Bollywood Legend Dev Anand Dies of Heart Attack at 88
He could make even the claustrophobic interiors of Qutub Minar seem the most romantic place in the world. Few women wouldn't have secretly fantasized of swapping places with heroine Nutan in that song, Dil ka bhanwar kare pukar ('Tere Ghar Ke Saamne', 1963). For a generation of women in 1950s and 60s India, Dev Anand was a pin code to heaven.
The actor, who passed away at 88 after a heart attack on Saturday night in London where he had gone for a medical check-up and for the UK release of 'Hum Dono' in colour, was part of the famed trinity - along with Dilip Kumar and the late Raj Kapoor - who ruled Hindi films in the 1950s and 60s.
Each had his own carefully crafted screen persona: Dilip was the tragic Devdas-ian hero, Kapoor the desi socialist tramp. Dev's persona was less clearly defined. But whether he was playing a morally ambiguous gambler ('Baazi', 1951) or a cop ('CID', 1956), he was urbane and stylish with that trademark puff of hair always in place. He was impish without being intense; sexy without ever hinting sex. With a screen personality modelled on Gregory Peck - then girlfriend Suraiya's idea - he not only typified the male cool of his era; he also helped define it.
Not just a star, he created stars too
But the star was much more than oodles of easy charm. He had an insatiable lust for life. What do you say of a film career spanning 65 years, of someone who played the leading man for over 40 years, whose production house, Navketan, (co-founded with brother Chetan) represents the best of mainstream Hindi cinema ('Taxi Driver', 'Kalapani', 'Hum Dono', 'Guide'), and who after releasing his latest film 'Chargesheet' in September this year was already planning his next venture: a sequel to 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna'.
His energy and drive was almost superhuman. Like a true artiste, Dev Anand never retired; he just breathed his last dreaming about his next film. Dev Anand wasn't just a star; he created stars too. Without him, Zeenat Aman's career wouldn't have taken off.
In bikini-friendly Aman, he fashioned a new, westernised Hindi film heroine, the first of her kind. He also gave breaks to Tina Munim, Richa Sharma, Jackie Shroff, Tabu and a host of other newcomers. In most movies, the actor played himself. But in 'Hum Dono' and 'Guide' (also made in English), he earned accolades for his acting. Like Raj Kapoor, he created a fabulous ensemble at his production house Navketan.
And like the Kapoors, the Anands too were a famous trio of brothers; Chetan and Vijay being the other two. Director Raj Khosla, music director S D Burman, lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi and many such stalwarts were regulars with Navketan.
The Gurdaspur-born actor graduated in English literature in Lahore. He worked as a military-office clerk at Churchgate before debuting in PL Santoshi's 'Hum Ek Hain' (1946) but 'Ziddi' (1948) was his first success. However, 'Baazi' (1951), directed by Guru Dutt on account of an old promise made to the actor, rocketed him to stardom. Over the next two decades, Dev Anand delivered more flops than hits.
Yet, his star stature remained undiminished. Some of his biggest hits were 'Taxi Driver' (1954), 'CID' (1956), 'Paying Guest' (1957), 'Kalapani' (1958), 'Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota' (1961), 'Tere Ghar ke Samne' (1963), 'Johny Mera Naam' (1970), 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' (1971) and 'Des Pardes' (1975). His last box-office success was the action thriller, 'Lashkar' (1989).
In the 1970s, he stopped playing the romantic lover and switched to doing more action-oriented films. He also largely started concentrating on directing films.
His movies were often ahead of their times. 'Prem Pujari' was anti-war in content, 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna' captured the hippie movement and 'Des Pardes' spoke about the life of immigrants. And he was one of the few stars who stood up against the Emergency. He even founded the National Party of India which was hastily shelved. Cinematically, the last 10 years were his worst.
Movies such as 'Love at Times Square', 'Censor', 'Mr Prime Minister', even 'Chargesheet' were objects of critical lampooning. Yet, the theme of these films clearly indicates the filmmaker was still in tune with the times.
His romance with Suraiya is arguably the most-talked about love story in the Hindi film industry. It ended because the heroine couldn't overcome family objections. Dev Anand married Kalpana Kartik with whom he had a son, Suneil, and a daughter, Devina. During his lifetime, Dev Anand had already become a part of folklore.
A persistent rumour in 1960s small-town north India was that he had been banned from wearing black suits because his female fans would faint with delight. The story only illustrates that his debonair looks was already mythology.
Which is why heroes may come and go, but Dev Anand is forever.