Key Points
- Chetan Anand's directorial debut Neecha Nagar won the Grand Prix at the inaugural Cannes Film Festival in 1946.
- He co-founded Navketan Films with Dev Anand and later established Himalaya Films.
- Chetan Anand gave Rajesh Khanna his first acting break in the film Aakhri Khat.
Mumbai, July 6. Bollywood star Jackie Shroff remembered legendary filmmaker Chetan Anand on his 29th death anniversary on July 6, by sharing a heartfelt tribute on his social media account.
Jackie posted a portrait of the late filmmaker with the message, "Remembering Chetan Anand ji on his death anniversary," along with folded hands emoticons.
For the uninitiated, Chetan Anand was touted as one of the legendary filmmakers of his times, who passed away on July 6, 1997.
His directorial debut 'Neecha Nagar' that released in 1946, reportedly won the Grand Prix, the highest honour at the inaugural Cannes Film Festival.
Chetan Anand's Legendary Film Career
He later co-founded Navketan Films with his younger brother and superstar Dev Anand before establishing his own banner, Himalaya Films.
Over the course of his career, Anand directed many acclaimed films, including 'Haqeeqat', 'Heer Raanjha', 'Aakhri Khat', 'Hanste Zakhm', 'Hindustan Ki Kasam' and 'Kudrat'.
He was also reportedly credited with giving India's first superstar, Rajesh Khanna his first acting break in 'Aakhri Khat'.
Jackie Shroff's Heartfelt Tribute
On the personal front, Anand was married to writer Uma Anand, and the couple had two sons, Ketan Anand and Vivek Anand.
After the couple separated, the filmmaker shared a long standing relationship with actress Priya Rajvansh, who had featured in many of his films.
Following Chetan Anand's death, Priya reportedly went on to inherit a share of his humongous empire estate.
In March 2000, Priya Rajvansh was found murdered at Chetan Anand's Juhu bungalow where she resided.
The investigation led to the arrest of Ketan Anand and Vivek Anand, along with two domestic aides. In 2002, a sessions court convicted all four and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
–IANS
rd/
Looking ahead: Fans may soon see more retrospectives of Chetan Anand's films as his legacy continues to inspire new generations.
