema and experiment with new ideas for movies. And today, he also heads one of the finest Film Sound Post-Production facilities in India - Anand Recording Studios - which has to its credit more than 3,000 Indian feature films that have been mixed/ surround mixed for worldwide release.

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 Navketan International Films' "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. He co-produced the English Version of "Guide" with the Nobel Laureate Pearl S. Buck ("The Good Earth"). Eventually, his creative sensibilities got the better of him and he started writing and directing his own movies.

In 1993, he received a Filmfare 'Lifetime Achievement Award' and in 1996 he received a Screen Videocon 'Lifetime Achievement Award'. Then in 1997 he was given the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images Award for his Outstanding Services to the Indian Film Industry. In 1998, he was given a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the Ujala Anandlok Film Awards Committee in Calcutta. In 1999, he received the Sansui 'Lifetime Achievement Award' for his 'Immense Contribution to Indian Cinema' in New Delhi. In the year 2000, he was awarded the Film Goers' 'Mega Movie Maestro of the Millenium' Award in Mumbai. And then in July 2000, in New York City, he was honored 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'. And again Anand was awarded the Indo-American Association 'Star of the Millennium' Award in the Silicon Valley, California. The President of India honored Anand with the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award on India's Republic Day - August 15, 2001. And yet again, Donna Ferrar, Member New York State Assembly, honored 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.

Most recently, in April 2003, Anand was given a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the F.I.F.A. Committee in Johannesburg, South Africa. For an Indian Movie Icon who has hobnobbed with royalty, heads of State and celebrities, he has done it all. Anand continues to forge ahead with his new All American Film Project "Song Of Life" - a musical love story which will be entirely shot in the United States. He will play the central character in this film which will have a predominantly American star cast and for which the Music will be composed by American composers and sung by American singers. "Song Of Life" will be made in English and will be directed by Dev Anand.

Mini Biography

Born as Devdutt on September 26, 1923, in the Punjabi-speaking Anand family, son to Advocate Pishorimal, younger and older brother to Chetan and Vijay respectively and one sister, who was subsequently married in the Kapur family, and gave birth to actor/film-maker, Shekhar Kapur, two daughters, Neelu, who was married to actor Navin Nischol, and Aruna who was the wife of Ajay/Parikshat Sahni, son of renowned Balraj Sahni. Both Neelu and Aruna have since been divorced. Dev graduated from Government College, Lahore, British India, left his hometown to work in the Military Censor Office at Churchgate, Bombay. He was offered a role in the 1946 flick 'Hum Ek Hain'. This is where he stuck a friendship with Bollywood legend Guru Dutt.

Ashok Kumar introduced Dev as a leading man opposite Kamini Kaushal in 'Ziddi'. Thereafter there has been no looking back for the 'evegreen' Dev Anand, who went on to star in over 110 movies, spanning from 1946 through to 2005.

He is perhaps one of the few who dreamed of starlet Snehprabha Pradhan and had his dream come true when he got to not only meet her but also act with her. His other dream was of owning a car, a Hillman, was also fulfilled.




While filming opposite Singer-actress Suraiya, the boat capsized, Dev rescued her and in true Bollywood style both fell in love and wanted to get married. This did not happen as Suraiya's grandma strongly opposed this alliance. Suraiya, who acted with Dev in half a dozen movies, remained unmarried all her life.

In 1954 Dev met Mona, whose screen name is Kalpana Kartik, and married her in 1954 in a quiet ceremony in Russia where they were on a tour to screen 'Rahee' and 'Aandhiyan'. Mona was a college beauty queen from Simla, and she starred opposite her to-be-husband in all her movies. Both became parents in 1956 when Suneil was born.

Dev is also known for introducing two of the most beautiful actresses to Bollywood, namely Zeenat Aman in 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' and Tina Munim in 'Des Pardes.

Not easily intimidated, Dev Anand, Shatrughan Sinha, Inder Sen Johar, Kishore Kumar were amongst the few that actually stood up against the authoritarian regime of Indira Gandhi during the Emergency, while many in the opposition preferred to flee India to escape Mrs. Gandhi's wrath.

The Anand family founded Navketan Films which is still active and being administered by Dev's son, Suneil.