Chetan Anand (director)

Chetan Anand (director) Biography

Chetan Anand was a well known film producer, screenwriter and director of Bollywood whose debut movie – Neecha Nagar (1946) got Palme d'Or (Best Film) award, at the first ever Cannes Film Festival in 1946. Kamini Kausal was the leading lady of this movie who bagged best actress awards as well. It was her debut movie and he had to convince a lot her family, to cast her in this movie as heroine. It was the debut of Pandit Ravi Shankar also. He was the eldest brother of the Anand family. His younger brothers, Dev Anand and Vijay Anand are well known film makers and their collective contributions to Hindi cinema through their home production – Navketan productions are really remarkable.

His younger sister, Sheel Kanta Kapur, is the mother of versatile film director Shekhar Kapur who has won many National and international awards. He was married to a noted journalist and actress of 1950’s – Uma Anand. After separating from his wife, he had a long-term relationship with the actress Priya Rajvansh with whom he made the patriotic movie – Haqueeqat. But in 2000, Priya was murdered by Vijay’s sons in dispute for the property she got from Vijay Anand, three years after his death.

Chetan Anand was born on 3 January 1921, in Lahore, British India. He wrote a film script on king Ashoka and went to Mumbai during early 40’s. He was casted as the lead hero of the movie Rajkumar (1944) by Phani Majumdar and it was his debut movie to Bollywood. He also became associated with Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) in Mumbai. He made directorial debut through Neecha Nagar which gave him many awards and recognitions. During 50’s his brothers started Navketan productions in Mumbai and Chetan Anand joined them as a director. Afsar with Dev Anand and Suraiya was its first release and it received moderate success as well. He has also directed Taxi Driver and Andhiyan for Navketan films.  

As a director, other memorable movies of Chetan Anand are Haqueeqat, Heer Raanjha, Hanste Zakhm, and Hindustan Ki Kasam. Chetan Anand, Priya Rajvansh and Madan Mohan came together to give all these four memorable hits. One more name needs special mention – camera work of Jal Mistry. He has also directed the movies – Aakhri khat (debut movie of Rajesh Khanna), Saheb Bahadur, Jaaneman (1976) and Kudrat. He was the director of successful serial of Doordarshan during 90’s – Param Veer Chakra. He is one among those directors whose patriotic movies are counted among memorable ones.

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Updated: May 29, 2018