Dev Anand

Biography

Dev Anand (born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand; 26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), was an Indian actor, writer, director, and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades.

He was one of the most successful actors in Indian cinema and a part of "Trinity – The Golden Trio" along with Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. The Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002 for his contribution to Indian cinema.

He has won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor twice and Filmfare's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993.

Anand's fast dialogue delivery and unique nodding style became the trademarks of his acting in movies. His style was often copied by other actors. Many of Dev Anand's films explored his cultural viewpoint of the world and often highlighted many socially relevant topics.

In 1946, he debuted with a lead role in Prabhat Films' Hum Ek Hain, a film about Hindu-Muslim unity. In the late 40s, Anand was offered a few roles starring as the male lead opposite singer-actress Suraiya in woman-oriented films such as Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949), Afsar (1950), and Sanam (1951).

In 1949, Anand launched his own company Navketan Films, under this banner, he produced and directed some of his most successful films. His breakthrough Baazi (1951), is regarded as the forerunner of the spate of "Bombay Noir" films that followed in Bollywood in the 1950s.

In later years, he starred many successful films such as Jaal (1952), Pocket Maar (1956), Munimji (1955), Funtoosh (1956), Paying Guest (1957), and Kala Pani (1958). He acquired a romantic image with films such as Manzil (1960), Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Hum Dono (1961), and Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1963).

A major milestone for Anand was Guide (1965), based on the novel by R. K. Narayan, which became a highly successful movie; and was entered for Best Foreign Language Film at the 38th Academy Awards.

In the 70s, he debuted in the direction of the espionage drama Prem Pujari. Throughout the 70s and 80s, he starred in many box office hits such as Johny Mera Naam (1970), which was highest grosser of the year, Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971), Banarasi Babu (1973), Heera Panna (1973), Amir Garib (1974), Warrant (1975), Des Pardes (1978), Lootmaar (1980) and Swami Dada (1982), Hum Naujawan (1985) and Lashkar (1989).

Anand was born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand on 26 September 1923 in the Shakargarh tehsil of the Gurdaspur district in Punjab (British India). His father Pishori Lal Anand was a well-to-do advocate in Gurdaspur District Court.

Dev was the third of four sons born to Anand. One of Dev's younger sisters is Sheel Kanta Kapur, who is the mother of film director Shekhar Kapur. His older brothers were Manmohan Anand (Advocate, Gurdaspur Dist. Court), Chetan Anand and the younger one was Vijay Anand.

He did his schooling till matriculation from Sacred Heart School, Dalhousie, (then in Punjab), and went to Government College Dharamshala before going to Lahore to study. Later Dev completed a B.A. degree in English Literature from the Government College, Lahore in British India.

Part of the Anand family, he co-founded Navketan Films in 1949 with his elder brother Chetan Anand.

Anand had a love affair with actress Suraiya from 1948 to 1951, but they never married, because of opposition by Suraiya's maternal grandmother. Suraiya remained unmarried throughout her life till she died on 31 January 2004.

In 1954, Dev married Kalpana Kartik (actual name Mona Singha), a Bollywood actress from Shimla, in a private marriage during the shooting of the film Taxi Driver. They have two children, a son Suneil and a daughter Devina.

Dev Anand died in his room at The Washington Mayfair Hotel in London at the age of 88 on 3 December 2011 of a cardiac arrest. His death came just two months after the release of his last film Chargesheet, which he directed and produced.

Anand was reportedly in London for a medical checkup at the time of his death. On 10 December, his funeral service was held at a small chapel in London after which his coffin was taken to the Putney Vale Crematorium in southwest London. His ashes were returned to India for immersion burial in the Godavari River