Dev Anand was born in Gurdaspur in Punjab to a well-to-do advocate, Pishorimal Anand. He graduated in English literature from the Government College, Lahore (now in Pakistan). His love for acting made him leave his hometown. Dev began his career in the military censor office at Churchgate, Mumbai, for a princely salary of Rs 160. He was soon offered a break as an actor by Prabhat Talkies to star in their Hum Ek Hain (1946). While shooting for the film in Pune, Dev struck a friendship with fellow actor Guru Dutt. Soon, they were swapping shirts, double dating and sharing dreams. They made a pact: if Dev produced a film, Guru Dutt would direct it; if Guru Dutt produced a film, Dev would act in it.
Dev made the grade first. By a strange coincidence, Dev was offered his first big break by Ashok Kumar, his favourite star. Kumar spotted Dev hanging around in the studios and picked him as hero for the Bombay Talkies production, Ziddi, costarring Kamini Kaushal (1948). His first success came with Ziddi (1948).
In 1949, he turned producer and launched his own "banner" Navketan, which continues to churn out movies year after year. Though his maiden attempt at direction, Prem Pujari, flopped, his second directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna in the 1970's with Zeenat Aman was a big success.
Dev never looked back. He bought his first car, a black Hillman. His dream of working with his teenage idol, actress Snehprabha Pradhan, was also fulfilled.
As promised, Dev gambled on Guru Dutt as director for the crime thriller, Baazi (1951). The dice rolled in favour of this creative collaboration; the Sahir (Ludhianvi, lyricist) song, Tadbeer se bigdi huyee taqdeer bana de, proved prophetic and Dev became a true blue star. It also crystallised his image as an urban cowboy with more than his share of smarts.
At this stage, Dev was drawn towards grey-shaded roles and films with a noirish flavour, like Jaal (1952). He played a gambler, a smuggler, a black-marketed. The year 1954 was a crucial one. Dev was one of the earliest Indian stars to visit Russia. His starrers, Rahee and Aandhiyan, were screened there along with Raj Kapoor's Awaara.In the same year, Taxi Driver was declared a hit. Dev's heroine was Kalpana Kartik again, and the two decided to marry in a quiet ceremony during a lunch break on the sets!
Marriage and the birth of son Suneil in 1956 did not affect Dev's draw. A rapidfire style of dialogue delivery, an array of hats (remember Aye meri topi palat ke aa?), and a penchant for nodding while speaking became Dev's USP in films like Munimji, CID and Paying Guest.
His style was lapped up by the audience and was widely imitated. He starred in a string of box office successes for the remainder of the 1950's and some of his hit films include Munimji, CID, Paying Guest, Gambler, Tere Ghar ke Saamne and Kaala Pani.
Sure, he had style, but Dev's detractors cast aspersions on his acting abilities and questioned his inclusion in the hallowed Raj Kapoor-Dilip Kumar league. Dev made them eat humble pie with his class act in Kala Pani (1958), as the son who is willing to go to any lengths - including sweet-talking a courtesan into believing he is in love with her --- to clear his framed father's name. He won the Best Actor Award for the film.
He was romantically involved with singer-actress Suraiya and the two of them paired in six films together. During the shooting of a song, a boat capsized and Dev Anand saved Suraiya from drowning. She fell in love with him but her grandmother opposed the relationship. Suraiya remained unmarried all her life.
Dev Anand married film actress Kalpana Kartik in 1954. His first film in colour, Guide with Waheeda Rehman was based on the novel of the same name by R. K. Narayan. The impetus for making a film from the book came from Dev Anand himself, and he met and persuaded Narayan to give his assent to the project. Dev Anand tapped his friends in Hollywood to lauch an Indo-US coproduction that was shot in Hindi and English simultaneously and was released in 1965. This is regarded by many as his best work till date.
He followed it up with an interesting double role in Hum Dono (1961) as a mustachioed major and his clean-shaven lookalike.
Guide (1965), directed by younger brother Vijay Anand, silenced the staunchest of critics. Dev played Raju, a voluble guide who supports Rosy (Waheeda) in her bid for freedom; but is not above thoughtlessly exploiting her for personal gains. Combining style with substance, Dev gave an affecting performance as a man grappling with his emotions in his passage through love, shame and salvation.
Guide was Dev's creative acme. He reunited with Vijay Anand for the much-hyped Jewel Thief, featuring a bevy of beauties led by Vyjayanthimala, including Tanuja, Anju Mahendru, Faryal and Helen.
With their next collaboration, Johnny Mera Naam (1970), Dev was worth his weight in gold. The film was released in the same year as Raj Kapoor's magnum 'flopus' Mera Naam Joker, and was a golden jubilee hit. Unlike Raj and Dilip who slowed down in the Seventies, Dev continued to be a romantic hero. His maiden attempt at direction, the espionage drama, Prem Pujari flopped, but Dev hit lucky with his sophomore directorial effort Hare Rama Hare Krishna. It talked about the prevalent hippie cult.
Zeenat Aman, who played the mini-sporting, pot-smoking protagonist Janice, became an overnight sensation. Dev also became known as a filmmaker of trenchantly topical themes.
The presence of his discoveries - the zestful Zeenat and later, the elfin Tina Munim (heroine of Dev's last recognised hit Des Pardes in 1978) - fuelled Dev's image as the evergreen star even when he was well into his fifties.
For the past two decades, however, success has been like a miffed mistress with Dev. But even at 83, exuberance races through Dev's veins. "Watch out for my next, Love At Time Square," he enthuses. Dev belongs to the rare race that subscribes to the dictum: Never say never.
Dev Anand is one of those few Indian film actors/filmmakers who are politically aware and active and are ready to stand up for the cause that is dear to them. He was the one who led a group of film personalities who stood up against the Internal Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister of India Smt. Indira Gandhi. He actively campaigned against her with his supporters in 1977 parliamentary elections in India while very few among the film fraternity showed the courage to fight against an authoritarian regime.
Most of his films are an expression of his world view and have dealt with socially relevant subjects. He always emphasises this in his interviews. He thinks that his films represent his personal points of view. He is an auteur in true sense of the term.
Dev Anand's films are best known for their great music. Some of the most popular Bollywood songs were picturized on him. His association with music composers - O. P. Nayyar, Sachin Dev Burman and his son Rahul Dev Burman, lyricists - Majrooh Sultanpuri, Neeraj, Shailendra, and playback singer Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar produced some of the best songs in the Bollywood history.
Born Jatin Khanna, he was the adopted son of his parents. After a stint in theatre, he was selected by the United Producers' Talent Contest. He made his film debut in Chetan Anand's Aakhri Khat (1966). His earlier films however did nothing for him till Aradhana (1969) came along. 
By this time however, Rajesh Khanna's films had started flopping but he failed to see the writing on the wall as the success of films like Daag (1973), Namak Haram, Aap ki Kasam (1974), Prem Nagar (1974) and Roti (1974) still kept him afloat. Also Amitabh Bachchan had stormed the Industry with his intense 'angry young man' performance in Zanjeer (1973). With his tall and lean looks, Amitabh became emblematic of the new kind of action hero. Every hero fell to the Amitabh onslaught and Rajesh Khanna was no exception. He tried to stay in the news however with a sensational marriage to the 'Bobby Girl', Dimple Kapadia who at 16 was 15 years younger than him! 
