Dev Anand, known initially as Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand, was born on September 26, 1923, in Shakargarh tehsil, Punjab. His father was a renowned advocate, but Dev Anand was inspired by the legendary actor Ashok Kumar’s performances in “Achhut Kanya” and “Kismet” and chose to pursue a career in films.
His debut in the Hindi film industry with “Hum Ek Hain” began a remarkable journey filled with blockbuster films, timeless songs, and unmatched stardom. Among all the popularity, stories and controversies around Dev Anand, one story stands out which is the love affair between him and actress Suraiya. Reportedly, they broke up after Suraiya’s grandmother objected to the relationship and threw the ring Dev Anand gave to Suraiya. Out of anger, Dev Anand threw the ring into the sea.
While Dev Anand enjoyed unprecedented popularity, a few are aware of his love affair with the beautiful actress Suraiya. Unfortunately, their love faced obstacles, mainly religious differences, leading to their separation. Dev Anand eventually married another famous actress, Kalpana Kartik, with whom he had two children, Suniel and Devina.
The love affair that ended painfully
Dev Anand’s biography, “Romancing With Life,” features a revealing chapter that sheds light on his love for the famous actress Suraiya. According to the book, Dev Anand expressed his love for her by gifting her an expensive diamond-studded ring. He had to borrow money from his friends to afford the Rs 3000 ring, a substantial amount in the 1950s. The ring served as a symbol of the depth of their love.
Suraiya, in a throwback interview, nostalgically recalled the beautiful ring that brought both joy and sorrow. She wore the ring during a film shoot, but unfortunately, someone on set informed her grandmother about it. Her grandmother forcefully took the ring off her finger and warned Suraiya to stay away from Dev Anand. This incident left Suraiya sad and heartbroken, especially since Dev had borrowed money to buy the ring. In a teary-eyed interview, she revealed that her grandmother’s refusal to return the ring devastated her. The opposition to their relationship extended beyond her grandmother to her entire family due to their religious differences as Dev was Hindu, and Suraiya was Muslim, which made their relationship unacceptable for her family.
Reportedly, Dev Anand threw the ring in the Arabian Sea, where it resides to date. Dev Anand again proposed to her a couple of years later, but Suraiya refused as she did not want to antagonize her conservative Muslim family. Suraiya never married following the heartbreaking incident. She died in 2004 at the age of 74.
