'DNA' pays tribute to legendary actor Dev Anand

Dev Anand’s death brought an end to an era, leaving a void that will be difficult to fill. From Hum Ek Hain in 1946 to Chargesheet in 2011, it was an untrammelled joyride through six decades of Bollywood. Dev Anand oversaw the growth of the Hindi film industry, from the black-and-white era to technicolour, and leaves behind a unique legacy of a star who moved way beyond his cinematic works. Speak Up pays tribute to the legendary actor

There won’t be another Dev Anand in the history of Bollywood
Dev Anand was known as a chocolate hero. His looks were captivating because of which he ruled the Hindi film world for so many decades. Apart from his looks, he could hold the attention of the audience as he was a great actor. I remember him for his role in the movie Guide, which left a mark in my memory. The first impression that comes to your mind when Dev Anand’s name is mentioned is his evergreen and charming personality.

I remember, during my engineering days, two of my friends were hardcore fans of Dev Anand. They would sing, dress, walk, and groom their hair just like him. There will never be another Dev Anand in the Bollywood history. He was a legendary and charismatic actor. He is the only star who has left his mark on many generations. It is very sad that we have lost a legend.  —Prashant Girbane, CEO, BVG Clean Technologies

Without using any PR tools, Dev Anand still had a huge fan following
Dev Anand was superstar of his time. I think nobody in the Hindi film industry has achieved the kind of celebrity prominence he had. I especially remember him for his acting in black-and-white movies. He had a unique style of his own. Not only acting, but his hairstyle, dressing style, walk and smile made the hearts of his fans flutter.  He had a huge fan following in the country despite the absence of any PR tools unlike today. This is an accomplishment in itself that nobody has achieved till now. He was an evergreen actor who was young at heart and was very passionate towards his work.    
—Girish Kulkarni, management professional

I think Dev Anand is the only actor who ruled Indian cinema for more than 40 yrs
I remember Dev Anand for his style, which was very different from other well-known actors of his era. Though he was known for his dance, his peculiar gait was a hit among the audience. His hairdo and dressing style had become very popular during his time.

There is no doubt that he was a gem of an actor. I think he is the only actor who ruled the Indian cinema for the longest period of time, which is more than 40 years. During my hostel days, every Sunday, we were allowed to watch a Hindi movie on Doordarshan. Most of them were Dev Anand films, which were very entertaining. The songs from his movies are still popular even today. He will be remembered for generations to come.
—Rajiv Kawre, Businessman

Dev Anand’s style of dressing, hairstyle and gait became a brand identified with him
Dev Anand was a live-wire and he is known for being an ever energetic person all through his career as an actor, director and producer. During his era, the style of dressing, hairstyle and gait he introduced became a brand identified with Dev Anand.

Everything he did on the silver screen was his own creation and he was a born showman. No one could ever match up to his showmanship. During his time, there were no acting or fashion schools and experts to guide; even then Dev Anand made his own mark. I think that is a great achievement. He is also known for his romance on the silver screen. Even today when I watch his films, I find him very charming. In fact, he introduced many new faces in Bollywood and acted with them in his movies. Besides, he had a great sense of music and songs, which reflects through the movies he directed and produced.
—Virendra Chitrav, secretary, Federation of Film Societies of India, western region

Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar & Rajesh Khanna were heart-throbs of young girls
The most striking feature of Dev Anand was his style of walking. I liked his movie Nau Do Gyarah. The film was produced by Dev Anand and directed by his brother, Vijay. My favourite song is Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar from his movie Hum Dono. I cherish Dev Anand the most for his memorable role in the movie Guide. As a Kathak dancer, I found the movie very inspiring.

During my college days, I remember Rajesh Khanna starrer Aradhana was released. I used to wonder how the movie would be had Dev Anand acted as a hero in the film. I feel he would have been a better choice.

Whether it is Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar or Rajesh Khanna, they were the heart-throbs of young girls in their era. Each one of them created their own mark and had distinct personalities.
—Aruna Kelkar, Ceo, National Institute of Ophthalmology