Fragrance of Yesteryears: Dev Anand

As September steps in with the promise of a new season, a new edition of Fragrance of Yesteryears also tags along. BollyCurry brings to you an actor, writer, director and producer born in this current month in the year 1923. A person who was regarded as a Bollywood legend, a versatile actor whose mannerisms and expressions are still mimicked by youngsters even today, Dev Anand, one of the greatest actors in the history of Indian cinema.

Dev Anand was born as Dharam Dev Pishorilal Anand on 26^th September, 1923 and he was the third son to his father Pishori Lal Anand, an advocate. Younger brother to producer, screenwriter and director Chetan Anand and older brother to filmmaker, producer, screen writer, editor and actor Vijay Anand, Dev Anand completed his schooling in Dalhousie and attended college in Dharamsala before earning his BA degree from Government College, Lahore.

 

After working as a clerk in Bombay for a while, Anand entered Bollywood with the movie Hum Ek Hain (1946), although his big break happened with Ziddi (1948) after getting inspired by Ashok Kumar's performance on the big screen. From that moment on, there was no looking back for this talented man. In his early career, he worked in movies like Baazi, Taxi Driver, House No. 44, Nau Do Gyarah, C.I.D., Paying Guest, Kala Pani and many others. Kala Pani won him his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor. During the filming of Taxi Driver, he fell in love with his co-actor Kalpana and married her. Around the same decade, Anand started his production career by forming Navketan Films with his brother, Chetan Anand.

 

The decade of 1960s was a turning point for Anand's career. While Anand had delivered many hits as lead actor, his true acting skills emerged with the film Guide in 1965 which won him his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor. The same movie won him his first National Award for the Best Hindi Feature Film as the movie was produced by Anand and directed by his younger brother, Vijay Anand. Additionally, he was also awarded Filmfare Best Film Award for Guide. In the same decade, Anand collaborated again with his younger brother to make Jewel Thief (1967) and Johny Mera Naam (1970); both movies are still loved by every die-hard Anand fan.

 

The decade of 1970s started with Anand trying his hand at direction with Prem Pujari (1970) which was a flop but his second directorial venture Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971) was not only a hit but reached a cult status. While many leading actors of his generation started taking up supporting roles like father of lead hero, Anand, well in his 50s, continued to play the leading man and deliver commercial hits such as Heera Panna and Banarasi Babu, both of which were released in 1973. He also helped launch new faces in his films who later on turned to be actresses of fine caliber. The likes of Zeenat Aman and Tina Ambani fall in this category. 70s was also the time Anand stepped into politics by protesting against Indira Gandhi and forming Nation Party of India which he later disbanded.

 

In the 1980s, Anand continued to play lead hero in the flicks Hum Naujawan (1986) and Lashkar (1989). But in the 90s his commercial value decreased, except Awwal Number (1990). The rest of his movies were box office failures. Anand's movies continued to fail commercially even after 90s; his final movie was Chargesheet in 2011.

 

The industry lost Anand on 3^rd December, 2011 to cardiac arrest at the age of eighty eight. He was cremated in London where he died while visiting for a medical check up and his ashes were immersed in Godavari River.

 

Writer: Kalpana K.C.

Editors: Mohini N., Ritchelle C. and Sonia R.

Graphics: Komal P.