Dev Anand (born September 26, 1923) is an Indian actor and film producer.
He was born in Gurdaspur in Punjab to a well-to-do advocate, Devdutt Pishorimal Anand. He graduated in English literature from the Government College, Lahore.
His love for acting made him leave his hometown. After a flop debut with Hum Ek Hain in 1946, Dev Anand met Guru Dutt at Prabhat Studio and struck a rapport with him. 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 with Zeenat Aman created a record of sorts.
Dev invited Guru Dutt to direct the crime thriller Baazi in 1951. Lyricist Sahir’s song Tadbeer se bigdi huyee proved to be prophetic and Dev went on to become a star. His style was lapped up by the audience and imitated. Some of his hit films were Munimji, CID, Paying Guest, Gambler and Tere Ghar ke Saamne.
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 Kalpana Kartik in 1954. His first film in colour, Guide was an Indo-US collaboration released in 1965.
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—Sachin Dev Burman, 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.
In 2001, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, an honour by the Government of India. He was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, 2002, for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
In April 2003, Dev Anand was given a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the F.I.F.A. Committee in Johannesburg, South Africa. At the age of 83 Dev Anand is still active in film making, as he was in his youth.
