Silk Smitha (2 December 1960 – 23 September 1996)

Silk Smitha, the sultry actress and B-grade movie queen from South India, has a rags to riches story. Silk Smitha’s real name was Vijayalakshmi, she was born on December 2, 1960. Her active period where she flourished as an item girl and seductress was between 1979 and 1996.

Silk Smitha also known as Silk Sumitha, was born in a poor family, in Eluru, Andhra Pradesh. Due to financial problems in the family, she had to drop out of school in fourths standard itself. She blossomed to grow as a sultry looking girl and she was constantly propositioned and physically ‘exploited’ by men, which is why Vijayalakshmi’s parents married her off at a very young age. However, the ill-treatment from her husband and in-laws made Silk Smitha leave her husband’s home and move over to Madras where she lived with her aunt.

Silk began her career as a touch-up girl to B-grade actresses in B-grade films and then got break in small character roles. Vinu Chakravathy, a director chanced up her in a flour-mill and found that she had potential for bigger things. He renamed Vijayalakshmi as ‘Silk’; his wife taught her English. The girl proved to be a fast learner and she even took dancing lessons from another teacher.

In 1979, Silk Smitha got a role in a Malayalam film called ‘Inaye Thedi’; her sex appeal found her a lot of takers who wanted to star as a cabaret dancer or vamp in their films. Soon, she began to get typecast in these films. In the same year in 1979, Silk got her major role in a Tamil film called ‘Vandi Chakkaram’ and the movie was a superhit. The character that she played was also called ‘Silk’, so Vijayalakshmi as she was known to everyone, changed her name forever to ‘Silk Smitha’. But her sensous appeal and dusky skin gave her only movies where she was to play the seductress, the vamp or the cabaret dancer, limting her choice in roles.

Silk Smitha began to drop her clothes to get more attention and attention she did get, as she became most men’s secret fantasy in the 80s as she flourished rapidly in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam cinema. Her dance numbers and bold sequences had men eating out of her palms, so much that they would buy tickets only to watch Silk Smitha. She was indeed a hot property who would outshine the heroine too. Silk Smitha truly was the first red-hot item girl, but then critics dismissed her as a cheap actress. Most of her subsequent movies had the softcore appeal while in some she would be a cheap version of a desi-Bond girl wearing bikinis and strutting her stuff .

Silk Smitha’s signature rolling of tongue, biting of her lower lip, looking at her lover in a trance-like manner through hazy, sultry eyes and her voluptuous figure had the junta rushing to the movies with a pretext of watching the film, while the real reason was to check her out. Silk Smitha would charge as much as Rs. 50000 per dance sequence and she would do two or even three sequences in a day. There was even a movie called Silk, Silk , Silk where Silk Smitha played a triple role. In less than 10 years of her entry, Silk Smitha had done 500 films which included A, B and C grade films.

But there was much more to Silk Smitha beyond her sex appeal, she was an accomplished actress too. Some of the best performances of Silk Smitha are in movies like Alaigal Oivathillai (1981) where she played the role of a neglected wife who is hurt by her husband’s infidelity. Writer Jerry Pinto says, “Watch Silk Smitha’s sequences and you will find a sense of lingering sorrow. It’s almost as if there were two Silk Smithas there: One watching her own self dance, detached and dispassionate about being put through these calisthenics.”,

Layanam (1989) is one of the most famous adult films in India and it starred Silk Smitha in her sizzling best. The movie was dubbed in many languages across the country including in Hindi as Reshma ki Jawani (2002). Most people know about Silk Smitha’s sensuous yet brilliant performance as a woman who has a huge crush on Kamal Hassan in Balu Mahendra’s Moondram Pirai, which was remade as Sadma. Silk Smitha had fulfilled her dream of working with A-grade stars, she had brushed with the best of male stars in her time, Shivaji Ganeshan, Rajnikanth, Kamal Hassan, Chiranjeevi and Mithun Chakraborthy.

Silk Smitha had a string of lovers and some of them were producers, directors and even A-grade actors who were besotted by her. Director Velu Prabhakaran confessed that he had an intimate relationship with Silk Smitha and had cheated on his girlfriend for her. Director Vinu Chakravarthy who was already married, had a secret relationship with Silk Smitha as well

Silk Smitha Death

Silk Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment, having committed suicide. The cause of her death is not known, it may have been her disillusionment of

Silk Smitha’s popularity began to wane by mid 90s. She had a live-in boyfriend who had promised to start her luxury life from scratch and lured her into producing films. If reports are to be believed, Silk Smitha’s two movies that she had produced flopped and she was in debt for Rs. 20 million while the third one was stuck due to loss of funds.

Silk Smitha could not reconcile to the fact that she was back to her impoverished day that she never wanted to go to, after she had reveled in luxury. She did get the odd film over, the last one beign a movie called Subaash, a Tamil film, that released two days before her death.

The police directed examining doctors to send a part of Silk Smitha’s body parts to forensic scientists to find out if there were traces of poison in her body, she might have been poisoned before hanging her by the fan; they felt. A post-mortem report on Silk Smitha revealed a large amount of bananas and chocolates in her stomach.

On September 23,1996, Smitha was found dead in her Chennai apartment, Saligramam, hanging by a rope from the ceiling fan of her bedroom. She had tried to turn int a film producer but financial problems, a disillusionment in an unrequited love and an alcohol dependency apparently led to depression. It is suspected that Smitha committed suicide by poisoning herself. She had left a suicide note in which she had written that she was frustrated with repeated failures in her life and so she was taking the extreme step.

Vinod Mehra (13 February, 1945 to 30 October, 1990)

Vinod Mehra born on 13th February 1945, at Lahore Pakistan, was an Indian actor, producer and director.

Vinod Mehra started his acting career as a child artist in the 50s and 60s. Mehra made his debut as a child artist in the 1958 film Raagni, playing the younger version of the character played by Kishore Kumar+. After playing a few more minor roles as a child, he started his film career as an adult in 1971 with ''Ek Thi Rita'', a smash hit based on the English play, 'A Girl Called Rita', along with Tanuja. He was one of finalists in the 1965 All India Talent Contest organised by United Producers and Filmfare from more than ten thousand contestants. He lost the contest to Rajesh Khanna and became male runner up of the contest. He made his debut as a leading hero in the hit film- Ek Thi Reeta  with Tanuja in the year 1975. He has acted in more than 100 films playing roles of hero, brother, father, friend, and lover. He was a fairly successful hero at the box office. He teamed up with leading stars such as Amitabh bachchan, Dharmendra and other super stars in many films and was known as a gentleman actor.

His first film as an adult was Ek Thi Rita (1971) which was a hit. This was followed by the film ''Parday Ke Peechhay'' opposite debutant Yogeeta Bali followed by ''Elaan+'' (with Rekha), ''Amar Prem'' (1972) and ''Lal Patthar'', though it was only Shakti Samanta's ''Anuraag'' (1972) with Maushmi Chatterjee, which established him as an actor. He went on to appear in over 100 films in his career spanning over two decades. He played the lead role in some of his earlier films but often acted in many multi-starrers as the secondary lead or played supporting roles such as a brother, friend, uncle, father and police officer. He worked with many actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Sunil Dutt and Dharmendra. His frequent female co-stars included Rekha, Maushmi Chatterjee, Yogeeta Bali, Shabana Azmi and Bindiya Goswami.

Some of his prominent films were ''Nagin'', ''Jaani Dushman'', ''Ghar'', ''Swarg Narak'', ''Kartavya'', ''Saajan Bina Suhagan'', ''Jurmana'', ''Ek Hi Raasta'', ''Ye Kaisa Insaaf'' ''Sweekar Kiya Maine'' and ''Khud-Daar''. He received Filmfare Nominations as Best Supporting Actor for ''Anurodh'' (1977), ''Amar Deep'' (1979), and ''Bemisal'' (1982). He also played the leading role in a Punjabi film ''Maujaan Dubai Diyaan'' in 1985.

He turned producer and director with the film ''Gurudev'' in the late 1980s, with Sridevi, Rishi Kapoor and Anil Kapoor in the lead but the film was incomplete at the time of his death. Many of his delayed films were released after his death and dedicated to his memory such as ''Patthar Ke Phool+'' (1991 film), ''Insaniyat+'' (1994) and ''Aurat Aurat Aurat'' (1996). It was completed by director Raj Sippy and released 3 years after his death. Many of his delayed films were released after his death and dedicated to his memory such as Patthar Ke Phool (1991 film), Insaniyat (1994) and Aurat Aurat Aurat (1996).

Vinod Mehra was married to Meena Broca but the marriage broke and he later tied the knot with Bindiya Goswami. However this marriage too hit the rock and once more he was divorced. He took the plunge once more when cupid struck and he married Kiran who remained his legal wife till the time of his death. There were also speculations that he was married to the stunning diva Rekha.

He acted in some hits like- Lal Patthar, Amar Prem, Ghar, Kunwara Baap, Sabse Bada Rupaiya, Anurodh, Pyar Ki Jeet, Arjun Pandit, Ginny Aur Johnny, Zindagi, Insaniyat, and many other films. Vinod Mehra was a man of great poise and charm. A inherently introvert, he was known to be a man of few words. However his charm and acting acumen was truly appreciated.He died of a massive heart attack at the young age of 45, on 30th October, 1990 at Mumbai.

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.