On the birth anniversary of Dev Anand today, it is apt to remember the “Evergreen Star” of Indian Cinema through anecdotes and facts that lesser-known fans may not be aware of. Here are some lesser-known insights into the man, apart from his legendary on-screen image:
A Name with Secret Origins
Dev Anand was born as Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand on 26 September 1923 in Shakargarh (then Punjab, now Pakistan). His father, Pishori Lal Anand, was not an average man – a lawyer by trade, he was also very keen on religious and philosophical research across religions (Sanskrit, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian).
Humble Beginnings Prior to the Spotlight
Prior to becoming a popular movie legend, Dev Anand did mundane jobs in Bombay to earn a living. He joined the military censor’s office at Churchgate for a mere Rs 65 a month. Subsequently, he worked as a clerk for an accounts firm for Rs 85. His humble beginning helped him to value the success he got with movies.
A Life in Films that Started out with Idealism
His first (as a lead) was in Hum Ek Hain (1946), a socially conscious film about Hindu-Muslim brotherhood, consistent with his upbringing’s tendencies toward expansive humanism and harmony.
Even though that movie was not a blockbuster, Dev continued working. His box-office success arrived with Ziddi (1948) and again with Baazi (1951), which initiated a new noirish tone in Hindi cinema and invented the genre ‘Bombay Noir’.
Love, Loss, and Iconic Pairing
One of the more touching phases of his life was with Suraiya, a renowned actress and singer of that period. Between around 1948 to 1951, the two were in an affair.
Dev had nicknames for her like “Nosey” and “Suraiyana,” while she called him lovingly “Steve”-a name from a book he had once gifted her.
There were plans to elope and marry during the shooting of their film Jeet (1949), but Suraiya’s grandmother intervened-some accounts say she threatened Dev’s life, which led Suraiya to withdraw. It has also been recorded that her grandmother made Suraiya to throw the engagement ring given to her by Anand into water. Dev had offered the ring costing 3,000 rs. at the time of shooting their film Afsar (1950).
Of course, life took a different turn: Suraiya never married, while Dev wed Kalpana Kartik (Mona Singha) in 1954, and the two of them formed a lasting partnership till Anand’s demise.
A Cinepreneur who Sponsored Fresh Talent
Apart from acting, Dev Anand was also a producer, and director. With his banner Navketan Films, established along with his brother Chetan in 1949, he was a quiet but influential force behind Bollywood’s destiny in its formative years.
Some Lesser-Known Contributions:
- He provided launchpads to actors like Zarina Wahab, Tina Munim, Jackie Shroff, and Tabu in his latter films.
- In one case, when Kishore Kumar was establishing his own voice beyond copying K.L. Saigal, it was through Dev’s movies (particularly through S.D. Burman’s collaboration) that Kishore’s original singing style was discovered and received audience recognition.
- He used to be generous about giving credits and promoting colleagues, an aspect often not highlighted in the midst of the glamour of his majestic aura.
- There is distinct style, rememberable characteristics Dev Anand’s presence wasn’t just on screen-it was the way he projected himself. His quick-fire dialogue delivery and his signature nodding fashion became cliches emulated and mimicked by every cine lover across the globe.
- He was one of the fashion trendsetters of the early days of Bollywood: scarves, mufflers, jackets, and that quintessential puff on his hair turned him into a style icon of the era who inspired his upcoming generations.
Honours, But Humility Persisted
For his contribution to Indian cinema, Dev Anand was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2002. Still, his colleagues describe him as remaining rooted and never losing sight of the humility that was instilled in him because of his early struggles.
This birthday, these anecdotes serve as a reminder that Dev Anand was not just a romance icon, a flamboyant personality or a cinematic legend-that he was a dreamer, a talent spotter, and an incredibly complicated individual. His mythos does not reside merely in the movies he left behind, but in the unspoken instances and hushed recollections that infuse his real legacy, making him an eternal legend.
