Suneil Anand, filmmaker, actor, and the only son of Hindi cinema legend Dev Anand and actress Kalpana Kartik, died on Tuesday in the UK, his niece Gina Narang confirmed in a statement on behalf of the family. He was 70.
According to the family, Suneil Anand suffered a heart attack in London while travelling from the United States to India via the UK.
He was rushed to a hospital after the cardiac arrest, where doctors initially planned to perform a stent procedure following medical evaluation. However, before the surgery could be carried out, he suffered a second heart attack. Despite efforts to revive him, he passed away. In a poignant coincidence, he died at the same hospital where his father, Dev Anand, breathed his last years ago.
Suneil Anand made his acting debut in 1984 with Anand Aur Anand, directed by his father. He later appeared in films including Car Thief, Main Tere Liye, and Master, before moving behind the camera as a filmmaker.
"With heavy hearts, our family mourns the passing of Suneil Anand. We are comforted by the outpouring of love, prayers, and support, for which we are truly grateful. We kindly request privacy as we navigate this difficult time together," his niece Gina Narang said in the statement.
Suneil Anand had turned 70 on June 30.
Ahead of Dev Anand's birth centenary on September 26, 2023, Suneil Anand reflected that he had devoted four decades of his life to being by his father's side. He said he looked after Dev Anand's well-being, managed his schedule, and helped oversee the family's production house, Navketan Films.
"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.
Suniel had remembered his father as a man of culture. "He could converse on any topic with anyone in any crowd. He was as at ease with the man on the street as he was with royalty. He was very humble. It is difficult to be humble when you are such a big star. He was the best of both worlds," he had said.
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