15 Evergreen Dev Anand Films to Watch

Dev Anand is cemented as the evergreen actor of Indian cinema. Join us as we present 15 of his best films that you must see.


"I think he defined celluloid heroism."

Within the glistening Golden Era of Bollywood, if there’s one star who truly exemplifies the word ‘evergreen’, it is Dev Anand.

Born on September 26, 1923, Dev Sahab made his debut in Indian cinema in 1946 with Hum Ek Hain.

That debut kicked off a rich career for the actor which spanned over six decades.

His stylish persona, suave mannerisms and impeccable acting are all facets of his longevity and popularity.

Among his shining mosaic of movies, Dev Sahab always presents himself as dashing, debonair and modern.

Paying tribute to this historic performer, DESIblitz showcases 15 evergreen films of Dev Anand that all Bollywood fans must see.

Ziddi (1948)

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Director: Shaheed Latif
Stars: Dev Anand, Kamini Kaushal, Pran

Although Dev Sahab made his entry into the film industry with Hum Ek Hain, it is Ziddi with which audiences received a first taste of the brilliant actor that Dev Anand is.

Dev Sahab plays Puran in the film and is romantically paired opposite a luscious Kamini Kaushal (Asha).

Ziddi introduces the intense romance that Dev Sahab is famous for portraying.

The film also establishes the veteran actor Pran, who would later go on to become one of Bollywood’s most famous onscreen antagonists.

Furthermore, this movie contains the first-ever song of music legend Kishore Kumar, as well as his first duet with Lata Mangeshkar.

The lovely duet is ‘Yeh Kaun Aaya Re’, which sees Kishore Da emulate the iconic Kundan Lal Saigal uncannily.

Fans are enchanted with Dev Sahab in Ziddi and those who were lucky to move with him through his career could not wait to see what was in store for him next.

Baazi (1951)

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Director: Guru Dutt
Stars: Dev Anand, Geeta Bali, Kalpana Kartik

During the making of Ziddi, Dev Sahab met the young and upcoming filmmaker Guru Dutt. The friendship remains one of the most endearing in Bollywood.

The two young men made a pact: Whenever Guru directed a film, he would cast Dev Sahab, and when Dev Sahab became a producer, he would sign Guru as the director.

Baazi is the second film from Dev Sahab’s Nav Ketan banner. It is an unforgettable noir action film and it marks the directorial debut of the legend that is Guru Dutt.

Dev Sahab shines in the role of Madan, who falls into the dark world of gambling.

If Ziddi establishes the actor, he becomes a star with Baazi.

Baazi also makes icons out of actress Geeta Bali, writer Balraj Sahni and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi.

SD Burman’s fantastic soundtrack adorns the composer with a new lease of fame.

Baazi therefore begins the cult of Dev Anand introducing new talent to the industry.

CID (1956)

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Director: Raj Khosla
Stars: Dev Anand, Shakila, Waheeda Rehman, Johnny Walker

Dev Sahab unites with frequent collaborator Raj Khosla for this exciting crime thriller.

Produced by Guru Dutt, CID features Dev Sahab as CID Inspector Shekhar.

Veteran star Waheeda Rehman makes her Bollywood debut as the vamp Kamini, while the vivacious Shakila stars as Rekha.

CID blends suspense with emotional drama, thus creating one of the most captivating films in Dev Sahab’s filmography.

Another key strength of the film is its breathtaking cinematography. Samira Sood from ThePrint praises this aspect:

“[The cinematography], plus the moody background score, combine to give the hard-boiled crime thriller a tinge of noir.”

She also highlights the longevity of OP Nayyar’s music:

“While the background tunes are appropriate for a thriller, the songs are an absolute delight even today.”

If fans want to watch a classic ode to dreams, greed and temptation, CID is a wonderful choice.

Nau Do Gyarah (1957)

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Director: Vijay Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Kalpana Kartik, Shashikala, Jeevan, Madan Puri, Lalita Pawar

Nau Do Gyarah signifies the first outing of the tremendous actor-director duo, Dev Anand and Vijay Anand.

Dev Sahab stars as the vagabond Madan Gopal and features opposite his real-life wife Kalpana Kartik. Their chemistry is gratifying and dynamic.

Dev Sahab and Kalpana Ji were the first married couple in Bollywood to star together onscreen.

Nau Do Gyarah capitalises on a beautiful score by SD Burman. In an interview, Dev Sahab names this film as one of his finest works.

Interestingly, Dev Sahab was initially weary of Vijay Sahab’s plans to shoot the climax first. The debut filmmaker replied:

“I have written this climax and irrespective of its length, my climax will not change.

“Whether I shoot my script from the beginning or the end, nothing is going to change.

“I will not change a word of my script. You don’t worry.”

Vijay Sahab’s conviction turns Nau Do Gyarah into a romance for the ages.

Paying Guest (1957)

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Director: Subodh Mukherjee
Stars: Dev Anand, Nutan

Ace director Subodh Mukherjee brings Dev Sahab and Nutan together in this fun-filled, happy-go-lucky film.

Dev Sahab brings Advocate Ramesh Kumar to life. Unable to pay the rent, Ramesh continuously gets evicted.

He eventually falls in love with Nutan’s Shanti – the daughter of one of his landlords.

Their gentile romance and brash comedy make Paying Guest a charming and feel-good film.

In a review of the movie, Anuradha Warrier speaks highly of Dev Sahab’s innocence:

“Dev Anand plays Ramesh with an innocent goodness – with his gap-toothed grin and laid-back charm, he was the perfect lover.”

SD Burman teams up once again with Dev Sahab to devise an everlasting soundtrack.

Numbers such as ‘O Nigahen Mastana’ and ‘Chhod Do Aanchal‘ are signature songs without which any discussion of Paying Guest is incomplete.

Fun and frolicking adorn the movie. For that, it is an essential watch for fans.

Kala Pani (1958)

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Director: Raj Khosla
Stars: Madhubala, Dev Anand, Nalini Jaywant

For one of the first times in his career, Dev Sahab plays a character with villainous shades in Kala Pani.

The movie chronicles the tale of Karan Khanna / Karan Mehra who vows to only wear black attire until he frees his wrongfully convicted father from prison.

Pent-up emotion and anguish are the underscores of the film, which Dev Sahab brings to the fore in remarkable ways.

A scene in which Karan is dragged away kicking and screaming showcases Dev Sahab’s versatility and proves that he is much more than just singing and swaying around trees.

His onscreen chemistry with the gorgeous actress Madhubala (Asha) is a jewel that adorns Kala Pani. 

Their equation is underlined aptly by the chartbuster ‘Acha Ji Main Haari‘.

Kala Pani created the myth that Dev Sahab was banned from wearing black clothes in public because girls would always swoon over him.

Dev Sahab playfully lapped up the rumour that increased the popularity and curiosity surrounding the film.

For Kala Pani, Dev Sahab won the 1959 Filmfare Award for ‘Best Actor’.

Kala Bazar (1960)

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Director: Vijay Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Nanda, Chetan Anand, Vijay Anand

Kala Bazar is unique in the fact that it is the only film to star all three Anand brothers in the same frame.

Dev Sahab (Raghuveer), Chetan Anand (Advocate Desai) and Vijay Anand (Nand Kumar Chattopadhyay) come together in this crime drama.

Melding the black market with their combined love for cinema, the Anands create a classic that is iconic and spellbinding.

The film encompasses themes of regret, sharpness and thrill when Raghuveer adopts selling movie tickets in black to make a living.

He then realises his mistake and attempts to pay back his debts.

Much before Om Shanti Om (2007) hit the screens, Kala Bazar included a jaw-dropping scene of several film personalities arriving for a movie premiere.

Fans of Kala Bazar love the iconography of Dilip Kumar, Nargis, Guru Dutt, Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi among several others in the same scene.

While discussing the movie on Film Companion, Anupama Chopra reflects:

“You see three powerhouses of Indian cinema coming together to create an exceptional film.

“Truly, they don’t make them like this anymore.”

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961)

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Director: Nasir Hussain
Stars: Dev Anand, Asha Parekh, Pran

In this classic, filmmaker Nasir Hussain directs Dev Sahab (Sunder/Monto) and Asha Parekh (Nisha R Singh).

Nisha is an extremely wealthy woman who faces heartbreak when she is forced to question the identity of the man she loves.

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai is renowned for the couple’s chemistry as well as Shankar-Jaikishan’s timeless score.

Asha Parekh recalls the adulation for Dev Sahab on the sets of the film.

She recollects: “We were shooting at a hotel which had beautiful flowers.

“By the time we started the shooting, everything was flat on the ground.

“There were no flowers because people were going crazy about Dev Anand.”

Sukanya Verma from Rediff comments on the film’s interesting momentum:

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai‘s crisp momentum and winsome cast do their best to retain our interest.”

The music, the story and Dev Sahab’s terrific performance make this film a must-see for followers of the evergreen actor.

Hum Dono (1961)

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Director: Amarjeet
Stars: Dev Anand, Lalita Pawar, Nanda, Sadhana Shivdasani, Leela Chitnis

Dev Anand takes on the first double role of his career in Hum Dono.

He stars as Major Manohar Lal Verma and Capt. Anand.

Along with him are the stunning leading ladies of the ’60s – Nanda (Ruma) and Sadhana Shivdasani (Mita).

The anthem of the film, ‘Main Zindagi Ka Saath’, is a tribute to the optimism that Dev Sahab personifies in his personal life.

In his autobiographyRomancing With Life (2007), the actor writes about this philosophy:

“I came to be associated with this wonderfully philosophical attitude towards life, which rings true for everyone who believes that life is worth living.”

In an interview, Dev Sahab remarks that his contemporary Raj Kapoor personally congratulated him for this film.

The sterling romantic number ‘Abhi Na Jaao’ is reinvented in Karan Johar’s 2023 blockbuster Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, thus showing the endurance of the movie.

In 2011 – 50 years after the film’s release – Hum Dono was colourised and re-released to masses of applause and adulation from fans and the industry alike.

Guide (1965)

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Director: Vijay Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Kishore Sahu, Leela Chitnis

One cannot discuss the most evergreen films of Dev Anand without mentioning this masterpiece.

Based on RK Narayan’s 1958 novel, Guide stars Dev Sahab as the opportunistic tour guide Raju.

Eclipsing ideas of romance, betrayal, freedom, and dance, Guide is the love story of Raju and Waheeda Rehman’s Rosie Marco/Miss Nalini.

The project was originally a collaboration between Dev Sahab, the American director Tad Danielewski and the Nobel Laureate Pearl Buck.

The trio made an English version titled The GuideHowever, Guide, which is the Hindi version is universally acclaimed as one of Bollywood’s finest offerings.

Guide includes sublime acting, arguably SD Burman’s best soundtrack, and several iconic dance sequences that Waheeda expertly performs.

During the climax of the film, Raju – who becomes a holy man – utters the famous phrase:

“There is no happiness or sadness. No material or world. No human or God.

“Just me, me, me, and only me.”

Although Guide was unusual for Indian cinema in that it presents a semblance of adultery, the film was a monstrous hit and continues to enchant and enthral viewers of all ages.

Guide swept the Filmfare Awards in 1967, winning ‘Best Film’, ‘Best Director’ for Vijay Anand, ‘Best Actor’ for Dev Sahab, and ‘Best Actress’ for Waheeda.

Jewel Thief (1967)

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Director: Vijay Anand
Stars: Ashok Kumar, Dev Anand, Vyjayanthimala, Tanuja

Dev Sahab returns to the suspense genre with this opulent tale of mystery and spies.

He becomes Vinay/Prince Amar in the film and is paired opposite Vyjayanthimala (Shalini ‘Shalu Singh).

As Vinay loots precious gems around the country, he must do so with unabashed cunningness and avoid legal consequences.

Jewel Thief mixes deception, doppelgangers and sensuous women.

The result is a racy thriller which entertains without a false note.

A highlight of Jewel Thief is the marvellous, one-take-wonder dance number “Hothon Pe Aisi Baat’ which presents Vyjayanthimala at her very best.

The veteran actress pays tribute to Dev Sahab as she reminisces about the song:

“I remember after we finished shooting this song, Dev Sahab clapped – he was a very generous co-star and a very stylish man.

“He was very particular about camera angles and wanted to be captured in the best possible way on screen.

“He took great care over his appearance. I think he defined celluloid heroism.”

Anupama Chopra praises the film and says: “Jewel Thief is a joyous popcorn thriller. I wish someone would remake it.”

A sequel, Return of Jewel Thief, was released in 1996. The extension stars Dev Sahab with Dharmendra.

Johny Mera Naam (1970)

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Director: Vijay Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Hema Malini, Pran, Jeevan, Prem Nath, IS Johar, Padma Khanna

In another classic collaboration between Dev Sahab and Vijay Anand comes a riveting action film in the form of Johny Mera Naam. 

Dev Sahab transforms into Sohan/Johny as he solves cases in the guises of different people.

He also strikes up a relationship with the pretty Hema Malini (Rekha).

The film launched Hema as a popular actress to reckon with. The Sholay star remembers an embarrassing moment for her on the sets:

“There was a scene where we were supposed to go in the rope chair.

“The sequence was such that he is sitting already and I have to sit in another chair but because I miss it, he makes me sit on his lap.

“I said, ‘Dev Sahab, I can’t sit like this’. I didn’t want to put my whole weight on his lap. It was very, very uncomfortable.”

However, Dev Sahab later helped Hema adjust and she became calm.

One of Dev Sahab’s most famous traits as an actor is his rapid dialogue delivery. He takes that to its highest degree in Johny Mera Naam. 

The film became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 1970, despite that period being the era of Rajesh Khanna’s unparalleled superstardom.

The influence of Johny Mera Naam also transcends borders. In 2006, one of the songs, ‘Pal Bhar Ke Liye’ was used in an episode of The Simpsons.

Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1971)

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Director: Dev Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Mumtaz, Zeenat Aman

In 1970, Dev Sahab made his official directorial debut in Prem Pujari which unfortunately did not do well at the box office.

However, his second directorial venture is Hare Rama Hare Krishna. The film is a star-making vehicle for Zeenat Aman.

The movie began Dev Sahab’s penchant for making socially relevant cinema. Hare Rama Hare Krishna tackles the issue of hippie and drug use culture.

In the film, Dev Anand plays Prashant Jaiswal, a young pilot determined to reunite with his long-lost sister Jasbir ‘Janice’ Jaiswal (played by Zeenat).

Arriving in Nepal, Prashant is unaware that Janice has spiralled into the unforgiving world of drug use.

It is upon Prashant to try and rescue his sister from her dangerous way of living.

Zeenat divulges the impact the success of the film had on her career:

“I was accepted by the audiences at that time in characters which had grey shades, whether it was a drug addict or someone who died of an overdose.

“There was an audience acceptance. Subsequently, writers wrote parts for me where it was a good bad girl, good girl and other kinds of roles that did well.”

Hare Rama Hare Krishna is also the first of many successful collaborations between Dev Sahab and music director RD Burman.

For the film, Zeenat won the 1972 Filmfare Award for ‘Best Supporting Actress’.

Des Pardes (1978)

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Director: Dev Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Tina Munim, Mehmood, Pran, Ajit Khan, Amjad Khan, Prem Chopra

Dev Sahab carries on with his fascination for social issues in Des Pardes – a film exploring illegal Indian immigrants in the UK.

Not only does the filmmaker continue with real-life issues, he also resumes his admirable act of introducing fresh faces to the industry.

As well as Dev Sahab, who plays Veer Sahni in the movie, Des Pardes launches a young and gorgeous Tina Munim as Gauri.

Veer takes the simple Gauri under his wing and imbues her with confidence and skill.

For the first time, in Des Pardes, Dev Sahab chose the relatively new music director Rajesh Roshan, who created a great soundtrack for the picture.

Des Pardes is beautifully shot using scintillating production design and slick camerawork.

The film gave Bollywood a loved actress in Tina, who went on to appear in hits including Karz (1980), Rocky (1981) and Souten (1983).

On Dev Sahab’s death anniversary in 2020, Tina paid tribute to her mentor on Instagram, writing:

“A toast to the man who opened the door to a world of possibility, creativity and discovery for me.

“Thank you for believing in me Dev Sahab. And thank you for the memories.”

Des Pardes is an amalgamation of an interesting story, relatable characters and fresh talent.

It is a film that deserves to be celebrated and respected.

Awwal Number (1990)

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Director: Dev Anand
Stars: Dev Anand, Aamir Khan, Aditya Pancholi, Ekta Sohini

5 Facts about Dev Anand's Evergreen Films

  • Dilip Kumar's brother Nasir Khan also auditioned for 'Ziddi'.
  • A song from 'Nau Do Gyarah' inspired the title of Aamir Khan's 'Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke' (1993).
  • The film premier shown in 'Kala Bazar' is of 'Mother India' (1957).
  • Saira Banu was offered the role of Rosie in 'Guide'.
  • The original choice for Aditya Pancholi's role in 'Awwal Number' was Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Not many Bollywood viewers are aware that the superstar Aamir Khan has done a film with Dev Sahab.

Few also know that Lagaan (2001) is not the first film based on cricket to star Aamir in the lead role.

The answer to both of these is Dev Anand’s Awwal Number.

This film was one of Aamir’s earlier movies, released just two years after his debut Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988).

Awwal Number sees Dev Sahab as the head of a cricket association. He plays DIG Vikram ‘Vicky’ Singh.

Meanwhile, Aamir portrays Sunny – a young and upcoming cricketer. The film also features Aditya Pancholi.

The movie is fast, and interesting and does not fail to set pulses racing.

Aamir admits an intriguing fact about how he was cast in Awwal Number:

“There is only one film in my career that I signed without reading the script and that was Awwal Number.

“Dev Sahab called my father who has also been a very big fan of his, and he accepted the film on my behalf!

“My father told me not to ask Dev Sahab for the script or anything and that I had to work with him.

“It is my honour that I got to work with such an iconic, creative person.”

Dev Anand is one of the most successful and popular actors who generously introduced new talent and was not afraid to make the films he believed in.

He began his career in the ’40s and his passion for cinema never faded.

On December 3, 2011, at the age of 88, Dev Sahab passed away in London – just two months after the release of his final film Chargesheet.

His acting traits and onscreen image remain iconic for many.

Four of his most famous films were re-released to commemorate his 100th birth anniversary in 2023, keeping his staggering body of work alive in a manner that befits a cinema legend.

Dev Sahab’s legacy will continue forever.

So, gather some popcorn and prepare to embrace the evergreen star that is Dev Anand.

Manav is our content editor and writer who has a special focus on entertainment and arts. His passion is helping others, with interests in driving, cooking, and the gym. His motto is: “Never hang on to your sorrows. Always be positive."

Images courtesy of YouTube, Open Magazine and Pinterest.

Videos courtesy of YouTube.





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