A superstar's son entered the industry with high hopes but delivered only flops, ending his career after a few films and failing to live up to the iconic legacy.
When we reminisce about the golden era of Bollywood, certain names stand out as truly timeless and Dev Anand is undoubtedly one of them. Whether it was his distinctive looks, unique sense of style, or acting, Dev Anand remains unmatched in the industry to this day.
Dev Anand was far more than just a talented actor. He was also an exceptional scriptwriter, director, and producer who brought forward-thinking concepts to the screen; ideas that were well ahead of their time.
In the 1970s, he imagined a society much like today's and created films that continue to leave a lasting impression on audiences. From romantic stories to films addressing social issues, Dev Anand seamlessly adapted himself into every role, breathing life into each character.
Like many of his contemporaries such as Sunil Dutt and Dharmendra, Dev Anand also introduced his son to the film industry. However, his approach was uniquely modest. Whereas Sunil Dutt launched Sanjay Dutt with Rocky and Dharmendra introduced Sunny Deol in Betaab, Dev Anand opted for a subtler path.
In 1984, he launched his son, Suneil Anand, in a supporting role in the film Anand Aur Anand, which he himself directed and starred in alongside actresses Rakhee and Smita Patil. Unfortunately, the film was a box office failure.
Following the underwhelming debut, Suneil Anand appeared in a lead role in his next film Car Thief, opposite actress Vijayta Pandit. Sadly, this film also did not perform well commercially, making it his second consecutive failure.
Despite his father's unwavering support, Suneil Anand's initial four films failed to make an impact at the box office. Hoping to change his fortune, he then worked with his uncle, Vijay Anand, who directed him in Main Tere Liye alongside Meenakshi Sheshadri. But this too did not bring the desired breakthrough.
Still determined to give his son a fair chance, Dev Anand produced another film featuring Suneil Anand, alongside Asha Parekh and Rajendra Kumar. This film was primarily aimed at boosting Suneil Anand's image and establishing him as a leading man. Unfortunately, the effort did not yield success either.
After enduring multiple flops, Suneil Anand stepped back from acting and took a long hiatus to focus on honing his skills. In 2001, he made a comeback with a martial arts film titled Master, in which he not only acted but also took on the role of director.
However, despite his best efforts, the film did not manage to alter his cinematic fate.
Accepting that perhaps stardom was not destined for him, Suneil Anand began assisting his father in filmmaking. He worked as an assistant director at Dev Anand's production house, Navketan Films.
After Dev Anand's passing in 2011, Suneil Anand took over the responsibilities of Navketan as a producer. Sadly, the production house struggled to uphold the rich legacy left behind by his father.