Vijay Anand (1934-2004) was an Indian filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, editor and actor known for his work in Hindi Cinema for films such as Guide (1965), Teesri Manzil (1966), Jewel Thief (1967), and Johny Mera Naam (1970). From directing suspenseful thrillers, and romantic comedies to sentimental classics, and family dramas, Vijay, younger brother of filmmaker Chetan Anand and matinée idol Dev Anand, makes most of his films with the family’s production house ‘Navketan Films.’ His films are known for their far-sightedness and artistic approach.
A great filmmaker, if there is one…will never know why he makes a film. Only after being prompted by a limited number of questions by fans who wanted a soul slot, did he answer. Rarely will you find an artist who can create, express, evaluate, evaluate, formulate rules and teach. I am a student, I am not yet a teacher. But I know I have the talent of a teacher.” – Vijay Anand
Wiki/Biography
Vijay Anand, also known as Goldie Anand, was born on Monday, 22 January 1934 (age 70 years; at death) in Gurdaspur, Punjab, British India. He studied at St Xaviers College in Mumbai.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 10″
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Black
Vijay Anand and Dev Anand (left)
Family
Vijay Anand belongs to an upper middle class Punjabi Hindu family in Gurdaspur, Punjab.
Parents & Siblings
His father, Pishori Lal Anand, was an advocate. He lost his mother when he was six years old. Vijay Anand has six siblings, three brothers – Manmohan Anand, Chetan Anand (director), and Dev Anand (actor, director, and producer) – and three sisters – Sheel Kanta Kapur (mother of Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur), Usha Madhok, and Bonnie Sareen.
Dev Anand (left), Vijay Anand (centre), and Chetan Anand (right)
Vijay Anand’s sister, Sheel Kanta Kapur
Wife & Children
Vijay Anand’s Short Term Marriage
Vijay Anand’s first marriage was to Loveleen. Reportedly, Vijay Anand met Loveleen for the first time when he interviewed her on behalf of Moscow radio. Seeing Loveleen’s beauty, Vijay Anand offered her the lead role in the Hindi romantic film ‘Jaan Kazir Hai’ (1975). During the making of the film, Loveleen began a relationship with Vijay Anand and was fascinated by his clothes which he had worn as a disciple of Osho Rajneesh. Vijay ends up introducing the teachings of Osho Rajneesh to Loveleen, whom she is completely smitten with. According to some sources, the two often visit Rajneesh’s ashram in Pune and spend around ten days a month there. Loveleen’s faith in Osho Rajneesh continues to grow and so do her feelings for Vijay Anand, and she decides to move from Delhi to Rajneesh’s ashram in Pune. Later, Loveleen proposed Vijay Anand for marriage; however he rejected the proposal saying that he had nothing but a pair of clothes and shoes with him. This could not shake Loveleen’s decision to marry Vijay Anand. She later dropped the offer for the film ‘Jaan Hazir Hai,’ thinking that Vijay did not want her to be his wife to act in the film. Loveleen continues to convince Vijay that the only thing that matters to her is spending the rest of her life with him. Reportedly, one day, teacher Rajneesh called Loveleen and Vijay Anand to his private room and gave Loveleen’s hand in Vijay’s. Vijay Anand is married to Loveleen and lives his married life with her in Pune with the blessings of Osho Rajneesh. Everything was going well until one day Loveleen expressed her desire to continue working in films and asked Vijay Anand to write a script featuring her as the heroine opposite the superstar actor. According to sources, Vijay decided not to pay much attention to Loveleen’s request, but later, his desire to become a heroine grew stronger every day. This claim took the form of a heated argument between the couple as Vijay wanted to extricate himself from the world of fake shows and wanted to continue working for the ashram. Some sources also claim that Vijay’s mental health is affected due to frequent fights and arguments. Through frequent quarrels and arguments with Loveleen, Vijay decides to end this failed marriage.
Controversial Marriage
After ending his marriage with Loveleen, Vijay Anand married Sushma Kohli, his niece (his biological sister’s daughter), in 1978.
Sushma (Kohli) Anand
Vijay’s son, Vaibhav Anand, is an actor, producer and director.
Vijay Anand’s son Vaibhav Anand
religion
Vijay Anand followed Hinduism.
Career
Writer
Vijay Anand made his debut as a writer with the film ‘Taxi Driver’ in 1954 starring Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik.
‘Taxi Driver’ movie poster (1954)
Vijay Anand went on to write stories and dialogues for many classic Hindi films such as ‘Tere Ghar Ke Samne’ (1963), ‘Guide’ (1965), ‘Johny Mera Naam’ (1970), and ‘Ram Balram’ (1980).
And as an active student of cinema, I want to learn and learn and learn, and in that situation I feel… Why should someone else write my story or screenplay or make my music? Because, every other man’s limitation dilutes and weakens my strength!” – Vijay Anand
Actor
Movie
Vijay Anand made his debut as an actor with the Hindi comedy film ‘Joru Ka Bhai’ in 1955.
Poster of the movie ‘Joru Ka Bhai’ (1955)
In 1956, he made a special appearance in the film ‘Funtoosh.’ Vijay played many roles like Sunil in ‘Agra Road’ (1957), Nand Kumar Chattopadhyay in ‘Kala Bazar’ (1960), Major Pratap Singh in ‘Haqeeqat’ (1964), Spy in ‘Prem Pujari’ (1970), Dr Jagannath Kothari in ‘Tere Mere’ Rahma Sharma (1988), and Hum. 4).
Vijay Anand as Sunil in the film ‘Agra Road’ (1957)
Television series
In 1994, Vijay Anand appeared as Sam D’Silva, a private detective, in the Hindi crime drama television series ‘Tehkikaat.’ The series stars Saurabh Shukla as Gopichand, Sam D’Silva’s assistant. The series aired on DD National channel.
Vijay Anand as Sam D’Silva in the television series ‘Tehkikaat’ (1994)
Director
He made his directorial debut in 1957 with the Hindi-language comedy thriller ‘Nau Do Gyarah,’ featuring Dev Anand, Kalpana Kartik, Lalita Pawar and Jeevan, among others.
Movie poster ‘Nau Do Gyarah’ (1957)
Vijay Anand directed many other films including the romantic drama film ‘Guide’ (1965), the musical thriller ‘Teesri Manzil’ (1966), ‘Jewel Thief’ (1967), ‘Johny Mera Naam’ (1970), and ‘Main Tere Liye’ (1988).
If the director understands the subject, the story and the character well, he will not compromise in any aspect.” – Vijay Anand
Vijay Anand behind the camera
Vijay Anand is known for creative song shots with unique screenplays. Songs like ‘Tere Mere Sapne Ab Ek Rang Hain’ from Guide (1965), ‘Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas’ from Blackmail (1973), and ‘O Haseena Zulfonwale Jane Jahan’ from Teesri Manzil (1966) are some of his iconic direction songs in Hindi Cinema.
My camera listens to the song and moves with it.” – Vijay Anand
Award
- In 1965, Vijay Anand won the Filmfare Award for Best Director for the film ‘Guide’ and in the same year, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue for the film ‘Guide.’
- In 1970, he won the Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay for the film ‘Johny Mera Naam.’ He also won the Filmfare Award for Best Editing for the same film. In the same year, he won the Bengal Film Journalists’ Association (BJFA) Award for Best Editor for the film ‘Johny Mera Naam’ (1970).
- In 1973, Vijay Anand won the Bengal Film Journalists Association (BJFA) Award as Best Editor for the film ‘Double Cross’ (1972).
Death
On 23 February 2004, Vijay Anand died of a heart attack in Mumbai.
Favourite
- Holiday destination: Hampstead, London
- Movie: Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960) by Ritwik Ghatak
Facts/Trivia
- Vijay Anand had faith in spirituality and astronomy and was a disciple of guru Rajneesh, a mystical and spiritual teacher; however, he stopped following Osho Rajneesh after some time when he could not find a solution to his personal life problems. According to Vijay’s son Vaibhav, Vijay Anand had certain questions for Rajneesh, which he could not answer, and Vijay realized that Rajneesh was not God. She was more upset with Rajneesh when she was asked to make a film about her by Rajneesh. While talking about this in an interview, Vaibhav said,
Dad realized something was wrong with Rajneesh. He does not seem to be Bhagwan. Dad had certain questions to which Rajneesh had no answer. She gets more upset with Rajneesh when he asks dad to make a film about him. Dad said, ‘Goodbye, thank you and go!’ He realized that the man was no longer spiritual. He became materialistic. He wrote him a letter saying this was not the purpose of his coming to him and left the ashram the next day.”
- Reportedly, her father used to call her Goldilocks.
- According to Vijay Anand’s wife, Sushma, he loved watches and grew to love horses while working with Kalyanji–Anandji, the Indian composer duo of Kalyanji Virji Shah and his brother Anandji Virji Shah.
- In an interview, Sushma revealed that Vijay Anand had a passion for ballroom dancing, waltz and foxtrot, and as a youth, he used to travel from Chetan Anand’s hut to a school in Colaba to learn waltz.
- According to Sushma, Vijay Anand’s wife, he loves wearing clothes and often chooses dozens of clothes at a time.
- According to Vijay’s son Vaibhav Anand, Vijay Anand learned scriptwriting from his elder brother Chetan Anand.
- Vijay Anand served as the head of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), a statutory film certification body of the Government of India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, for a short period. He resigned in 2002 after he faced ideological differences with the government over the introduction of ratings for adult films.
- Reportedly, Vijay Anand was bedridden for a year because his kidney surgery did not work. His friend Amarjeet nurtured him religiously and as a token of gratitude, Vijay gave Amarjeet the film ‘Hum Dono’ (1961) to direct; however, he refused to take it. Vijay Anand directed the film and credited Amarjeet.
- According to Sushma, Vijay Anand, with little knowledge of astrology, predicted that February 2004 (the month she died) would be a bad month for her.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
