Charming Tales from Old Bollywood | #174
+ Brand Blitz Quiz finals feat. Piyush Pandey 👉
Mitron,
Sep 26th is the birth centenary of an evergreen superstar - The one and only Dev Anand. A man who ‘guide’d Indian cinema through its most defining moments. He was not a Jewel Thief, hence there is no need for CID. Extremely charming, we would love him as a Paying Guest. A true Chuppa Rustum, who was famous in Des Pardes. A talent spotter, who could sift through the Asli Naqli among the aspiring and would happily find his Awwal Number.
We salute one of the OG superstars of Indian Cinema - Dev Saheb, in this week’s newsletter.
Things we learnt this week 🤓
Dev Anand was a master at spotting fresh talent, launching the careers of stars such as Jackie Shroff, Kabir Bedi, and Tabu. However, the most iconic of his discoveries was the mesmerizing Zeenat Aman. Most people remember their collaboration from the iconic ‘Dum Maaro Dum’ moment, but few know their cinematic journey began earlier in an Indo-Filipino(!) flick, ‘The Evil Within.’ In this million-dollar action saga, Dev Anand, hailed as 'India’s best actor,' portrays special agent Dev Varma. He joins forces with Rod Stevens (played by Rod Perry) to dismantle an opium cartel. Zeenat, as the India-hating Rita, initially is part of this murky opium world but eventually succumbs to Dev Varma's charms. So, before the beats of 'Dum Maaro Dum' echoed, their chemistry was already setting the screen on fire.
Another partnership of Dev Anand was with Guru Dutt. Though short-lived it provided us with classic Baazi which created a genre of its own ‘The Bombay Noir’. How their friendship began is a classic story - In 1946, while playing the lead role for his first film "Hum Ek Hain" under the Prabhat Film Company banner, Dev Anand greeted a young man entering the premises, soon to be recognized as Guru Dutt - the film's assistant director. Just as their paths diverged, they both stopped in their tracks and starred back at each other. It took a couple of seconds for them to realize what happened - their shirts were swapped by an errant washerman! With laughter echoing and an embrace shared, the two not only exchanged shirts but also began an enduring friendship. A scene straight out of a Bollywood film.
Dev Anand, often dubbed the 'Gregory Peck of India,' didn't necessarily mirror Peck in looks or mannerisms. So, where did the comparison originate? The answer lies with the radiant 50s starlet, Suraiya. She was in love with Dev Anand, and one day playfully called him ‘Gregory Peck’ on the sets of a film. The jesting title caught fire, with the crew joining in the banter. Anand, always the sport, even embraced a few of Peck's traits, mainly to woo Suraiya. However, when the media caught wind, the label stuck, much to Dev Anand's chagrin.
From IWTK, with love 💌
The West zone finals of the Brand Blitz quiz featuring the OG quiz master Roshan Abbas. Did you know Roshan Abbas was Toyota’s first India brand ambassador? Know more stories here.
The national finals with the top 8 teams of the Brand Blitz quiz had amazing stories from the legend Piyush Pandey. Watch it here.
Only In India 🇮🇳
This Ganesha Pandal has won it all.
Stay hydrated,
❤️ IWTK