By Kushinara M D | New Delhi Chronicle
Suneil Anand (also spelled Sunil Anand), actor, filmmaker, and the only son of legendary Hindi cinema icon Dev Anand and actress Kalpana Kartik, passed away in London at the age of 70 after suffering a heart attack on July 26, 2026.
His niece, Gina Narang, confirmed the news on behalf of the family:
“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.”
While cinema enthusiasts remember him through his screen appearances and his role as the custodian of Navketan Films, Suneil Anand’s life was filled with unusual anecdotes, international exposure, and personal pursuits distinct from the traditional Bollywood trajectory.
4 Rare & Interesting Incidences from Suneil Anand’s Life
1. Born as the Youngest Delegate at an International Film Festival
Suneil Anand was born on June 30, 1956, in Zurich, Switzerland. His parents, Dev Anand and Kalpana Kartik, were en route to the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival in Czechoslovakia. Because of his birth during the trip, infant Suneil accompanied his celebrity parents to the festival and was affectionately dubbed the festival’s “youngest delegate” by international organizers.
2. Business Education in Washington, D.C. Before Bollywood
Unlike many star kids of his era who stepped straight onto movie sets, Suneil pursued formal higher education abroad. He moved to the United States and earned a degree in Business Administration from American University in Washington, D.C., giving him an academic foundation in business management that later helped him manage the operations of Navketan Films.
3. Hong Kong Martial Arts Training & Master (2001)
Driven by a deep interest in martial arts rather than conventional romantic cinema, Suneil traveled to Hong Kong to undergo rigorous physical training in Wing Tsun (a traditional style of Kung Fu). He later directed and starred in the 2001 action feature Master, incorporating his real-life martial arts skills on screen.
4. His Ambiguous Launch in Anand Aur Anand
His father, Dev Anand, personally directed Suneil’s acting debut in the 1984 film Anand Aur Anand. Dev Anand was notoriously strict as a filmmaker and insisted on treating his son like any other newcomer on set, maintaining strict professional boundaries during production. Suneil went on to appear in Car Thief (1986) and Main Tere Liye (1988).
Custodian of Navketan Films
Following the demise of Dev Anand in December 2011, Suneil Anand took over the helm of Navketan Films, the historic banner founded by Dev Anand and Chetan Anand in 1949. In his later years, Suneil shifted his focus toward international cross-over cinema, working on an ambitious Indo-American Hollywood project titled Vagator Mixer.
Suneil Anand is survived by his mother, veteran actress Kalpana Kartik, his sister Devina Anand, and a extended artistic legacy spanning generations of Indian cinema.
