Guru Dutt (9 July, 1925 to 10 October, 1964)

He was born as Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone in Bangalore on July 9, 1925. His birth name was Vasanth Kumar Shivsankar Padukone. Guru Dutt did his schooling at Kolkata, where his father was an administrative clerk in Burmah Shell Company. Due to financial restraints, instead of going to college, Guru Dutt had joined the performing arts troupe of Uday Shankar who is elder brother of renowned Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar. Guru Dutt joined the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre at Almora, Uttaranchal on a five year scholarship of Rs. 75 annually. After completing his studies at Almora Dutt moved to Mumbai where his uncle arranged a job under three year contract with Prabhat Film Company in Pune. Guru Dutt met two great actors Rehman and Dev Anand in Prabhat Film Company and they developed good friendship.

Guru Dutt made his debut in films with a small role as Sri Krishna in the film "Chand". Then he acted as well as assisted director Vishram Bedekar in the movie "Lakhrani". Prabhat Film Company collapsed in 1947 and Guru Dutt moved to Mumbai. In Mumbai Guru Dutt worked with two leading directors of that time- Amiya Chakravarthy and Gyan Mukherjee. Thereafter Dev Anand offered him a job as director in his new production company, Navketan. As director at Navketan his first film was "Baazi". Guru Dutt used close-up shots with 100mm lens camera in the film "Baazi", which later became famous as 'Guru Dutt Shots' in the Indian cinema. The film "Baazi" was an immediate success. Guru Dutt gave many super hit films as director as well as actor. Some of them were "Aar Paar", "Mr. & Mrs. 55", "Pyasa", "C I D", "Sailab", "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam" and "Chaudhvin Ka Chand'. Guru Dutt took his last breath on 10th October, 1964, in his rented apartment at Pedder Road in Mumbai.He had his early education in Calcutta and later on had gone under basic training with dance maestro Uday Shankar for 5 years after which he joined Prabhat Studios in Pune. Before becoming a part of Indian Cinema, Guru Dutt had short stints with careers in choreography, telephone operator position and English writer.

It was here that he got a break as a choreographer with the film Hum Ek Hain (1946), the launch pad of friend and actor Dev Anand. There he worked as an assistant direct till he was given a break as director under Dev Anand's banner Navketan. At the age of 26 years he made his directorial debut film 'Baazi', which was a blockbuster movie. Soon after his successful debut all his directed films started becoming super hits. Film 'Jaal' in 1952, 'Baazi' in 1953, 'Aar-Paar' in 1954, 'Mr & Mrs 55' in 1955 were blockbusters in a row. After so many super hits people started considering him as a Midas director. He is credited with introducing Zohra Sehgal, Johny Walker and Wahida Rehman to the Indian cinema.

During this time Guru Dutt fell in love with singer Geeta Roy, with whom he met during the song recording of a song for film 'Baazi'. The two married in May 1953.

Guru Dutt and Geeta Dutt formed a perfect team. He knew exactly how to use her voice and he used it in ways, so that her inane generosity of spirit spilled over on the soundtrack in stunning romantic declarations. 'Hoon abhi main jawan', 'Jaa jaa jaa bewafa', 'Babu ji dheere chalna' and 'Yeh lo main haari piya' in Aar Paar (1954) were like prolonged outburst of harmonious sensations. Guru Dutt and Geeta Dutt were supremely talented and both were touching new heights of success with every release. Guru Dutt received great recognition in the countries of France, Japan and Germany, where his films are re-released to full houses.

Having so much success in career and love in personal life, Guru Dutt started his own production company in 1956. For his first film as a producer 'CID' he signed his friend Dev Anand. And also launched a new heroine Waheeda Rehman. 'CID' released and became successful. Its success changed his personal life too, as during its shooting Guru Dutt and Waheeda became close friends. Media highlighted their friendship more then film's success. Soon after 'CID' Guru Dutt signed Waheeda Rehman again for his another film ‘Pyaasa’. Rumors of his affairs with his new leading lady started surfacing, which left Geeta Dutt in shock. In 1957 ‘Pyaasa’ got released and it is said that at this point she got involved in an unsuccessful love affair with the tragedy king Guru Dutt. Finally situations between Guru Dutt and his wife worsened. Unfortunately, his married life was not happy and she finally left him. According to his brother Atmaram, Guru Dutt was "a strict disciplinarian as far as work was concerned, but totally undisciplined in his personal life". He smoked heavily, he drank heavily, and he kept odd hours. Guru Dutt's relationship with actress Waheeda Rehman also worked against their marriage. At the time of his death, he had separated from Geeta and was living alone.

This was the time when Guru Dutt’s fall started. Both his personal life and career was going through a bad phase. He was continuously been criticised for the type of films he was making. Not only this, slowly slowly Waheeda Rehman also distanced herself form Guru Dutt and their famous relationship started waning and ended. In his later films, whether its ‘Pyaasa’ or ‘Kaagaz ke Phool’, we can see the intensity and seriousness, which can be said was the result of his bitter experiences in personal life.

‘Pyaasa’ is said to be the master piece of Guru Dutt. It was the film which made him the real ‘GURU’ of the film industry. Not only in India but in France also ‘Pyaasa’ was the super hit.

After Pyaasa’s success Guru Dutt’s next was ‘Kaagaz ke Phool’, which was India’s first cinemascope film too. But this film failed at box office and critics rejected it saying pessimistic and self-indulgent movie. A dejected Guru Dutt never directed a film thereafter. Technically the film is perhaps his best. But he continued to produce films and act in both home and outside productions. ‘Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam’ (1962), a box office flop, is still regarded as one of Guru Dutt's most and artistic films.He also has his influence on his last box office success ‘Chaudhvin Ka Chand’. In 1964 he acted in his last film ‘Saanjh Aur Savera’ opposite Meena Kumari.

Guru Dutt also brought in some major technical revolutions in the grammar of the mainstream Hindi filmmaking, like, integrating film's songs into story and make story move forward through song itself. He used the effect of light and shade to create poetry and romance. His legacy is unmistakable and accepted by many leading directors of the day.

People remember Guru Dutt for the perfectionist and disciplinarian he was professionally. Unfortunately, his personal life was a total opposite of his professional life. He smoked heavily, he drank heavily, and he kept odd hours, which finally took its toll on his relationships and life itself.

Guru Dutt and their understanding of the cinematic artist of course were great, but in our country at an early age the young man's tragic death was the cause of his fame, not his unbeatable talent.

Just a day before he passed away and he seemed fit and fine. Regular shooting of his Baharein Phir Bhi Aayegi was on. Flustered by the sudden cancellation by one of the lead cast, Guru Dutt changed plans for next day. We went shopping in his car to Colaba and he bought garments for me and for his two sons Tarun and Arun. he reached his flat at Pedder Road around 6.30 pm where he resided minus his family. It was his ardent wish that his children should be with him every weekend. Adamant, Guru Dutt then had a long telephonic chat with singer-wife Geeta, but she refused to send the kids, as it was late at night. Which disheartened him. That's when dialogue-writer Abrar Alvi joined him for a creative brainstorming over booze and he asked his brother Devi, who was with him to leave them alone. It was next day on October 10, 1964 he died at a young age of 39 due to overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol – a deadly mix and committed suicide, though doubts still linger as if his death was accidental. Unfortunately, his wife Geeta Dutt herself died aged 41, due to excessive drinking which resulted in her liver damage. The last person to speak to Guru Dutt was Asha Bhonsle, who he had called up asking about his wife.

Filmography

Guru Dutt was one of the best filmmakers of Indian cinema, and is often remembered as a man born ahead of his time. He made his debut from the movie 'Chand'. 'Kaagaz Ke Phool', a film rejected by Indian audience has now been included among 160 greatest films of all time. Pyaasa is the other film listed by Time magazine’s “All-TIME” 100 best movies and the Sight &Sound Critics and Directors Pol. These two films have a cult following among contemporary cinema goers.Guru Dutt left many unfinished projects with his death. He would scrap a movie and re-plan it all over again whenever he was not satisfied with the way it was moving ahead. Baharein Phir Bhi Aayenghi, Picnic and Love and God were few among them.


Aar Paar (1954) was one of Dutt's commercial ventures, themed as a noir-comedy, about a street-smart cab driver romancing two women. A whole tramp-with-a-golden-heart concept was a hit with the audience and made the movie a very important one in Dutt's career. Pyaasa (1957)is rated as one of the best romantic tragedies of all times. None of the film pundits could predict the success of Pyaasa, which is ranked among the best films of Indian Cinema. The original casts decided by Guru Dutt were Dilip Kumar, Nargis and Madhubala in the lead roles, but these stars were not sure about the abilities of Guru Dutt and hence backed off. Finally he cast himself in the lead role, while Waheeda Rehman and Mala Sinha played the lady leads in the film. After opening to poor collection, the film gained popularity and momentum in the 8th week. This is the movie that gave the audience goose bumps with the song Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To Kya, where a bearded, beaten-down Dutt arrives at his own memorial service and denounces the world. This movie is rated as one of the best romantic tragedies of all times in India. Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) was a box office disaster when it released in 1959. This movie was a box office disaster when it released in 1959. It was only in the 80s that it got its due credit and got labelled a cult classic. Also, this film has a bit of an eerie resemblance to Dutt's real life; famous filmmaker, affair with an actor, driven to alcoholism, and then the tragic death. But we like to remember it for its heartbreaking story.

Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) was a highly commercially successful film. A love triangle among two best friends and a pretty woman; a story line done to death. But Dutt pulled it off with a brilliance like none other, making Chaudhvin Ka Chand a commercially successful film in his career. Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam (1962) was an adaptation of Bimal Mitra's Bengali novel Shaheb Bibi Golam. Based on Bimal Mitra's Bengali novel Shaheb Bibi Golam, it is the story of a feudal lord, his lonely wife, and their lower-class servant. The movie swivels beautifully around the relationship between the three, ending on a happy note

His other achievement include Picnic, Sanjh Aur Savera, Suhagan, Bahurani, Bharosa, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Sautela Bhai, Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Pyaasa, Mr. & Mrs. '55, Aar Paar, Suhagan, Baaz, Hum Ek Hain and Baazi. He was awarded 'Filmfare Best Film Award' for "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam".

Guru Dutt, an unparalleled genius showman Indian Cinema has ever come across, was an enigma in his life and death. He showed exceptional movie making skills which combined, lyrical, artistic and conventional values in such a way that his movies touched both the masses and the critics in the same way at the same time. Guru Dutt is among the top 25 Asian Actors of all time rated by CNN. He also is included among the greatest film directors of all time by Sight & Sound. Many refer to him as Orson Welles of Indian Cinema. His characters were intense, brooding and desperate romantics and also socially conscious who wanted to see a change in the society. Unfortunately, this talented showman did not live his life to the full term, depriving Indian Cinema more of his commendable movies.