Dev Anand, Bollywood's evergreen star, who swayed generations of fans as debonair hero and later as a filmmaker in a Bollywood career spanning 65 years, died in his sleep yesterday, leaving behind a legacy of classics like “Guide” and “Hum Dono”. Describing Dev Anand as a great artiste, Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh yesterday said he was an embodiment of life long passion for acting and film-making.
Joining millions of his fans in condoling his death, he said: “Dev Anand was a great artiste who entertained generations of cinema lovers over five decades. “He was an embodiment of long passion for acting and film-making. I join millions of his fans in mourning his death,” the Prime Minister said in a statement.

A sprightly 88-year-old Dev Anand came here a few days ago for a medical check-up and died after a massive cardiac arrest in his hotel room at 3.30 a.m. IST with his son Sunil by his side. The legendary actor was taken to a nearby hospital but he was pronounced brought dead. He was not keeping well for the last few days. Dev Anand will be creamated on Tuesday or Wednesday here, his aide Mohan said. His wife Kalpana Kartik, daughter Devina and granddaughter will be flying to London soon.

His trademark puff of hair and his sloping walk in films like “CID” and “Jewel Thief”, created a huge fan following, making him a legend in his own lifetime.
Dev Anand, whose idol was Hollywood star Gregory Peck, gave countless hits like “Guide”, “Paying Guest”, “Baazi”, “Jewel Thief “, “CID”, “Johny Mera Naam”, “Amir Garib”, “Warrant”, “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” and “Des Pardes”.

When his contemporaries like Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar stopped being the leading men in movies, the versatile actor continued to woo young heroines in movies like “Johnny Mera Naam”, “Des Pardes”, “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” among others till 1983. Dev Anand made his debut as an actor in 1946 in “Hum Ek Hain”. By the time his “Ziddi” was released in 1947 he was a superstar and never looked back. He made his directorial debut with "Prem Pujari".

Born Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand in Gurdaspur of undivided Punjab to a well-to-do advocate Pishorimal Anand on 26 September, 1923, he graduated in English literature from the Government Law College in Lahore. His brothers were eminent film personalities Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand. His sister Sheel Kanta Kapur is the mother of renowned director Shekhar Kapur.

He began his career in the military censor office at Churchgate, Bombay, on a salary of Rs 150 and joined his older brother Chetan as a member of the Indian People's Theatre Association.
A votary of good Indo-Pak relations, Dev Anand was part of the historic Lahore Bus journey with the then Prime Minister Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Dev Anand established his film production company Navketan International Films in 1949 and produced more than 35 movies. He co-produced the English Version of “Guide” with the Nobel Laureate Pearl S Buck. He won two Filmfare Awards in 1958 for his performance in the film “Kala Paani” and in 1966 for his performance in “Guide”, an adaptation of RK Narayan's novel by the same name. “Guide” went on to win Filmfare Awards in five other categories including “Best Film” and “Best Director” and was sent as India's entry for the Oscars in the foreign film category that year.

His films spoke of his modern sensibilities and desire to portray tomorrow's headlines today. The Bollywood legend always said that his films were expression of his world view and hence dealt with socially-relevant subjects.

Of late, he was involved in the all-American film Project “Song Of Life” ~ a musical love story which was to be shot in the USA. He was to play the central character in the film which was to have a predominantly American star cast.

For his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema, Dev Anand was honoured with the prestigious Padma Bhushan' in 2001 and Dada Saheb Phalke Award in 2002. The actor's recent movies such “Awwal Number”, “Sau Crore”, “Censor”, “Mr Prime Minister” and the latest “Chargesheet” where he played the central character focused on the contemporary themes.
Even though after "Awwal Number" (1990), Dev Anand movies did not do well at the box office, the evergreen hero's mantra was always to think positive. “I never give myself a chance to get depressed. I think ahead,” he would say.

In the 40s, Dev Anand got offers to star opposite singer-actress Suraiya in woman-oriented films, as the male lead. They fell in love and together gave seven hits Vidya (1948), Jeet (1949), Shair (1949), Afsar (1950), Nili (1950) Do Sitare (1951) and Sanam (1951).

Suraiya's maternal grandmother opposed the relationship as the actress was Muslim and Dev Anand Hindu, and so, Suraiya remained unmarried all her life. Dev Anand married Kalpana Kartik and had son Sunil and daughter Devina.

Dev Anand introduced actresses like Zeenat Aman, Tina Munim, Mumtaz, Jackie Shroff and Tabu to Bollywood. The actor was planning a second part of “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” even as recently as this September.