Mumbai, Sep 26 (IANS) On the evergreen legend Dev Anand’s 102 birth anniversary on Friday, veteran actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha fondly remembered the late star and shared a heartfelt note of gratitude and admiration.
Shatrughan, who is the father of Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, took to X (formerly called Twitter) and reminisced about one of Dev Anand’s inspiring videos, calling it “thought-provoking” and praising the filmmaker’s timeless charm.
The actor also shared a glimpse of the two from their 1971 film “Gambler,” which follows Raja, a gambler who rises in the gambling world and faces moral dilemmas after stumbling upon a large sum of money.
Shatrughan wrote on X: ““Remembering with love & fondness an extremely thought provoking video by one of the most stylish & ever young filmmakers #DevAnand on his birthday. ‘Pearls of Wisdom’ as he speaks of changes then, now and in the times to come.
“Inspiring! Dev Saheb I will always be grateful to you for your affection, guidance, encouragement showing me the right path & all the love & support. Gratitude! Long Live Dev Saheb!” he added.
Considered as one of the greatest and most successful actors in the history of Indian cinema, Dev Anand through a career that spanned over six decades has worked in more than 100 films.
He made his debut in 1946 in a lead role for Prabhat Films’s Hum Ek Hain, a film about Hindu-Muslim unity.
His first commercial breakthrough came with 1948 film Ziddi, however it was the 1951 crime thriller Baazi that truly pushed him to fame and was named as the precursor to the wave of “Bombay Noir” that swept through Hindi cinema in the 1950s.
Dev Anand from 1950s to the 1970s consistently gave hits such as Jaal, Taxi Driver, Insaniyat, C.I.D., Paying Guest, Kala Pani, Kala Bazar, Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Hum Dono, Asli-Naqli, Tere Ghar Ke Samne, Guide, Jewel Thief, Johny Mera Naam and Hare Rama Hare Krishna.
Films such as Amir Garib, Warrant, Jaaneman, Darling Darling, Des Pardes, Swami Dada and Lashkar kept him relevant in the 1970s and 1980s during the rise of other stars in the industry.
Munimji, Funtoosh, Baarish, Nau Do Gyarah, Solva Saal, Teen Devian, Prem Pujari, Tere Mere Sapne and Heera Panna are among his most acclaimed works. His swansong came with the 2011 film Chargesheet, which he also directed, marking the end of a legendary journey.
Dev Anand died in his room at a hotel in London at age of 88 on 3 December 2011 of a cardiac arrest. His death came just two months after the release of his last film Chargesheet, which he directed and produced.
–IANS
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