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| Dev Anand in-frame |
"
Dev Anand ko kaale kapdo me dekh k ladkiya chhat se kudti thi", when my grandma said this to me 10 years ago, I got drawn towards Dev Anand interestingly and being enthusiastic to know about Dev Anand, I Google Searched about him through my laptop, I was just mesmerized at first sight by looking at his photos. The style of bowed neck, a unique-styled cap which even today I refer it as
Dev Anand ki cap, colored scarf around the neck makes up a great attractive and charming appearance of Dev Anand. Khwab ho tum ya koi haqeeqat this was what I felt when I saw him for the first time.
Dev Anand, an iconic, legendary actor, chocolate hero of Indian Cinema, with his charm and quirky walk is still an inspiration! His fast dialogue delivery and unique nodding style became the trademarks of his acting in movies. His style was often copied by other actors. His looks and charm made me his nostalgic fan though being a kid of 90s. His black and white movies develop a nostalgia of old evergreen movies within me and his movies amuse me. Dev Anand has always been better known for his wigs than his films, his looks than his talents, and his mannerisms than his acting or directing abilities.
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| Dev Anand's special cap |
Dev Anand ruled the box office in the 1950s along with Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar. Much against popular notion that these rival stars never worked together, each one shared one film with the other. Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand starred together in S S Vasan's Insaniyat. Dilip Kumar worked with Raj Kapoor in Mehboob Khan's Andaz.
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Three legendary evergreen actors together in-frame
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| Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand in Insaaniyat (1955) |
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Nargis, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar in Andaz (1949)
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Many of Dev Anand's films explored his cultural viewpoint of the world and often highlighted many socially relevant topics. Anand won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for the films Kaala Paani which he has done with Madhubala, Venus Queen of Bollywood, and Guide, co-starred with Waheeda Rehman. The 1965 film Guide marked a major milestone in Anand's career. It was his first colour film.
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Dev Anand and Madhubala in Kaala Paani
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| Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman in Guide
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Anand aspired to become a performer after seeing
Ashok Kumar's performance in films such as
Achhut Kanya and Qismat. Anand quoted in an interview that "I remember when I gate-crashed into the office of the man who gave me the first break, he kept looking at me – Babu Rao Pai of Prabhat Film Studios. At that time he made up his mind that this boy deserves a break and later mentioned to his people that 'this boy struck me because of his smile and beautiful eyes and his tremendous confidence.'" Then he was soon offered the lead role in Prabhat Films' Hum Ek Hain (1946), a film about Hindu-Muslim unity, where Dev Anand played a Hindu boy and was paired opposite Kamala Kotnis. While shooting the film in Pune, Anand befriended the actor
Guru Dutt. Between them, they agreed that if one of them were to become successful in the film industry, he would help the other also to be successful. They formed a mutual understanding that when Anand produced a film, Dutt would direct it and when Dutt directed a film, Dev would act in it.
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| Dev Anand in Hum Ek Hain (1946) |
Dev Anand has produced 35 films. Of the 35 films he produced, 18 were commercially successful at the box office. He wrote the stories for 13 of his films. Anand's films are well known for their hit songs. When we think of Dev Anand songs, what we get in mind is S D Burman as Music director, and Rafi Sahab and Kishore Kumar as Playback singers. He is known to have been an active participant in the music sessions of a number of his films. His songs like pal bhar k liye koi hume pyaar karle, khoya khoya chand, gaata rahe mera dil, hai apna dil toh aawara, etc. have been iconic till the date and they have been recreated by new-gen singers. Teri Dhum Hai Kahi predicted future of the world well! Anand is regarded as one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema. Dev Anand is noted for his charm, diverse roles and handsome face. He was one of the highest paid actors from 1950s to early 1970s. Actor Rajesh Khanna called him his "inspiration" and said, "I was an ardent admirer of Dev Anand from my teens. I was highly inspired by his acting style. Dev Anand was my inspiration, my idol."
After the film Kaala Paani, there was a period when Anand did not wear black in public. He was asked not to wear black suits in public. I know it seems weird but it's true or a rumour! According to Hindustan Times, a leading daily reported how during the release of Kaala Paani (1958), a girl so enamoured by his handsome look in a black coat allegedly ended her life. Dev’s image of a 'romantic hero' made him extremely popular among moviegoers, with women going gaga over him. Our grandparents have well witnessed that young girls and ladies would go insane with desire at the sight of him dressed in black, not apparently thinking before jumping from buildings for a glimpse of the actor. There were also reports which stated, Dev looked so handsome in a black coat that a girl allegedly ended her life after being mesmerised by his look. Many girls fell faint after seeing him in Black Shirt. Dev Anand always called it a rumour. It is also been rumoured that he was prohibited by Bombay High Court to wear Black Suit.
On 26th September 2007, Dev Anand's autobiography Romancing with Life was released at a birthday party with the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. In February 2011, his 1961 black-and-white film Hum Dono was digitised, colourised and re-released. The 2011 film Chargesheet was Anand's final film.
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| Hum Dono(1961) colourised |
On the occasion of 100 years of Indian cinema, a postage stamp bearing his image and likeness was released by India Post to honour him on 3 May 2013.
Postage Stamp bearing Dev Anand image
He was known for his unflagging optimism and self-belief throughout his six-decade career. The legend has it that the late actor looked so handsome in a black suit that women went weak on their knees. Hindustan Times report even claimed that a girl was so mesmerised by Dev’s look that she ended her life. Since then there were several young girls who jumped off buildings in an attempt to get a glimpse of the legendary actor. However, it is also worth pointing out that there’s no official confirmation of the purported incidents although he was asked not to wear black suits or any black outfit in public.
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| Dev Anand in his 80s |
Unfortunately, he is no more and won't be ever able to see him on-screen. It is the universal truth that time and age fades away one's look of appearance but I feel sorrow of no longer the young handsome Dev Anand I think about will be seen. He cannot die, because he refused to die. Even in death, he is probably more alive within many hearts. He definitely lived life better than any of us have, or ever will, full of zest, full of enthusiasm, no regrets. I was told that it was his express wish not to be seen dead. He did not want to be exposed to the camera any more once he was gone, as he was loved for his good looks and charm. Jahaan me aisa kaun hai like Dev Anand, is what I feel even now whenever I think about him!
