(Economic Times of India) LONDON: Dev Anand, who ruled the hearts of millions of film enthusiasts for over six decades, was today bid a tearful adieu as his mortal remains were consigned to flames amid the tunes of some of his most memorable songs ‘Abhi Na Jao Chor ke’ and ‘Gata Rahe Mera Dil’.
The funeral ceremony was joined in by a large number of people, including his family and close friends like Lord Meghnad Desai and Sahara chief Subroto Roy, as his last rites were held according to Hindu tradition at the Putney Vale Crematorium here.
His body kept in a casket, decked with flowers, was taken to the crematorium in a motorcade as his admirers paid him rich tributes.
His wife Kalpana Kartik could not attend as she had high blood pressure and remained behind in the Washington Mayfair hotel where the actor breathed his last.
Besides his son Suneil and daughter Devina, his sister Sheila Kapoor, the mother of filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, were also present. So were the acting High Commissioner of India Rakesh Prasad, his close friend Kartar Lalvani, Lord Karan Billimoria, and Baroness Shreela Flather.
Dev Anand died here on December 3 at the age of 88 with his son by his side.
While fans in India could not have a last glimpse of the star, his ashes will be flown back to Mumbai, the city associated for over 60 years with the thespian’s incomparable body of work. A memorial service will be held at the Mehboob studio in Mumbai on December 15.
True to his full-of-life image, his final journey saw some of his remarkable songs being sung as a tribute.
