Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone (9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964), better known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
,
producer,
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
,
choreographer, and
writer
A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...
.
[Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. ]994
Year 994 ( CMXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar.
Events
By place
Byzantine Empire
* September 15 – Battle of the Orontes: Fatimid forces, under Turkish gener ...
1998
''Encyclopedia of Indian Cinema''
. London: British Film Institute Publishing. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema.
Dutt was lauded for his artistry, notably his usage of
close-up shots, lighting, and depictions of
melancholia
Melancholia or melancholy (from el, µέλαινα χολή ',Burton, Bk. I, p. 147 meaning black bile) is a concept found throughout ancient, medieval and premodern medicine in Europe that describes a condition characterized by markedly d ...
.
He directed a total of 8
Hindi films
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
, several of which have gained a
cult following internationally.
This includes ''
Pyaasa'' (1957), which made its way onto
''Time'' magazine's 100 Greatest Movies list,
as well as ''
Kaagaz Ke Phool
''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film along with Waheeda Rehman. It is the first Indian film in CinemaScope and the last film of ...
'' (1959), ''
Chaudhvin Ka Chand
''Chaudhvin Ka Chand'' () is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language Muslim social film directed by Mohammed Sadiq. This film was a super-hit at box-office, and became one of the top-grossing films of 1960. A production of Guru Dutt, the film centers on ...
'' (1960), and ''
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' (1962), all of which are frequently listed among the greatest films in Hindi cinema.
He was included among
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
's "Top 25 Asian Actors" in 2012.
Early life
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone was born on 9 July 1925, in
Padukone Padukone is a coastal village in Byndoor Taluk, Udupi District. It is also a surname from coastal Karnataka in India. Padukone Village surrounded by the Souparnika River. It is near famous Maravanthe. A portion of Nada Grama and Hadavu Grama is u ...
in the present-day state of
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
into a
Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin
Chitrapur Saraswats are a small Konkani-speaking community of Hindu Brahmins in India. They are traditionally found along the Kanara coast and call themselves ''Bhanaps'' in the Konkani language.
This is a small community from India spread th ...
family. His name was changed to Gurudatta Padukone following a childhood accident, the belief being that it was an auspicious choice. His father, Shivashanker Rao Padukone, was a
headmaster
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
and a
bank
A bank is a financial institution that accepts deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital markets.
Because ...
er; his mother was Vasanthi, a teacher and writer.
Both parents were originally settled in
Karwar
Karwar is a seaside city, ''taluka'', and administrative headquarters of Uttara Kannada district lying at the mouth of the Kali river on the Kanara coast of Karnataka state, India.
Karwar is a popular tourist destination and with a city urba ...
but relocated. Dutt spent his early childhood in
Bhowanipore
Bhowanipore (also Bhowanipur; bn, ভবানীপুর) is a neighbourhood of South Kolkata in Kolkata district of West Bengal, India.
History
In 1717, the East India Company obtained the right to rent from 38 villages surrounding their ...
,
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
, and spoke fluent
Bengali
Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to:
*something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia
* Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region
* Bengali language, the language they speak
** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
.
He had one younger sister—
Lalita Lajmi
Lalita Lajmi (born ) is an Indian painter. She is a self-taught artist born into a family involved in the arts, and was very fond of classical dance even as a child. She is the sister of Hindi film director, producer, and actor Guru Dutt. In ...
, who is an Indian painter—and 3 younger brothers,
Atma Ram (a director), Devi (a producer), and Vijay.
Likewise, his niece
Kalpana Lajmi
Kalpana Lajmi (1954–2018) was an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. Lajmi was an independent filmmaker working more on realistic, low-budget films, which are known in India as parallel cinema. Her films were often woman-oriente ...
was also a well known
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
film director,
producer and
screenwriter; and his
second cousin
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
Shyam Benegal is a director and screenwriter.
He is also a
second cousin twice removed
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
of
Amrita Rao
Amrita Rao (born 7 June 1981), is an Indian actress who is known primarily for her work in Hindi films. Rao made her acting debut in ''Ab Ke Baras'' (2002), which earned her a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut in 2003. She su ...
, whose grandfather and Dutt were
second cousin
Most generally, in the lineal kinship system used in the English-speaking world, a cousin is a type of familial relationship in which two relatives are two or more familial generations away from their most recent common ancestor. Commonly, ...
s.
Career
Early career
Beginning in 1942, he studied at
Uday Shankar
Uday Shankar (8 December 1900 – 26 September 1977) was an Indian dancer and choreographer, best known for creating a fusion style of dance, adapting European theatrical techniques to Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian cl ...
’s School of Dancing and Choreography in
Almora
Almora ( Kumaoni: ''Almāḍ'') is a municipal board and a cantonment town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Almora district. Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of th ...
,
but was taken out in 1944 after getting involved with the company's leading lady.
From there, gaining employment at a
telephone operator at a
Lever Brothers
Lever Brothers was a British manufacturing company founded in 1885 by two brothers: William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme (1851–1925), and James Darcy Lever (1854–1916). They invested in and successfully promoted a new soap-making p ...
factory in Calcutta (now
Kolkata
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comme ...
),
Dutt wired home to say he had got the job. However, soon after, he was disenchanted by the job and left it.
Dutt briefly returned to his parents in
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second-m ...
before his uncle found him a job under a 3-year contract with the
Prabhat Film Company
Prabhat Film Company (popularly known as Prabhat Films) was an Indian film production company and film studios founded in 1929 by the noted film director V.Shantaram and his friends.
It was formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India in 1929, towar ...
in
Pune
Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...
later that year. This once-leading production company had already seen the departure of its best talent,
V. Shantaram
Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre (18 November 1901 – 30 October 1990), referred to as V. Shantaram or Shantaram Bapu, was an Indian filmmaker, film producer, and actor known for his work in Hindi and Marathi films. He is most known for films such ...
, who had by then launched his own production company called
Rajkamal Kalamandir Rajkamal Kalamandir was a noted film production company and studio in Mumbai. It was established by V. Shantaram in 1942, after he left Prabhat Films. The studio produced films both in Hindi and Marathi, and it was best known for '' Dr. Kotnis Ki A ...
. It was at Prabhat that Dutt met two people who would remain his lifelong good friends—actors
Rehman Rehman may refer to a Muslim surname which means, "Merciful", "King", " Lord". It's an honorary title used by some Muslims of Sheikh or Sayyid Caste of Middle Eastern Origin, it is a common surname or middle-name among some Pashtun tribemen. It is a ...
and
Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...
, the latter of whom would later go on to produce Dutt's directorial debut.
In 1945, Dutt made his acting debut in
Vishram Bedekar
Vishwanath Chintamani Bedekar (1906–1998), who professionally used the name Vishram Bedekar, was an Indian Marathi-language writer and film director.
Bedekar was born on August 13, 1906 in Amravati. After receiving his college degree in Amr ...
's ''Lakhrani'' (1945), as Lachman, a minor role.
In 1946, he worked as an assistant director and choreographed dances for P. L. Santoshi's film, ''
Hum Ek Hain'', in which Dev Anand made his acting debut.
While his contract with Prabhat ended in 1947, Dutt's mother got him a job as a freelance assistant with the company's CEO, Baburao Pai. Dutt once again lost his job after getting involved with the assistant dancer, Vidya, whom he
eloped
Elopement is a term that is used in reference to a marriage which is conducted in a sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried flight away from one's place of residence together with one's beloved with the intention of getting ma ...
with as she already had a fiancé. (The Vidya's fiancé threatened police action, after which, the matter was resolved.)
From there, Dutt was unemployed for almost 10 months and stayed with his family at
Matunga
Matunga (Marathi pronunciation: aːʈuŋɡaː is a locality in the heart of Mumbai City towards downtown Mumbai. It is serviced by the Matunga Road station on the Western line, Matunga station on the Central Line and King's Circle station on ...
in Bombay. During this time, Dutt developed a flair for writing in English and wrote short stories for ''
The Illustrated Weekly of India
''The Illustrated Weekly of India'' was an English-language weekly newsmagazine publication in India. It started publication in 1880 (as ''Times of India'' Weekly Edition; later renamed as ''The Illustrated Weekly of India'' in 1923) and ceasin ...
'', a local weekly English language magazine.
Breakthrough
After his time with Prabhat failed in 1947, Dutt moved to Bombay, where he worked with two leading directors of the time:
Amiya Chakravarty
Amiya Chandra Chakravarty (1901–1986) was an Indian literary critic, academic, and Bengali poet. He was a close associate of Rabindranath Tagore, and edited several books of his poetry. He was also an associate of Gandhi, and an expert on the ...
in ''Girls' School'' (1949); and
Gyan Mukherjee
Gyan Mukherjee (30 September 1909 – 13 November 1956) was an Indian film director and screenwriter, who worked in Hindi cinema, best known for the hits '' Jhoola'' (1941) and '' Kismet'' (1943).
Early life
Mukherjee was born on 30 Septembe ...
in the
Bombay Talkies
Bombay Talkies was a movie studio founded in 1934. During its period of operation, Bombay Talkies produced 40 movies in Malad, a suburb of the Indian city of Bombay.
The studio was established in 1934 by Himanshu Rai and Devika Rani. After R ...
film ''
Sangram'' (1950).
Around this time,
Dev Anand
Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand (26 September 1923 – 3 December 2011), better known as Dev Anand, was an Indian actor, writer, director and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, through a career that spanned over six decades. He was ...
offered Dutt a job as a director in his new company,
Navketan. Back in their time at Prabhat while both still new to the industry, Anand and Dutt reached an agreement that if Dutt were to become a filmmaker, he would hire Anand as his hero, and if Anand were to produce a film, he would use Dutt as its director. Keeping that promise, the duo made two super-hit films together in a row.
First, Anand hired Dutt for
''Baazi'' (1951), starring Anand himself and marking Dutt's directorial debut.
With its
morally ambiguous hero, the transgressing siren, and shadow lighting, the film was a tribute to the 1940s
film noir genre of Hollywood, and defined the noir genre for the following decade in Bollywood.
''Baazi'', which was an immediate success, was followed by ''
Jaal'' (1952), also directed by Dutt and starring Anand, and was again successful at the box office.
Dutt went on to cast Anand in ''
C.I.D.'' (1956).
After Dutt's death, Anand said that "He was a young man, he should not have made depressing pictures."
Creative differences between Dutt, and
Chetan Anand (Anand's elder brother), who was also a director, made future collaborations difficult.
For his next project, Dutt directed and starred in ''
Baaz'' (1953). Though the film did not perform very well at the box office, it brought together what would be known as the
Guru Dutt team
The Guru Dutt team is a group of filmmakers formed by Guru Dutt for some of his works. Some well-known films that the team created include ''Chaudhvin Ka Chand'', ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'', ''Kaagaz Ke Phool'', and ''Pyaasa''. In 2005 ''Pyaasa'' ...
, who performed well in subsequent films.
The team included various filmmakers discovered and mentored by Dutt, including:
Johnny Walker (actor-comedian),
V.K. Murthy (cinematographer),
Abrar Alvi (writer-director),
Raj Khosla
Raj Khosla (31 May 1925 – 9 June 1991) was one of the top director, producer and screenwriter in Hindi film industry from the 1950s to the 1980s. He was known for bringing in "neo-noir" and style in Indian cinema, and also as a "women's direc ...
(writer),
Waheeda Rehman
Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress and dancer. Regarded as one of Hindi cinema's finest actresses, Rehman's accolades include a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. Rehman was honoured with the Padma Shri by G ...
(actress), among others.
![Madhuhala and Guru Dutt in Mr](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Madhuhala_and_Guru_Dutt_in_Mr._%26_Mrs._%2755.jpg)
Dutt's next films, however, were blockbusters: ''
Aar Paar
''Aar Paar'' () is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language noir comedy film. Directed by Guru Dutt, it has music by O.P. Nayyar and lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. ''Aar-Paar'' stars Johnny Walker, Shyama, Shakila, Jagdeep, Jagdish Sethi. Raj Khosla a ...
'' in 1954; ''
Mr. & Mrs. '55'' in 1955; ''
C.I.D.'' then ''
Sailaab'' in 1956; and ''
Pyaasa'' in 1957. Dutt played the lead role in three of these five films.
In 1959 came the release of Dutt's ''
Kaagaz Ke Phool
''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film along with Waheeda Rehman. It is the first Indian film in CinemaScope and the last film of ...
'', the first Indian film produced in
CinemaScope.
Despite the innovation, ''Kaagaz''—about a famous director (played by Dutt) who falls in love with an actress (played by Waheeda Rehman, Dutt's real-life love interest)—was an intense disappointment at the box office.
All subsequent films from his studio were, thereafter, officially headed by other directors, since Dutt felt that his name was
anathema
Anathema, in common usage, is something or someone detested or shunned. In its other main usage, it is a formal excommunication. The latter meaning, its ecclesiastical sense, is based on New Testament usage. In the Old Testament, anathema was a cr ...
to the box office. It would be the only film produced by Dutt that was considered a box office disaster, for which Dutt lost over Rs. 17 crore, a large amount by the standards of that time.
Later films
In 1960, Dutt's team released ''
Chaudhvin Ka Chand
''Chaudhvin Ka Chand'' () is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language Muslim social film directed by Mohammed Sadiq. This film was a super-hit at box-office, and became one of the top-grossing films of 1960. A production of Guru Dutt, the film centers on ...
'', directed by
M. Sadiq and starring Dutt alongside Waheeda Rehman and Rehman. The film was a box-office smash hit, and more than recovered Dutt's losses from ''Kaagaz''. The film's title track, "Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho", is in a special colour sequence and is the only time one can see Guru Dutt in colour.
In 1962, his team released
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, a critically successful film which was directed by Dutt's protégé, Abrar Alvi, who won the
Filmfare Best Director Award
The Filmfare Best Director Award is one of the main awards presented given by the annual Filmfare Awards to recognise directors working in Hindi cinema. It was first presented in 1954 in the inaugural year.
Superlatives
Bimal Roy has the re ...
for the film. The film starred Dutt and
Meena Kumari
Meena Kumari (born Mahjabeen Bano; 1 August 1933 – 31 March 1972) was an Indian actress and poet, who worked in Hindi films. Popularly known as ''The Tragedy Queen'', she was active between 1939 and 1972. Kumari is widely considered one of ...
, along with Rehman and Waheeda Rehman in supporting roles.
In 1964, Dutt acted opposite Meena Kumari in his last film, ''
Sanjh Aur Savera'', directed by
Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Hrishikesh Mukherjee (30 September 1922 – 27 August 2006) was an Indian film director, editor and writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of Indian cinema. Popularly known as ''Hrishi-da'', he directed 42 films during his ca ...
. After his death in October 1964, he left several films incomplete. He was cast as the lead in
K Asif's film ''
Love and God
''Love and God'' (also known as "Kais Aur Laila") is a 1986 Indian Hindi-language film which was the final film produced and directed by K. Asif. This film was his first and only directorial venture to be made completely in color. Through this f ...
'' but was replaced by
Sanjeev Kumar
Sanjeev Kumar (born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala; 9 July 1938 – 6 November 1985) was an Indian actor. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrille ...
when the film was revived years later. He was also working opposite
Sadhana in ''Picnic'' which was left incomplete and shelved. He was set to produce and star in ''
Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi'' but was replaced as the lead by
Dharmendra
Dharam Singh Deol (born 8 December 1935), also known Mononymous person, mononymously as Dharmendra, is an Indian actor, producer and politician who is known for his work in Hindi films. Known as the first "He-Man" of Bollywood, Dharmendra has w ...
and the film released in 1966 as his team's last production.
Personal life
In 1953, Dutt married Geeta Roy Chowdhuri (later,
Geeta Dutt
Geeta Dutt (born Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri; 23 November 1930 – 20 July 1972) was an Indian playback singer and a famous Hindi and Bengali classical artist, born in Faridpur before the Partition of India. She found particular prominence as a ...
), a well-known playback singer whom he met during the making of ''Baazi'' (1951).
The couple had been engaged for three years, overcoming a great deal of family opposition in order to marry. After marriage, in 1956, they moved to a bungalow in
Pali Hill, Mumbai. They eventually had three children, Tarun, Arun, and Nina;
after the death of Guru and Geeta, the children grew up in the homes of Guru's brother
Atma Ram and Geeta's brother Mukul Roy.
Dutt had an unhappy marital life. According to Atma Ram, he was "a strict
disciplinarian
Discipline refers to rule following behavior, to regulate, order, control and authority. It may also refer to punishment. Discipline is used to create habits, routines, and automatic mechanisms such as blind obedience. It may be inflicted on ot ...
as far as work was concerned, but totally undisciplined in his personal life." He smoked and drank heavily and kept odd hours. Dutt's relationship with actress
Waheeda Rehman
Waheeda Rehman (born 3 February 1938) is an Indian actress and dancer. Regarded as one of Hindi cinema's finest actresses, Rehman's accolades include a National Film Award and three Filmfare Awards. Rehman was honoured with the Padma Shri by G ...
also worked against their marriage. At the time of his death, he had separated from Geeta and was living alone. Geeta Dutt died in 1972 at age 41, after excessive drinking, which resulted in liver damage.
Death
On 10 October 1964, Dutt was found dead in his bed in his rented apartment at
Pedder Road
Gopalrao Deshmukh Marg is an arterial road in the city of Mumbai, India, passing through the affluent Cumballa Hill neighbourhood. The road is named after a social activist and first Mayor of Bombay (present-day Mumbai) after India's Independe ...
in Bombay. He is said to have been mixing alcohol and sleeping pills. His death may have been
suicide, or just an
accidental overdose
A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities much greater than are recommended. . If the former is true, it would have been his third suicide attempt.
Dutt's son, Arun, considered the death to be an accident. Dutt had scheduled appointments for the next day with actress
Mala Sinha and actor
Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor (pronunciation: aːd͡ʒ kəpuːɾ born Shrishti Nath Kapoor; also known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor; 14 December 1924 2 June 1988) was an Indian actor, film director and producer, who worked in Hindi cinema. He is considered one of th ...
for his movie ''
Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi'', to discuss the making of colour films. According to Arun: "My father had sleeping disorders and popped sleeping pills like any other person. That day he was drunk and had taken an overdose of pills, which culminated in his death. It was a lethal combination of excessive liquor and sleeping pills."
At the time of his death, Dutt was involved in two other projects—''Picnic'', starring actress
Sadhana; and director
K. Asif's epic, ''
Love and God
''Love and God'' (also known as "Kais Aur Laila") is a 1986 Indian Hindi-language film which was the final film produced and directed by K. Asif. This film was his first and only directorial venture to be made completely in color. Through this f ...
''. ''Picnic'' remained incomplete and the latter was released two decades later as it was entirely reshot, with
Sanjeev Kumar
Sanjeev Kumar (born Harihar Jethalal Jariwala; 9 July 1938 – 6 November 1985) was an Indian actor. He is well remembered for his versatility and genuine portrayal of his characters. He acted in genres ranging from romantic dramas to thrille ...
replacing Dutt in the leading role.
Legacy
Success
![Guru Dutt 2004 stamp of India](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Guru_Dutt_2004_stamp_of_India.jpg)
Contrary to a general belief about the viability of his film projects, Dutt more or less produced commercially successful films. Over the years the commercial nature of his projects saw a trade-off with his creative aspirations. Movies such as ''C.I.D.'', ''Baazi'', ''Pyaasa'', ''Kaagaz Ke Phool'', ''Chaudhvin Ka Chand'' and ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'' were the first of their kind in Hindi cinema.
The only film produced by Dutt that was considered a box office disaster was ''
Kaagaz Ke Phool
''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film along with Waheeda Rehman. It is the first Indian film in CinemaScope and the last film of ...
'', which is now a
cult classic
A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...
.
The extra-feature on the DVD of ''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' has a three-part
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...
-produced documentary on the life and works of Dutt titled ''
In Search of Guru Dutt
''In Search of Guru Dutt'' is a 1989 three-part documentary film on the life and work of Indian actor, writer, director and producer of Hindi films Guru Dutt to mark his 25th death anniversary.
This documentary is a three-part tribute to direct ...
''.
He, along with Raj Kapoor,
Mehboob Khan
Mehboob Khan (born Mehboob Khan Ramzan Khan; 9 September 1907
at filmreference.com. – 28 ...
and
Bimal Roy
Bimal Roy (12 July 1909 – 8 January 1966) was an Indian film director. He is particularly noted for his realistic and socialistic films such as '' Do Bigha Zamin'', '' Parineeta'', '' Biraj Bahu'', ''Devdas'', ''Madhumati'', '' Sujata'', '' ...
, was one of the few Indian film directors able to achieve a healthy blend of artistic and commercial success between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s. His brother
Atma Ram dedicated his 1969 directorial ''
Chanda Aur Bijli'' to him.
Honours
Dutt is known as a director who used his imagination in relation to light and shade, his evocative imagery, and a striking ability to weave multiple thematic layers into his narratives.
Both ''
Kaagaz Ke Phool
''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' () is a 1959 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film along with Waheeda Rehman. It is the first Indian film in CinemaScope and the last film of ...
'' and ''
Pyaasa'' have been included among the
greatest films of all time
This is a list of films considered the best in national and international surveys of critics and the public.
Some surveys focus on all films, while others focus on a particular genre or country. Voting systems differ, and some surveys suffer ...
, as well as on ''
Sight & Sound
''Sight and Sound'' (also spelled ''Sight & Sound'') is a British monthly film magazine published by the British Film Institute (BFI). It conducts the well-known, once-a-decade ''Sight and Sound'' Poll of the Greatest Films of All Time, ongoing ...
'' magazine's 2002 "Top Films Survey", which polled over 250 international film critics and directors. In 2005, ''Pyaasa'' made its way on to
''Time'' magazine's All-Time 100 Movies list.
In 2010, Dutt was included among
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
's "Top 25 Asian Actors of all time".
A postage stamp featuring Dutt was released by
India Post
India Post is a government-operated postal system in India, part of the Department of Post under the Ministry of Communications. Generally known as the Post Office, it is the most widely distributed postal system in the world. Warren Hastings ...
on 11 October 2004. On 10 October 2011, a Doordarshan documentary on Dutt aired. In 2021, author Yasser Usman published a biographical book about him, titled ''Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story''.
Filmography
Awards and nominations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
See also
* :Films directed by Guru Dutt, Films directed by Guru Dutt
* Guru Dutt Films
*
Guru Dutt team
The Guru Dutt team is a group of filmmakers formed by Guru Dutt for some of his works. Some well-known films that the team created include ''Chaudhvin Ka Chand'', ''Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam'', ''Kaagaz Ke Phool'', and ''Pyaasa''. In 2005 ''Pyaasa'' ...
Notes
References
Further reading
* ''Guru Dutt, 1925–1965: A Monograph'', Firoze Rangoonwalla, National Film Archive of India, Govt. of India, 1973.
* ''My Son Gurudutt'', Vasanti Padukone, India, serialised in ''The Imprint'' and Screen (magazine), ''Screen'' magazines, April 1979 & 2004.
* ''Nanna maga Gurudatta'', Vasanti Padukone, Kannada, Manōhara Granthamāle, Dharwad, India, 1976, 120pp.
* ''Guru Dutt, un grand cinéaste encore pratiquement inconnu hors de l'Inde'', Henri Micciollo, Films sans Frontières, 1984.
* ''Profiles, Five Film-makers from India'', Shampa Banerjee. Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Development Corporation of India, National Film Development Corp., 1985. .
* ''In Black and White: Hollywood and the Melodrama of Guru Dutt'', Darius Cooper, Seagull Books, 2005. .
* ''Yours Guru Dutt, Yours Guru Dutt: Intimate Letters of a Great Indian Filmmaker'', Nasreen Munni Kabir, Lustre Press, Roli Books, 2006. .
* ''Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi's Journey'', Sathya Saran. 2008, Penguin India, Penguin, .
External links
*
Website dedicated to Guru Dutt – Biography, Filmography & more*
Review of Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi's journeyUrbain Bizot, ''Thirst and Mourning''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dutt, Guru
1925 births
1964 deaths
Guru Dutt,
Konkani people
Indian male film actors
20th-century Indian film directors
Hindi-language film directors
Male actors in Hindi cinema
Indian film choreographers
Alcohol-related deaths in India
Drug-related deaths in India
20th-century Indian male actors
Filmfare Awards winners
National Film Award (India) winners