Daily Times

To be forever remembered for his role in ‘Guide’ — one of his most prized works as an artist — India’s legendary actor and filmmaker Dharam Dev Anand has passed away at the age of 88 following cardiac arrest in London on Saturday, thus concluding a great chapter in the history of Bollywood, where he was seen as an institution. He leaves behind generations of admirers that he had enthralled with his roles as a romantic hero and his zest for films and life. With a perpetual smile, flair for fashion, suave on and off-screen presence, Dev Anand was truly one of a kind and with his tragic demise, ends an era epitomised by youthfulness, élan, romance and charisma. Upon completion of his education from the prestigious Government College in Lahore, Dev Anand moved to Mumbai in the 1940s to pursue his dreams of becoming a film star. He made his debut in 1946 with the Hindi film, ‘Hum Ek Hain’, and made his directorial debut in 1971 with ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’, a cult movie based on the hippie culture, which was a tremendous hit. Dev Anand, alongside contemporaries Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar, ruled the roost in the golden age of Bollywood until the 1960s when Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar stepped down from leading roles, leaving the obstinate Dev Anand to pursue his love of film acting. With a career spanning almost six decades, he has many films to his credit, both acting and production-wise. He has been honoured by the highest cinema award, Padma Bhushan, in 2001 and the third highest civil award in India, the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 2002 for his enormous contributions to cinema. Besides winning many Filmfares — the equivalent of an Oscar — and other cinematic awards, including a lifetime achievement award, Dev Anand has also received international recognition for his magnanimous efforts and lifelong contributions to the Indian film industry.

Celebrities and fans have offered their condolences and remembered him in the most admirable of ways. Tributes have been paid to his fervent personality, which has often been reflected in his work. The fact that he was relentless in continuing his passion for filmmaking, evident from his latest production called ‘Chargesheet’ released earlier this year, and that he was working on another script when he died, is the mark of a man who died doing what he loved most. His optimistic approach towards life and sheer devotion to his work is truly praiseworthy and merits utmost commendation. May he rest in peace. *