'Devsaab... Die Another Day'
Eternal young hero" Dev Anand never believed in death that's the reason in his next film he was planning to play the central character. Death was the last thing on Devsaab's mind. He was always busy reading, writing, ideating and of course meeting young talents for his next venture. Legendary actor is no more but what kept him going till the end is his passion for cinema and he died with his boots on, planning his next film.
It was another matter that in the last decade Devsaab could not prove his cinematic charm either by acting or with his direction. Lights, camera and action was his mantra till his death. Many other actors- cum-filmmakers who are not in circulation either retired or appeared on screen once in a while, but Devsaab was constantly busy churning out dreams for the celluloid. He was hardly bothered about the market trends or the kind of filmmaking we are in to in this digital era. As an actor and film maker he was totally passionate about working.
Film critics and the box office was not always kind to him despite his legendry status. Unlike his brothers Chetan and Vijay Anand, Devsaab was very down to earth about his film subjects. He never wanted to sound intellectual or logic yet he was very keen on tackling contemporary subjects. In his favourite studio 'Anand' on Pali Hill, Bandra, a few years ago, he was scanning through some latest English novels. "When I am not writing or thinking about script, I love to read. Books are my good friends. I love reading newspapers, magazines and of course love talking and exchanging views with journalists", he expressed in his homely office on the top floor of his studio.
What made Devsaab very different hero even before Rajanikant entered films was his style to do things on the screen. He improvised his dialogue and had a unique style even while speaking on and off screen. Even while romancing his heroine with a memorable song, he would shake his head and hands in a stylish manner. Not to talk about his scarf, cap and his belt which went on becoming a style statement after his films were released. Collegians and teenagers in the sixties would style their hair in a typical Dev Anand fashion. No doubt he had become a male fashion icon with his mannerisms, dress style especially his strapped pants were all part of the evolution of a hero with an 'evergreen smile.
Whether it was Suraiya, Waheeda Rehman, Geeta Bali, Asha Parekh Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman or several other teen heroines, they all loved to be around Devsaab in his films made by his home production Navketan Films. Bollywood changed radically but Devsaab was hardly distrubed, he opted for his own style of filmmaking. He was one actor who never got impacted by television. He had innumerable offers to feature on TV shows but he would avoid all of them except the appearances on news channel.
Devsaab was not just an actor-filmmaker, he had keen interest in politics and in the state of the country. He was one of the major voices from the film industry to speak against the then government during emergency and was against any kind political censorship of films and literature when many in the film industry were guarded in their reactions. He had enough chance to get in to politics but he stayed away from politics for the sake of 'big screen'. He loved speaking to journalists on contemporary issues and never shied away from making his opinion public.
Devdutt Pishorimal Anand the veteran Devsaab of Guide, Baazi, Johny Mera Naam, Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and innumerable movies will be remembered for his undying spirit to keep his passion for cinema going against all odds. Failures never dampened his spirit.
"I want to keep working, working, working and making new movies and be busy with new projects. I am young at heart", he reminded.
Devsaab was so full of life and hope that had he not been in his sleep he would have said "die another day".
Eternal young hero" Dev Anand never believed in death that's the reason in his next film he was planning to play the central character. Death was the last thing on Devsaab's mind. He was always busy reading, writing, ideating and of course meeting young talents for his next venture. Legendary actor is no more but what kept him going till the end is his passion for cinema and he died with his boots on, planning his next film.
It was another matter that in the last decade Devsaab could not prove his cinematic charm either by acting or with his direction. Lights, camera and action was his mantra till his death. Many other actors- cum-filmmakers who are not in circulation either retired or appeared on screen once in a while, but Devsaab was constantly busy churning out dreams for the celluloid. He was hardly bothered about the market trends or the kind of filmmaking we are in to in this digital era. As an actor and film maker he was totally passionate about working.
Film critics and the box office was not always kind to him despite his legendry status. Unlike his brothers Chetan and Vijay Anand, Devsaab was very down to earth about his film subjects. He never wanted to sound intellectual or logic yet he was very keen on tackling contemporary subjects. In his favourite studio 'Anand' on Pali Hill, Bandra, a few years ago, he was scanning through some latest English novels. "When I am not writing or thinking about script, I love to read. Books are my good friends. I love reading newspapers, magazines and of course love talking and exchanging views with journalists", he expressed in his homely office on the top floor of his studio.
What made Devsaab very different hero even before Rajanikant entered films was his style to do things on the screen. He improvised his dialogue and had a unique style even while speaking on and off screen. Even while romancing his heroine with a memorable song, he would shake his head and hands in a stylish manner. Not to talk about his scarf, cap and his belt which went on becoming a style statement after his films were released. Collegians and teenagers in the sixties would style their hair in a typical Dev Anand fashion. No doubt he had become a male fashion icon with his mannerisms, dress style especially his strapped pants were all part of the evolution of a hero with an 'evergreen smile.
Whether it was Suraiya, Waheeda Rehman, Geeta Bali, Asha Parekh Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini, Zeenat Aman or several other teen heroines, they all loved to be around Devsaab in his films made by his home production Navketan Films. Bollywood changed radically but Devsaab was hardly distrubed, he opted for his own style of filmmaking. He was one actor who never got impacted by television. He had innumerable offers to feature on TV shows but he would avoid all of them except the appearances on news channel.
Devsaab was not just an actor-filmmaker, he had keen interest in politics and in the state of the country. He was one of the major voices from the film industry to speak against the then government during emergency and was against any kind political censorship of films and literature when many in the film industry were guarded in their reactions. He had enough chance to get in to politics but he stayed away from politics for the sake of 'big screen'. He loved speaking to journalists on contemporary issues and never shied away from making his opinion public.
Devdutt Pishorimal Anand the veteran Devsaab of Guide, Baazi, Johny Mera Naam, Jewel Thief, Prem Pujari, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and innumerable movies will be remembered for his undying spirit to keep his passion for cinema going against all odds. Failures never dampened his spirit.
"I want to keep working, working, working and making new movies and be busy with new projects. I am young at heart", he reminded.
Devsaab was so full of life and hope that had he not been in his sleep he would have said "die another day".
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