Former actor Suneil Anand, son of legendary actor Dev Anand, died of a heart attack at the age of 70 in the UK. Once, he had spoken about carrying forward the legacy of the Hindi cinema icon, saying he continued to feel his father’s presence years after his passing.
‘The show goes on,’ Suneil had said
Reflecting on the love that Dev Anand still received from fans across the world, Suneil Anand had told PTI in a throwback interview, “I feel he is still with us, with me. He is a source of inspiration for millions of youth the world over even now. He continues to live as the evergreen romantic star.”
Apart from acting, Suneil was also working as a filmmaker. During the interview, he revealed that he was developing a film dedicated to his father, featuring actors from India, Hollywood and England. “It’s a huge movie dedicated to my father. I am producing and directing. The show goes on. I will continue to take my father’s legacy forward,” he had said.
Suneil also described Dev Anand as a man of immense humility despite his towering stardom. He said the actor was well-read, informed and could connect with people from every walk of life. “He was also a well-read man, well informed. He could converse on any topic with anyone in any crowd. He was as at ease with the man on the street as he was with royalty. He was very humble. It is difficult to be humble when you are such a big star.”
Suneil spent nearly four decades by his father’s side
Calling his father “the best of both worlds”, Suneil had added that Dev Anand took great pride in his appearance and believed actors owed that to their audience. “…in real life and in movies, in front of the camera and while he was moving around in public. That’s an actor’s responsibility towards his audience and he understood that,” he had said.
Suneil had also shared that he spent nearly four decades by his father’s side, managing his schedule, looking after his well-being and overseeing Navketan Films. He had also coordinated the screening of Guide at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, calling it a landmark moment for Indian cinema.
Suneil made his acting debut with Anand Aur Anand (1984), directed by Dev Anand. He later appeared in films such as Car Thief, Main Tere Liye and Master. Dev Anand and his wife, actor Kalpana Kartik, had two children, Suneil and daughter Devina. As for Dev Anand, he died in 2011 at the age of 88.
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Suneil Anand, son of legendary actor Dev Anand, dies of heart attack at 70
