Adonis In Long Sleeves

Bhaichand Patel October 25, 2004 00:00 IST Adonis In Long Sleeves -0001-11-30T00:00:00+05:53

Beginning late ’40s, Hindi cinema was fortunate in having three superstars simultaneously. Each of them had marked out his own turf. Dilip Kumar was the tragedian and the most talented. Raj Kapoor specialised in comedy, sometimes shamelessly imitating Charlie Chaplin. Dev Anand made women swoon. He was the most handsome of the three, also suave and urban. I remember a film in which the misguided director put a dhoti on him. He looked ridiculous.

Madras had a flourishing Hindi film industry in those days. Dev Anand flew down there twice to act in some Gemini film or other. It was disastrous. Tear-jerking, social melodramas were not his cup of tea. Give him a jazzy tune composed by S.D. Burman and sung by Kishore Kumar and the man was in his element. Glamorous heroines like Madhubala and Waheeda Rehman brought out the best in him.

Critics dismissed him as an actor. That was unfair. He was terrific in Baazi (directed by Guru Dutt) and Taxi Driver (Chetan Anand). And, of course, he was extraordinary in Guide (Vijay Anand) which is on everyone’s list...