Mumbai: Actor-filmmaker Suniel Anand, son of legendary star Dev Anand and actor Kalpana Kartik, died in London due to heart attack, a family source said Tuesday. He was 70.
Suniel made his acting debut in 1984 with Anand aur Anand, which was directed by his father and later featured in Car Thief, Main Tere Liye and Master. But Suniel couldn’t achieve the success that his father had.
He passed away in London July 26 due to heart attack. Dev sahab’s daughter Devina is heading to London, Dev Anand’s close friend Mohan Churiwala told media.
Suniel is survived by his mother Kalpana Kartik and sister Devina.
Suneil took over the reins of Navketan Films after Dev Anand, known for classics like Guide, Hum Dono and Hare Rama Hare Krishna, died in 2011 at the age of 88. In an interview with PTI in 2023 ahead of Dev Anand’s 100th birth anniversary, Suniel remembered his father as an erudite actor who loved reading, was always conscious of his looks and equally at home with royalty as well as the man on the street.
Suneil said he spent 40 years of his life just being with his father, taking care of his well-being, his schedule and their company Navketan.
I even coordinated taking our classic movie Guide to the Cannes film festival in 2008. It was the first Indian classic to be selected by the Cannes committee to be showcased at the festival. It was a major milestone for dad, for us, Navketan and India, he said at the time.
Suniel also spoke about his plans of making a Hollywood film on his father’s life.
It’s a huge movie dedicated to my father. I am producing and directing. The show goes on. I will continue to take my father’s legacy forward, Suneil had said.