Dev Anand- the hero with 2 golden voices - Page 2

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Posted: 18 years ago
#11

Dev Anand

Dharam Dev Anand (he goes by his middle name) (Hindi: ??? ?????, Urdu: ??? ????) (born September 26, 1923) is a famous Indian actor and film producer. His real name was Devdutta Pishorimal Anand. Dev Anand is one of the most popular stars the Hindi Film Industry has seen. In his heydeys, he was considered the epitome of the suave, urban gentleman.

His elder brother Chetan Anand is credited to bringing him and younger brother Vijay Anand into the film world. Though he did launch his son Suneil Anand in films with Anand aur Anand, the film and Suneil did not get noticed.

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[edit] Biography

Dev Anand was born in Gurdaspur in Punjab to a well-to-do advocate, Pishorimal Anand. He graduated in English literature from the Government College, Lahore (now in Pakistan). His love for acting made him leave his hometown.Dev began his career in the military censor office at Churchgate, Mumbai, for a princely salary of Rs 160. He was soon offered a break as an actor by Prabhat Talkies to star in their Hum Ek Hain (1946). While shooting for the film in Pune, Dev struck a friendship with fellow actor Guru Dutt. Soon, they were swapping shirts, double dating and sharing dreams. They made a pact: if Dev produced a film, Guru Dutt would direct it; if Guru Dutt produced a film, Dev would act in it.

Dev made the grade first. By a strange coincidence, Dev was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar, his favourite star. Kumar spotted Dev hanging around in the studios and picked him as hero for the Bombay Talkies production, Ziddi, costarring Kamini Kaushal (1948). 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 in the 1970's with Zeenat Aman was a big success.

Dev never looked back. He bought his first car, a black Hillman. His dream of working with his teenage idol, actress Snehprabha Pradhan, was also fulfilled.

As promised, Dev gambled on Guru Dutt as director for the crime thriller, Baazi (1951). The dice rolled in favour of this creative collaboration; the Sahir [Ludhianvi, lyricist] song, Tadbeer se bigdi huyee taqdeer bana de, proved prophetic and Dev became a true blue star. It also crystallised his image as an urban cowboy with more than his share of smarts.

At this stage, Dev was drawn towards grey-shaded roles and films with a noirish flavour, like Jaal (1952). He played a gambler, a smuggler, a blackmarketeer. The year 1954 was a crucial one. Dev was one of the earliest Indian stars to visit Russia. His starrers, Rahee and Aandhiyan, were screened there along with Raj Kapoor's Awaara.In the same year, Taxi Driver was declared a hit. Dev's heroine was Kalpana Kartik again, and the two decided to marry in a quiet ceremony during a lunch break on the sets!

Marriage and the birth of son Suneil in 1956 did not affect Dev's draw. A rapidfire style of dialogue delivery, an array of hats (remember Aye meri topi palat ke aa?), and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's USP in films like Munimji, CID and Paying Guest.

His style was lapped up by the audience and was widely imitated. He starred in a string of box office successes for the remainder of the 1950's and some of his hit films include Munimji, CID, Paying Guest, Gambler, Tere Ghar ke Saamne and Kaala Pani.

Sure, he had style, but Dev's detractors cast aspersions on his acting abilities and questioned his inclusion in the hallowed Raj [Kapoor]-Dilip [Kumar] league. Dev made them eat humble pie with his class act in Kala Pani (1958), as the son who is willing to go to any lengths --- including sweet-talking a courtesan into believing he is in love with her --- to clear his framed father's name. He won the Best Actor Award for the film.

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 film actress Kalpana Kartik in 1954. His first film in colour, Guide with Waheeda Rehman was based on the novel of the same name by R. K. Narayan. The impetus for making a film from the book came from Dev Anand himself, and he met and persuaded Narayan to give his assent to the project. Dev Anand tapped his friends in Hollywood to lauch an Indo-US coproduction that was shot in Hindi and English simultaneously and was released in 1965. This is regarded by many as his best work till date.

He followed it up with an interesting double role in Hum Dono (1961) as a mustachioed major and his clean-shaven lookalike.

Guide (1965), directed by younger brother Vijay Anand, silenced the staunchest of critics. Dev played Raju, a voluble guide who supports Rosy (Waheeda) in her bid for freedom; but is not above thoughtlessly exploiting her for personal gains. Combining style with substance, Dev gave an affecting performance as a man grappling with his emotions in his passage through love, shame and salvation.

Guide was Dev's creative acme. He reunited with Vijay Anand for the much-hyped Jewel Thief, featuring a bevy of beauties led by Vyjayanthimala, including Tanuja, Anju Mahendru, Faryal and Helen.

With their next collaboration, Johnny Mera Naam (1970), Dev was worth his weight in gold. The film was released in the same year as Raj Kapoor's magnum 'flopus' Mera Naam Joker, and was a golden jubilee hit. Unlike Raj and Dilip who slowed down in the Seventies, Dev continued to be a romantic hero. His maiden attempt at direction, the espionage drama, Prem Pujari flopped, but Dev hit lucky with his sophomore directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It talked about the prevalent hippie cult.

Zeenat Aman, who played the mini-sporting, pot-smoking protagonist Janice, became an overnight sensation. Dev also became known as a filmmaker of trenchantly topical themes.

The presence of his discoveries --- the zestful Zeenat and later, the elfin Tina Munim (heroine of Dev's last recognised hit Des Pardes in 1978) --- fuelled Dev's image as the evergreen star even when he was well into his fifties.

For the past two decades, however, success has been like a miffed mistress with Dev. But even at 83, exuberance races through Dev's veins. "Watch out for my next, Love At Time Square," he enthuses. Dev belongs to the rare race that subscribes to the dictum: Never say never.

Dev Anand is one of those few Indian film actors/filmmakers who are politically aware and active and are ready to stand up for the cause that is dear to them. He was the one who led a group of film personalities who stood up against the Internal Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister of India Smt. Indira Gandhi. He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in 1977 parliamentary elections in India while very few among the film fraternity showed the courage to fight against an authoritarian regime.

Most of his films are an expression of his world view and have dealt with socially relevant subjects. He always emphasises this in his interviews. He thinks that his films represent his personal points of view. He is an auteur in true sense of the term.

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 - O. P. Nayyar, Sachin Dev Burman and 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.

*Jaya* thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#12

Originally posted by: adi_0112

Please go ahead..Dev Anand reminded me of Gregory Peck...They look so alike. But he difinitely had a style..its a different thing that i hardly used to understand his dialogs, since he kind of mumbled them. But the songs on him....oooo la.la.la.....😆

Actually - he has himself confessed in some interviews that Gregory Peck was an inspiration... I do agree that Dev saab had some very peculiar histrionics esp with dialog delivery (which at times was irritating too), but we cannot deny the fact that he was one of the most good looking heroes Hindi cinema ever had...

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Posted: 18 years ago
#13
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Posted: 18 years ago
#14

Originally posted by: *Jaya*

Actually - he has himself confessed in some interviews that Gregory Peck was an inspiration... I do agree that Dev saab had some very peculiar histrionics esp with dialog delivery (which at times was irritating too), but we cannot deny the fact that he was one of the most good looking heroes Hindi cinema ever had...


oh am not disagreeing...cant really have an opionion really because I have just seen only to kill a mocking bird of Gregory Peck. Now this really wants me to find some titles out and watch him because you mentioned the interview bit. Thx Jaya will definitly check it out and see what this is all about.
Knicks420 thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#15
i think Kishore da is more the official voice of Dev Anand
even thought Rafi saab sang hits song for Dev Anand
Kishore da sang more
and Kishore da has longer association with Dev Anand
and in Guide it was Dev Anand's request that Kishore da sing the song Gaata Rahe Mera Dil with Lata ji
advil thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#16

Best of songs picturised on Dev Anand was scored by SDB.

Unlike some other music directors, SDB never believed in the one singer for one actor concept.He kept on changing singers. Sometimes he had galaxy of singers singing for the same film. For Dev Anand's Navketan banner, many a times he used Kishoreda's voice for Dev Anand and everyone started to think only Kishoreda's voice suited Dev. But Burmanda knew that this was not so and for Dev Anand's Film Kala Pani (1958), Kala Bazaar (1960) and Tere Ghar Ke Samne (1962), He used Rafi saab's voice for Dev and all the songs and all Rafi songs became superhits.

Sachinda himself broke the myth that only Kishorda's voice suited Dev Anand. Sometimes he used both Kishore and Rafi for the same film. For example, Dev Anand's film Nau Do Gyarah (1957) had playback by both these singers for Dev Anand and both suited well for Dev Anand. For example, the song Hum hai rahi pyar ke was sung by Kishore,duet Aaja pancchi akela hai was sung by Rafi and Asha, duet Ankhon me kya ji was sung by Kishore and Asha and duet Kali ke roop me was sung by Rafi and Asha. The hero for all the songs who used the playback was Dev Anand. SD proved that you can match voice of different singers for the same hero. This was indeed a dramatic shift from the common belief of other music directors who always used a particular singer's voice for a particular hero.

The end result is for us to see. Till date we actually cannot categorise whose voice suited Dev Anand the most. It was actually the sequence in the film, the mood, the composition that dictated who sang what, when. End result however, has only been memorable jems.

advil thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#17

A write up I found on Sachinda and Dev Anand association :

Dev Anand and S. D. Burman:

Evergreen hero Dev Anand's Navketan banner had a long association with S. D. Burman. SD liked Dev Anand because of his evergreen youthful image. When it came to films produced by Dev Anand under Navketan banner, SD gave special touch to his music to Navketan films similar to what Shankar-Jaikisan did to Raj Kapoor films.

In an interview, Dev Anand admitted that SD's music played a very crucial role in grand success of many of the films produced him under Navketan banner. Dev said SD was very generous, humble, confident, accessible, temperamental, stubborn and at times whimsical also.

Sometimes SD used to call Dev in the middle of the night and tell him that he just composed a beautiful song for Dev's film and before he forgets the tune he would like to come to Dev's house right away with his harmonium and play the tune for him. So that Dev could hear it and give his approval or suggestions.

Dev went on to say that he revered, admired and loved SD and SD was one of the main pillars of Navketan banner. Dev also said that SD was a master musician and many of today's Music Directors learnt how to compose by studying SD's music. Dev Anand-S.D.Burman music was a synergy of youth and substance., of pop appeal and depth.

advil thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#18

Some evergreen songs contributed by Manjudidi. Di, thanks.🤗

Rimjhim Ke tarane leke aayee barsaat (Rafi & geeta dutt)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kNs3wb6niO8&mode=related& search=


Khoya Khoya Chand khula aasman (Rafi)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XeCh08II2Cc&mode=related& search=

Apani to har ah ek toofan hai (rafi)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0KOYCgXLn3g&mode=related& search=

Jiya O jiyaO jiay o kuch bol do.(rafi)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=EIMUPVmmhhQ&mode=related& search=

Aankhon mein kya jee (Asha ji & Kishore Kumar)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fzZM42_lBrI&mode=related& search=

Tasveer teri dil mein jis din se utari hai(lata & Rafi)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CVpvxM6n4Vk&mode=related& search=

ChameliKaYaar thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#19

Originally posted by: adi_0112

Please go ahead..Dev Anand reminded me of Gregory Peck...They look so alike. But he difinitely had a style..its a different thing that i hardly used to understand his dialogs, since he kind of mumbled them. But the songs on him....oooo la.la.la.....😆

You are not the first one to do this comparison.......He has often been compared to Gregory Peck......One of the best ever movies of Gregory Peck that I have seen is called 12 O'Clock High.....It is a black and white war movie......This movie was used in our company for management classes......

chatbuster thumbnail
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Posted: 18 years ago
#20

Originally posted by: *Jaya*

Actually - he has himself confessed in some interviews that Gregory Peck was an inspiration... I do agree that Dev saab had some very peculiar histrionics esp with dialog delivery (which at times was irritating too), but we cannot deny the fact that he was one of the most good looking heroes Hindi cinema ever had...

totally agree with you Jaya, in terms of good looking. but then someone has to actually prefer charming guys who dont look like they need to lose a 100 pounds.😆

dialog delivery that others have mentioned? well, everyone had their own style. the casual mumbling boy-next door was his. ever heard marlon brando? i mean, really heard him? 😉😆

actually that was a good observation too earlier Jaya- that the light songs in guide went to KK and the sadder ones to rafi. i think too that his movies have covered the gamut from silly to sad to romantic. lots of situations, which is why public could not get a handle on his best play-back voice and get him all paired up. that in itself reflects versatility, not needing to ride on any singer's coattails, outlasting almost everyone else in the process.

but then wat do i know?😉 maybe the standard for good desi acting is doing the dance jhatka AB style, never mind that it is inspired (copied?😉) from another guy, talking in a cheap tapori manner, adopting the RK ankh-marna kamar lachakna, or delivering rona-dhona corny dialogues filmi-style.😛😆

Edited by chatbuster - 18 years ago

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