Golden Era of Bollywood: VIJAY ANAND- A Writer, Director Ahead of His Time.

Remembering Vijay Anand also known as Goldie on his 83rd Birth Anniversary today who was the visionary director of some of Bollywood’s most respected movies.
He was born on 22nd Jan 1934 in Gurdaspur Punjab,he was the youngest of the four Anand siblings, including producer and director Chetan Anand and Dev Anand.

He lost his mother when he was only seven, and he along with his other siblings went to live with his eldest brother Chetan and his wife Uma who raised him like their own child.
While still a teenager, he co-wrote the script with his sister-in-law Uma for his filmmaker brother Chetan Anand. The film was "Taxi Driver" (1954) where his other brother Dev Anand played the title role, and it was inspired by the crime thrillers of Hollywood. It was released through their home production company Navketan and became Goldie's first big hit.

"Nau Do Gyarah" (1957) was Vijay Anand's directorial debut, which was based on his own script. The film starred his brother Dev Anand and Dev's wife Kalpana Kartik. It became another hit.
His next film was the story of a black marketer and his redemption in "Kaala Bazaar" (1960). The film starred his brother Dev again, along with Waheeda Rehman. This was also the only film where all three brothers (Chetan, Dev, and Vijay Anand) acted together.The movie was a super hit.
In 1961 another hit movie came HUM DONO,the screenplay was written by him,it is said that he was the director of that film though Amarjeet's name appeared as Director.
In 1963 "Tere Ghar ke Saamne" (1963) with Dev Anand and Nutan was a romantic comedy that became another hit.

His masterpiece as a filmmaker came with "Guide" (1965). Based on RK. Narayan's novel The Guide, the film is unforgettable for its bold themes about how a man (Dev Anand) and woman (Waheeda Rehman) live together outside the sanctity of a marriage. Composer S.D. Burman's songs were given stunning visuals. The film became a huge hit and won several major awards, including two Filmfare Awards for Vijay himself for directing and for writing the dialogue for the film. With Guide, Vijay Anand became the Hindi film industry's big star filmmaker.

In the next year  "Teesri Manzil" (1966) for producer and writer Nasir Husain. The film starred Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh and gave composer R.D. Burman (S.D. Burman's son) his first major success.
In the next year(1967) another hit movie Jewl Thief released,Vijay Anand was at the pinnacle of his fame, it seemed like Vijay Anand can do no wrong. But his next film(Khin Aur Chal) proved otherwise. After three hit films in a row (Guide, Teesri Manzil, Jewel Thief), Vijay Anand experienced his first flop.It is said that the financer of that film intentionly made it to be flopped by releasing this film in only one show and that too without publicity.
  He bounced back with "Johnny Mera Naam" (1970), which grabbed the top spot at the box office in 1970. It starred Dev Anand and Hema Malini. Vijay Anand won two Filmfare Awards, one for editing and the other one for his screenplay.
In 1971 another film  "Tere Mere Sapne" (1971) based on the A.J. Cronin's novel "The Citadel." He also played a supporting role as an alcoholic doctor. His acting was appreciated in that film,the film was not a major hit.
His subsequent films like "Blackmail" (1973), "Chhupa Rustom" (1973), "Bullet" (1976) as a director were major disappointments.
In the mid seventies he was more inclined tqwards acting in films, He acted in two major hit films, Kora Kagaz(1974) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan ki (1978),
In 1997, his older brother Chetan Anand's death devastated him. In 2001, he took over as the new censor board chief after Asha Parekh finished out her controversial three year term.
His first marriage was with Loveleen, a marriage which took place when Vijay Anand was influenced by Rajneesh,and Lovleen had come to interview him for Russian Times, and wanted to marry him. This marriage was later dissolved by Rajneesh himself, when the couple could not go together. His second marriage was with Sushma Kohli, his sister's daughter. They have a son, Vaibhav,
He died on February 23, 2004 due to a heart attack that time he was in the process of making another film with brother Dev Anand.
My Tribute to him