Birth anniversary today of one of my favorite directors Vijay Anand, a director who made some of the best commercial entertainers, that had a brain, and one of the best when it came to depicting songs on the screen. Quite a decent actor too.

Vijay Anand aka Goldie, the youngest of the Anand brothers, a director who made some of the best movies across genres. Be it romcoms like Tere Ghar Ke Saamne to dramas like Guides to thrillers like Teesri Manzil, Blackmail.

Not many directors could integrate the songs with the story as well as Vijay Anand did, and his picturization was way ahead of it's times, with his innovative camera angles.

He made his debut as a director with Nau Do Gyarah, a desi adaptation of It Happened One Night, with brother Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik, a romcom plus road movie, that was quite a breezy watch.

One feature of Vijay Anand's movies were the songs. And it was usually S.D.Burman+Majrooh+Kishore/Rafi one memorable combination. One lovely song from Nau Do Gyarah, with it's whistling tune.

Fun fact: This song was used in a scene in Mahesh Bhatt's Dil Hai Ki Maanta Nahin.
And later Bhatt, would use the same song as the title for his 1993 movie.

From a romcom to a more serious theme, Vijay Anand's Kala Bazaar had Dev Anand as the hero, who goes the wrong way to survive. Pretty good dramatic story, with Waheeda Rehman making the perfect pair to Dev.

Kala Bazaar to date is the only movie that featured all the 3 Anand brothers, with Chetan playing a judge, and Vijay as Waheeda's fiance. And this all time favorite song by Rafi here.

Tere Ghar Ke Saamne was one great rom com, with Dev Anand and Nutan as the lovers, belonging to 2 rival families. Om Prakash and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, as the feuding dads were just too good.

Tere Ghar Ke Saamne had one great soundtrack with Dada+Hasrat Jaipuri. My personal favorite though is this shot on the steps of Qutub Minar. One really romantic song.

Teesri Manzil to date one of the best murder mysteries ever with Shammi Kapoor-Asha Parekh, made for Nasir Hussain's banner, and also provided a big break to R.D.Burman, who came up with a memorable soundtrack. Vijay Anand was the master of the thriller genre.

Teesri Manzil once again had a memorable soundtrack, with all songs by Pancham, being chartbusters. Personal favorite though is this.
Fun Fact: The drummer is none other than Salim, one half of the Salim-Javed duo.

And that followed by one of the best thrillers ever to date, Jewel Thief, with it's twists, turns and a narrative that keeps you hooked, till the final culprit is revealed. Dev Anand, Vyjayantimala make a great pair.

Again Jewel Thief had a great soundtrack, this time once again Dada+Majrooh combo, with Kishore/Rafi. My personal favorite though is this, the picturization is just awesome.

Johnny Mera Naam, what a truly entertaining masala flick is. The age old story of two Judwaa bhai, Dev Anand, Pran who end up on the opposite sides of the law, add in ever charming Hema Malini, and the sleazy Premnath. Full paisa vasool.

The soundtrack for Johnny Mera Naam was by Kalyanji Anandji, rare occasion, when Vijay Anand, did not use the Burmans for his movies. And they came up with one great score, love this though, for the usage of mirrors.

After a series of thrillers, Vijay Anand once again returned to a more serious drama with Tere Mere Sapne, based on A.J.Cronin's The Citadel, with Dev Anand as an idealistic doctor, who becomes disillusioned later.

Tere Mere Sapne once again had a great soundtrack by Dada, my personal favorite this duet, cycle rides have rarely been more romantic.

Again Vijay Anand returned to the thriller genre with Blackmail, starring Dharmendra, Rakhee. Quite a well made engaging thriller, with a secret formula, and villians trying to get hold of it.

Kalyanji Anandji once again teamed up with Vijay Anand, after Johnny Mera Naam, to deliver a great score. And this by Kishore Da, remains an all time favorite.

Chuppa Rustum a desi version of Mackennas Gold, with Dev Anand and Hema Malini, was not such a great movie. But it had this great solo by Kishore Da.

And Vijay Anand's masterpiece Guide( 1965), one of my all time favorite Hindi movies. A movie that was bold and way ahead for it's times. One of the most memorable heroines ever, Waheeda Rehman's Rosie.

Waheeda Rehman's Rosie has to be one of the finest women characters ever on screen. A woman who walks out on a loveless marriage, and later has no hesitation in leaving her lover, when she finds he has been using here.

Guide was one of the best albums from Dada ever, one of those where you just can't pick and choose the songs. But here is my personal favorite, for the way it depicts the heroine breaking free, and the backdrop of Chittorgarh.

And this was another favorite of mine from Guide, Dada+Rafi+Shailendra. Wattay song

However after Black Mail, Vijay Anand's later movies- Bullet, Ram Balram, Rajput, were nothing great really. Just not a patch on his earlier movies, and the songs too were forgettable.

Vijay Anand was quite a decent actor too. This one from Haqeeqat where he played one of the unit.

And another really good movie of Vijay Anand as an actor was Kora Kagaaz, with Jaya Bhaduri, about a couple who separate. While Kishore's title song was great, this was an equally good song too.

Vijay Anand also starred in the family drama Main Tulsi Tere Aangan ki, with Asha Parekh and Nutan. Typical sentimental family drama, that was quite a big hit then, with it's title song regularly comming in Top 10.

After a series of rather disappointing movies, Vijay Anand was back to form, with the detective TV series Tehkikaat, that also had Saurabh Shukla as his assistant.

Notwithstanding his later movies, Vijay Anand would be one of the finest directors ever of Indian cinema, with classics like Guide, and memorable thrillers like Jewel Thief, Teesri Manzil, Blackmail, and equally memorable songs too.