The first Hindi movie I saw outside India was Jewel Thief, year 1971, place Tehran Iran; dubbed in Persian. Iranian’s in those days had un-fettered access to Western films; and their favorite stars included Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Anthony Quinn and Alain Delon. On that day I discovered that they were also great fans of Hindi movies, one of my father’s Iranian colleague bought Dev Anand’s famous Jewel Thief cap and jauntily wore it. Even though I was quite young, I must
have subconsciously realized something important. In those days Indian products abroad were almost non-existent, and here was an Indian film (and hero) being competitive with the best the West had to offer. Just a year earlier Dev Anand’s blockbuster Johnny Mera Naam had made a great impression on all us young kids in my Pune locality, and this Tehran experience cemented his status as my favorite Hindi movie star.
Coming of age in India in the 1970’s implied growing up in the Rajesh Khanna/Dharmendra/Amitabh Bachchan era. Although these 3 heroes were far more popular (and also among my favorites); a 50+ year old Dev Anand still retained his niche. The most significant reason was Hare Rama Hare Krishna and his subsequent relationship with Zeenat Aman. Dharmendra-Hema Malini was the most popular and written about couple, but Dev-Zeenat were not far behind. This open relationship between an older man and a much younger women was certainly path-breaking for India, and whether you were for it or against it; secretly I suspect most were quite fascinated by it. In his autobiography "Romancing with Life" (inspiration for my reviews title), Dev Anand discusses this relationship in a candid yet under-stated manner. The most honest and poignant revelation is the breakup and Zeenat crossing over to work with rival Raj Kapoor. Real-life shades of Raj Kapoor’s eternal triangle in "Sangam", and coincidentally, legend has it that Rajendra Kumar’s role was written for and first offered to Dev Anand. Dev Anand analyzes the entire episode in a very mature manner, ending by saying that in his mind Zeenat remains a beautiful person and Raj Kapoor remains a passionate filmmaker.
The 1950’s was a period where the Hindi Film Industry was establishing itself. Dev Anand along with Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor formed the so called trinity of male superstars. Unlike Hollywood and its studio system; it is interesting to note that this industry was (and for the most part remains) a fragmented free-market entity consisting of many independent production houses. Dev Anand founded his own company, Navketan, and most of his best movies were produced under this banner. Navketan along with Raj Kapoor’s RK Studios were considered amongst the top most banners through the 1950’s and the 1960’s. Several leading lights of the Hindi film industry like Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, SD Burman, Zeenat Aman, and Tina Munim established their careers via Navketan. Dev Anand and Navketan continue to produce movies to this day, although for the past
25+ years they have not made a commercially (or artistically) successful movie. In the 1980’s, he did create a modern state-of-the-art recording studio; which apparently is the funding source for his many failed film ventures.
Dev Anand’s forte were light romantic roles, but he also excelled at playing lawyers and CID inspectors. Great music was an integral part of his movies, indeed his song picturizations were often copied by other actors. He was at his best during the first 20 - 25 years of his career, much of it during the black and white film era. As an actor he was mostly consistent, with a few great performances. He defined the urban man for the Indian audience, with his behavior and clothes sense. A genuinely handsome and good looking leading actor, he had a lot of female fans of all age groups. His one-of-kind mannerisms began to dominate in the latter part of his career, beginning in the 1970’s. They were tolerated and even enjoyed for some time; however they certainly are anachronistic in this day and age. After his superstar status began to wane, he tried his hand at direction, but apart from Hare Rama Hare Krishna and to some extent Des Pardes, he did not find much success.
His autobiography is worth a read, he proves that currently he is a much better author than filmmaker/actor. He writes at great length about the relationship with Suraiyya in the early part of his career. Her family terminated the pairing, apparently on grounds of dissimilar religion. Later, Kalpana Kartik came into his life; and they married on the sets of the movie Taxi Driver. They had two children, a boy Suneil and a daughter Devina; and they remain married to this day in a most unusual arrangement. Dev Anand describes this arrangement with a humorous episode; once he fell in his bathtub, hurt his back and shouted "I have fallen". Kalpana, partially serious and somewhat jocularly replied --- "For whom this time".
The best part of the autobiography is the description of his struggles in the early days in Bombay. He fought with his father and came to Bombay with very little money in his pocket. He did odd jobs including a stint at the War censor’s office. He was forced to sell his stamp collection to survive, and spent many days living in a chawl in Parel. I suppose this struggle is probably one key ingredient of his later success, possibly at some subliminal level his many viewers detect these real experiences in his performances.
Among my favorite Dev Anand movies are :-
1) Guide --- wrote an entire review about this one.
2) Jewel Thief --- An entertaining mixture of James Bond & Agatha Christie (I read this somewhere, but do not remember the source)
3) Johnny Mera Naam --- I believe Mani Kaul (or some other art film director) called this movie the best mixture of art and entertainment.
4) Kala Pani --- Won Best actor filmfare award.
5) Hum Dono --- Great songs (as usual).
6) Tere Ghar Ke Samne --- a delightful breezy entertainer, the best of the Dev Anand-Nutan pair.
7) Hare Rama Hare Krishna --- flawed in parts, ahead of the curve in others; his best directorial venture.
8) Asli Naqli --- His only movie with Hrishikesh Mukherjee, they had a fight.
9) CID --- A slick stylish Guru Dutt/Raj Khosla entertainer, the only movie where two other males have better songs than him
(Johnny Walker "Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan", an unknown actor "Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar").
10) Tere Mere Sapne --- A sensitive film, Dev Anand pairs well with Mumtaz, although sometimes he overacts.
and countless songs, but a special mention for
1) Phoolon Ke Rang Se
2) Are Yaar Meri Tum Bhi Ho Ghazab
3) Phoolon Ka Taaron Ka
4) Gaata Rahe Mera Dil
5) Aasman Ke Neeche
6) Hai Apna Dil To Awaara
7) Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hai
8) He Maine Kasam Li
9) Khoya Khoya Chaand
10) Yeh Dil Na Hota Bechara
11) Dil Ka Bhanwar Kare Pukar
12) Khwaab Ho Tum Ya Koi Haqeeqat
Dedicated to the #1 Dev Anand fan on Mouthshut.