Dev Anand.

Dev Anand was born on September 26, 1923, in Gurdaspur, Punjab, British India. He was one of four brothers of a lawyer and graduated with a degree in English from Government College University in Lahore. In 1943, he moved to Bombay to pursue a career in acting, a decision that would shape Indian cinema for decades.

Anand debuted in the mid-1940s and established himself with Baazi 1951, a film that showcased his charisma. He won his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Kala Paani 1958. His most acclaimed work came with Guide 1965, where he played Raju; the film won Filmfare Awards for Best Film and Best Director and was India’s Oscar entry. Anand also produced the English version with Nobel laureate Pearl S. Buck. He later directed and starred in films like Hare Rama Hare Krishna 1971 and Heera Panna 1973. His production company Navketan, founded in 1949, launched the careers of many actors, directors, and composers.

Dev Anand married actress Kalpana Kartik in 1954, and they had two children: son Suneil Anand and daughter Devina. His brothers Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand were also prominent film personalities. Anand’s sister Sheela Kanta Kapur is the mother of director Shekhar Kapur. He maintained close ties with his extended family, including his granddaughter Gina Narang, a licensed pilot and photographer.

Dev Anand’s career of eight decades remains unmatched in Indian cinema. He was the highest-paid Hindi actor from 1957 to 1964 and held the record for most solo hero films until Rajesh Khanna broke it in 1987. Anand received the Padma Bhushan in 2001 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. His production house Navketan set new standards for creative risk-taking. He is remembered as the Evergreen Star who never looked back and inspired generations of actors and filmmakers.