Dev Anand’s upcoming birth centenary will be marked through screenings organised by Film Heritage Foundation, NFDC-National Film Archive of India and the PVR Inox multiplex chain. Four movies will be shown as a part of the event ‘Dev Anand@100 – Forever Young’: Raj Khosla’s C. I. D. (1956) and Vijay Anand’s Guide (1965), Jewel Thief (1967) and Johny Mera Naam (1970).
Upgraded versions of the classics will be re-released on September 23 and 24 at PVR and Inox theatres in 30 cities. Apart from the major metros, the list includes Thiruvananthapuram, Lucknow, Guwahati, Indore, Jaipur, Nagpur and Chandigarh.
Dev Anand@100 follows festivals to commemorate Dilip Kumar on his birth centenary and Amitabh Bachchan on his 80th birthday. Film Heritage Foundation’s founder-director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said in a press statement about the event: “The Gregory Peck of India, as Dev Anand was often called, continues to be a beloved star, and we are thrilled that contemporary audiences will have the opportunity to watch some of the films that made him an enduring legend of Indian cinema.”
Dev Anand’s son Suneil Anand, who has directed a film dedicated to Dev Anand titled Vagator Mixer, added in the press release: “I personally like my Dad’s work, as the leading man, in Johny Mera Naam. I think this is because the character he played closely resembled his true personality. It was an ideal vehicle for him to showcase his histrionics, mannerisms, and his suave dressing sense. Jewel Thief was another such film – it had the trappings and the look of slick Western and European Cinema. Dad set fashion trends in many of his films – with his cap, high collars, scarves, jackets, and colorful attire. Even his hairstyles were being copied by his fans.”
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