Bollywood legend Dev Anand dead at 88
Posted December 5, 2011 7:50 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Tributes from the Indian film industry have poured in for evergreen actor Dev Anand, who has died at the age of 88 in London.
Anand died in the early hours of Sunday after suffering a cardiac arrest.
He is survived by his wife Kalpana and son Suneil.
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan expressed his condolences while speaking to journalists in western Mumbai city.
“It’s a great loss for Indian cinema. I think this is a huge loss for the entire public. Dev sahib (sir) has been one of the biggest stars of Indian cinema and he has been an icon, not only for one generation but several ones. He has entertained us all and he has spent his entire life with a lot of zeal and enthusiasm and his death is a great loss to all of us. My condolences to his entire family,” said Khan.
Bollywood director Subhash Ghai also shared his grief, saying Anand was a man who knew how to live life to the fullest.
“I know he has left us but he has left so many inspirational messages for all of us. Imagine his career for 65 years, living with the glory on the screen, working till his last breath, the great legend with same passion and living 88 years of his life with love, affection, energy, passion, positivity and what not. If you look at him, he was really an example of how to live life,” said Ghai.
Meanwhile, music director Mohammad Zahoor Khayyam praised Anand’s body work of work.
“His movies were outstanding and purposeful movies and ultra modern pictures he was making, but he never gave any vulgar scene, vulgar song or anything,” said Khayyam.
Born in Lahore, Anand travelled to Mumbai to work as a clerk in a government office in 1944 and got his first break two years later in the film Hum Ek Hain (We Are One). He turned director soon afterwards and went on to deliver a string of hits.
CID, Guide, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Jewel Thief are movies considered part of Bollywood’s essential viewing catalogue.
He is said to have been inspired by Hollywood’s Gregory Peck but his own casual style and the signature nod of his head while delivering lines were often imitated by fans.
Anand refused to retire from Bollywood, often telling interviewers he would work till his last breath. He was working on a new film at the time of his death.
