New Delhi, Dec 09: Actor Dev Anand, who strode the Hindi film firmament as a superstar for over four decades setting trends in dress and body language, was today chosen for the presitigious Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2002 for his contribution to cinema. The award, which carries a Rs two lakh in cash, a shawl and a swarn kamal (golden lotus), will be presented to the 80-year-old actor by President A P J Abdul Kalam at a function on December 29. He is the 34th recipient of the highest recognition and joins a galaxy of film personalities to be honoured with it.
After his initial years of struggle, Dev Anand established himself as an icon and his cowboy looks, flaunting trendy scarves, wearing stylized berets and caps and sweater carelessly thrown over his shoulder and blowing cigarette puffs, made him a heartthrob to fans across generations.
Born on September 26, 1923 in Gurdaspur in Punjab to a well-to-do advocate, Devdutt Pishorimal Anand, the actor went on to graduate in English literature from the government college, Lahore. His love for acting saw him leaving his hometown.
After a flop debut with `hum ek hain` in 1946, which bombed at the box-office, Dev Anand met talented Guru Dutt at Prabhat studio and struck rapport soon. His first success came with the film Ziddi (1948) with the actor never having to look back therafter.
Bureau Report