Dev Anand’s journey began on September 26, 1923, in the small town of Shakargarh in Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan). He was born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand into a large, well-educated family—his father was a respected lawyer, and young Dev grew up surrounded by books, discussions of justice, and the spirited company of his siblings. His brothers Chetan and Vijay would later join him as pillars of Hindi cinema, while his sister, Sheel Kanta, became the mother of another film legend, Shekhar Kapur.
The boy who would become the “Evergreen Hero” was quick-witted, charming, and restless with dreams. He found school in Dalhousie and Lahore stimulating, and his love of English literature inspired him to earn a degree just before the country’s storm of independence. But the freedom struggle also brought struggles at home: dreams of studying further in England faded as his family’s finances changed after the political and economic upheaval. Wanting to do more with his life, Dev tried to join the Royal Indian Navy, but when that plan didn’t work out, he moved to Bombay in the early 1940s.
Dev Anand’s Bombay days were humble. He worked first at the military censor’s office, making Rs. 65 a month, then in an accounting firm—ordinary jobs for anyone except Dev. His real passion was acting, ignited by watching Ashok Kumar’s performances and the stirring stories of early cinema. Dev longed to perform, and his lucky break came after gate-crashing Prabhat Film Studios: the famed Baburao Pai noticed his striking smile and confident manner, offering him the lead role in Hum Ek Hain (1946). On the Pune sets, Dev struck up a lifelong friendship with Guru Dutt, promising that if one succeeded in films, he’d help the other.
Movies opened up a new world for Dev Anand—a world of black-and-white magic, promise, and heartbreak. Just as he was starting out, he fell for co-star Suraiya, saving her life during a boating mishap on set. Though Suraiya loved him too, her family forbade their marriage due to religious differences—a bittersweet memory Dev would carry all his life.
Dev’s real stardom started with Ziddi (1948), a film where the dashing hero finally met his public. Soon after, he teamed up with his brother Chetan to form Navketan Films in 1949, a studio that would become legendary for risk-taking and quality. Dev’s screen persona—quick-witted, stylish, and romantic—defined a new type of hero for young India. When Guru Dutt directed Baazi (1951), Dev played a streetwise card sharp with such charm that he pioneered the “Bombay Noir” genre, where jazz and city nights set the mood for stories of love and trouble.
Navketan thrived on family and innovation. Dev trusted his brothers, and together they created hits like Taxi Driver (1954), Guide (1965), and Jewel Thief (1967)—each film breaking new ground in music, style, or storytelling. Dev’s image—hair with a quiff, scarf tossed back, ever-young smile—was instantly recognizable across India, from urban theaters to rural cinemas. He introduced audiences to bold heroines, gave chances to newcomers, and—uniquely—never feared changing with the times. Even in his later years, movies like Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971) captured youth culture and new generations.
Dev Anand’s optimism was legendary. When films flopped, he shrugged it off and planned the next one. When critics said his style was old-fashioned, he found new scripts and new talent. He kept producing, writing, acting, and even directing, unfazed by age or changing fashions. Where others retired, Dev just kept rolling—“Evergreen” was more than a nickname; it was his way of life.
His achievements stacked up: four Filmfare Awards, the Padma Bhushan, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, and more than 100 films as actor, director, and producer. But Dev Anand valued, above all, the love of the audience—masses of fans who saw him not just as a star, but as a friend who brought them stories, hope, and joy in every movie. “Life,” he once said, “is too short to be small.”
Even after his passing in 2011, Dev Anand’s movies continue to inspire. He showed Indians how to chase dreams, stay young at heart, and never give up—even when the odds seemed impossible. His story is proof that with passion, charm, and courage, anyone can stay “evergreen”—forever young in spirit and in the hearts of millions.
Read more: https://curiousindian.in/raj-kapoor-the-greatest-showman-of-indian-cinema-december-1924-june-1988/
