The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, has expressed deep sorrow over the passing away of veteran actor Dev Anand.

The Prime Minister in his condolence message described Dev Sahab as he was known in the film industry, as a great artiste who entertained generations for over five decades as the enduring romantic of Indian cinema. Dev Anand leaves behind an extremely rich repertoire of acclaimed films and his fans will forever remember the roles he essayed in film classics like Guide, Hum Dono and Prem Pujari.

The nation honoured him with a Padma Bhushan and several other awards, reflecting the impact and place he made for himself in the hearts of the film going public. In the passing away of the legendary star, the Indian film industry has lost one of its most endearing heroes.

The Prime Minister conveyed his sincere condolences to Dev Sahab's son Suneil Anand and family members, to the film fraternity and to millions of his fans and admirers.