Raj Babbar mourns Suniel Anand, calls unfinished Dev Anand tribute film 'heartbreaking'
Synopsis
Suniel Anand, son of the legendary Dev Anand, died at 70 after suffering two heart attacks in London — at the same hospital where his father had passed away. Actor-politician Raj Babbar's tribute revealed that Suniel's dream of making a film honouring Dev Anand's legacy will now remain forever unrealised, adding a haunting dimension to the loss.
Key Takeaways
Suniel Anand , filmmaker-actor and son of Dev Anand , passed away aged 70 following two cardiac arrests in London .
He suffered the first heart attack while travelling from the US to India with a stopover in the UK ; a second attack occurred before a planned stent procedure.
He died at the same London hospital where his father, Dev Anand , had previously passed away.
Actor-politician Raj Babbar posted a tribute on X , calling Suniel 'a true gentleman' and describing the unfinished tribute film to Dev Anand as 'heartbreaking'.
Suniel's long-planned cinematic homage to Dev Anand now remains unrealised.
Actor-politician Raj Babbar has paid tribute to filmmaker-actor Suniel Anand, son of the late legendary actor-filmmaker Dev Anand, who passed away aged 70 following a cardiac arrest in London. Babbar described the loss as deeply saddening, and called it heartbreaking that Suniel's long-cherished dream of making a tribute film to his father would now remain forever unfinished.
Raj Babbar's Tribute on X
Taking to social media platform X, Babbar posted a message alongside an image of Suniel Anand, calling him a true gentleman. "Deepest condolences on the passing of filmmaker and actor #SuneilAnand ji, beloved son of the late #DevAnand ji. He was a true gentleman, known for his warmth, grace, and deep love for cinema," Babbar wrote.
He added: "It's heartbreaking that his plans to make a film in tribute to his father remained unfinished. May his family find strength, comfort, and peace in these difficult times. Holding you close in my thoughts, brother."
How Suniel Anand Passed Away
Suniel Anand suffered a heart attack in London while travelling from the United States to India, with a stopover in the UK. He was rushed to hospital after a cardiac arrest, where doctors initially decided to perform a stent procedure. However, before the surgery could be carried out, he suffered a second heart attack. Despite repeated resuscitation efforts by the medical team, he could not be saved.
In a poignant coincidence, Suniel passed away at the same hospital in London where his father, Dev Anand, had breathed his last years earlier.
The Unfinished Legacy
Suniel Anand had reportedly been working on a film intended as a cinematic homage to his father, Dev Anand, one of Hindi cinema's most enduring icons. That project now remains unrealised, adding a layer of tragedy to an already devastating loss for the Anand family and for Indian cinema at large. Notably, Dev Anand himself had continued working in films well into his eighties, leaving behind a legacy that Suniel had hoped to honour on screen.
Raj Babbar: A Career in Brief
Raj Babbar began his film career alongside actress Reena Roy and rose to prominence with his portrayal of a rapist in director B. R. Chopra's landmark film Insaf Ka Tarazu, opposite Zeenat Aman and Padmini Kolhapure. He went on to become a regular presence in the B. R. Chopra banner, appearing in Nikaah with Deepak Parashar and Salma Agha, and in Aaj Ki Aawaz alongside Smita Patil. On television, he featured in the opening episodes of the celebrated series Mahabharat, and also appeared in Bahadur Shah Zafar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and Pukaar - Call For The Hero.
As tributes pour in from across the film fraternity, the passing of Suniel Anand closes a chapter on a family that shaped Indian cinema across generations.
Point of View
Dev Anand, and with a tribute film unfinished, gives this loss an almost literary weight. Bollywood has a long history of second-generation custodians struggling to honour iconic legacies on screen; Suniel's unrealised project joins that list. The industry's response will be measured in tributes, but the harder question is whether Dev Anand's cinematic body of work is being actively preserved and made accessible to younger audiences — a task that now has no obvious heir.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Suniel Anand die?
Suniel Anand died after suffering two heart attacks in London while travelling from the United States to India, with a stopover in the UK. Doctors had planned a stent procedure after the first cardiac arrest, but he suffered a second heart attack before surgery could be performed and could not be revived.
How old was Suniel Anand when he died?
Suniel Anand was 70 years old at the time of his death in London.
What was Suniel Anand's unfinished tribute film?
Suniel Anand had reportedly been working on a film intended as a tribute to his late father, the legendary actor-filmmaker Dev Anand. The project remained unrealised at the time of his death, a fact that actor-politician Raj Babbar described as 'heartbreaking' in his public tribute.
What did Raj Babbar say about Suniel Anand?
Raj Babbar posted a tribute on X, calling Suniel Anand 'a true gentleman, known for his warmth, grace, and deep love for cinema.' He also said it was heartbreaking that Suniel's plans to make a tribute film to Dev Anand remained unfinished.
Where did Suniel Anand pass away, and why is it significant?
Suniel Anand passed away at a hospital in London — the same hospital where his father, Dev Anand, had also breathed his last. The coincidence has been widely noted as a poignant detail by those paying tribute to the Anand family.
