The Dev Anand cult began with Baazi (1951).
Interestingly, the actor has a dialogue in the film - “This morning college girls were jumping at me like a hen attacks a grain of rice.”
What was not to love?
He played with pauses and mischievously smiled his way into women's hearts. He styled his urbane swagger carefully and was India’s answer to Gregory Peck and Carry Grant. Kishore Kumar’s golden voice helped him serenade leading ladies and audiences.
The only film to feature two giants of Indian cinema, Insaniyat (1955) features Dev Anand as a swashbuckling Bhanupratap who wins over Durga (played by Bina Rai) in S.S. Vasan’s remake of a Telugu film. Dilip Kumar is the friend who sacrifices all.
PS: Reviews were divided because some felt the film’s chimpanzee charmed audiences more than Dilip and Dev!
How to woo a young lady Dev Anand style?
Make her look past the so-so handlebar moustache and feel like you have eyes for no one else!
The Gemini Studios production was one of few films in which Dev Anand is not playing a city slicker. He was known for tailored trousers, crisp shirts, and bright scarves both on and off-screen.
Anand brings style and restraint to the lead role of Inspector Shekhar.
His signature laconic deliveries make the Guru Dutt production and Raj Khosla directorial debut CID (1956) a cine-goer’s treat.
Anand’s easy chemistry with both Shakila, the leading lady, and Waheeda Rehman, a character with grey, only added to his debonair image.
Over his seven-decade career, Anand never lost the sparkle in his eye for his leading ladies.
He’s a petty criminal seeking revenge for his brother’s murder; but also wants to reform for love. Anand is plenty shirtless, teases, sings songs on rooftops, and woos Nutan who plays the educated, village girl Chanda.
Anand is firmly a heartthrob while embodying the message of Baarish (1957) i.e. renewal after washing away past sins and debts.
What makes for an ideal romance? When Dev Anand’s swagger meets Nutan's demureness.
Dharam Devdutt Pishorimal Anand’s charisma is the stuff of legends. His fans, especially women, were reported to swoon in his presence. The frenzy would be higher if he wore a tailored black suit!
As Rajkumar Mehta Anand acquires a brooding air.
He portrays a musician whose love for modern music is rejected harshly by his rich father. Nutan plays his supportive childhood love Pushpa, who ends up marrying another. The self-destruction and bitterness that follow are reminiscent of the tragic romance Devdas. Manzil (1960), however, ends with uniting the lovers.
Dev Anand’s pairing with Nutan was emblematic of the romance of the 1960s - buoyant and youthful. Here though, the story takes on cynical hues.
Shankar Mukherjee’s Sarhard (1960) is a Jungle Book tale with a twist. Four individuals look for love and closure in a forest setting.
Anand portrays Amar - a cruel, misanthropic, angry man - whose ‘wild’ temperament is tamed by Suchitra Sen playing Mala.
Anand had consciously built his mystique with his mannerisms and dressing.
Perhaps, it was necessary even for the screenplay to show him restored to his polished image, crossing back into the city in order to be commercially viable.
Dev Anand transcended generations.
His filmography is a panoramic view of cinematic history, technology, society, and romance itself.
Starting out in the 1940s all the way to the mid 80s spanning from Suraiya, Geeta Dutt, Kaamini Kaushal, Kalpana Kartik, Hema Malini to Zeenat Aman, Tina Munim and Richa Sharma.
His image as the everyday man who was aspirational, quick witted, stylish yet approachable, made him the dream man for many.
The fun songs, his cosmopolitan appeal, and the cool hippie vibe in films like Hare Krishna Hare Rama (1971) led to fan clubs and lifelong devotees.
Always accompanied by a fan or two on his trips Dev Anand drew more than a few crowds along the way. Beware! You too could fall in love with the magician on screen.
Anandana Kapur
Key References
Anand, D. (2011). Romancing with Life. New Delhi: Penguin Books India Pvt Ltd.
Garewal, S. (28 Feb 2018). Rendezvous with Dev Anand. SimiGarewalOfficial. Accessed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y7lQ2ez7r4&t=2131s on 15 Mar 2021 at 19:47 IST.
Gupta, S. (16 Sep 2017). Lessons in Stardom from Dev Anand. ThePrint. Accessed from https://theprint.in/opinion/lessons-stardom-dev-anand/10948/ on 5 Mar 2021 at 19:50 IST.
Kumar, V. (2017). Dev Saab. Chennai: Notion Press.
You are all set!
Your first Culture Weekly will arrive this week.