When Dev Anand opened up on certain B’town films funded by underworld
When Dev Anand opened up on certain B’town films funded by underworld
Dev Anand was a legend, especially in the 1950s.
No doubt the legend Dev Anand was a persona to reckon with. As an actor, writer, director, or producer, he gave his glorious 65 years to the Hindi film industry. However, the film industry operated differently back then with reports of some films being funded by the underworld.
Several Bollywood movies have also depicted that the Hindi film industry had connections with the underworld.
Amidst a chat with fans on Rediff in 1998, Dev Anand was asked on the connection amid Bollywood and the underworld. A fan asked the late legendary actor,
“Mr Dev Anand, lately everybody talks about the connections between the film industry and the underworld. How was it back in the old days in this matter?”
The actor wrote, he has really never bothered, because sometimes when there is finance coming from a certain source, it could be an underworld source. It’s always very difficult to find out as an outsider.
This was a confirmation from the actor that some Bollywood films have indeed been funded by the underworld, at least amidst the 1950s.
On a separate note, Dev Anand was a leading man in over 110 films for more than six decades. He was also a director and is considered one of the most imaginative and pathbreaking figures in Indian cinema. Dev Anand’s contribution to Indian cinema has been immense.
He not only worked hard to achieve success for himself but also took newbies under his wing and launched their careers.
It was in 1971 when Dev Anand donned the cap of a director for Hare Raama Hare Krishna, a blockbuster highlighting the hippie culture in Kathmandu thereby launching the career of Zeenat Aman.
Notably, she wasn’t the only superstar who shot to success under the guidance of Dev Anand. Waheeda Rehman, Jackie Shroff, Tabu, and Kalpana Kartik, are some of the stars who stayed under his wing and subsequently carved a niche for themselves.
Prolific directors Guru Dutt and Raj Khosla also started their careers with his blessings.
News Edit KV Raman
