Guru Dutt’s real name was Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone .From a telephone Operator to a prominent film actor , director and producer ,the Journey was not smooth and free from troubles for this restless soul.
His core team consisted of Abrar Alvi ( Screen play or story writer ) , V K Murthy (Cinematographer ) and the comedian Johny walker .
In an Interview , Shri V K Murthy , his cinematographer , who worked with him in most of his brilliant classics like Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool and Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam informs as under.
“Working with him was a terrific experience. He worked on serious subjects, the intellectual type of work. He was hesitant to face the camera as actor, but he did so at my insistence. I was sure because he understood the roles so well.His process involved finalisation of the screenplay and dialogues. This involved many rewrites between him and Abrar Alvi. He could not critique his acting adequately, and so this job was up to Abrar or me . He would never compromise with the way he wanted his film to turn out or with the way each scene needed to be linked with the other.
He was an obsessive director, and until the shot came out just as he wanted he would continue with as many takes as he needed, without a break.
“Kaagaz Ke Phool” was India’s first Cinemascope film. We had seen it in foreign films, and Guru Dutt wanted to do something novel for this film. We were inspired by one man, Prabhu, the manager of 20thCentury Fox. They had come to India to shoot a film in Cinemascope and, after the shooting, left their lenses in their Indian office.Prabhu asked Guru Dutt if he would like to try the equipment. Guru Dutt was intrigued and we tried some shots, saw the rushes and decided that we would do Kaagaz Ke Phool in this format.
“Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam”was a milestone in terms of lighting.
He was a ‘normal’ person, very jovial. His lifestyle was that of a lower-middle-class person, and he maintained that despite his success. We often went to eat dosa and bhelpuri. We played cricket in the studio compound, and later, we prepared a badminton court with chattai.
I met him over drinks eight days before his death. He was perfectly fine then. I had warned him once or twice not to get excited and to stay calm. During his last days, he was very tense and people would not go near him. They would stay away.”
Guru Dutt married the famous play back singer Geeta Dutt in 1953. It is widely believed that his close proximity to one of his leading heroines broke his family life .
Jab Hum Chalein To Saaya Bhi Apna Na Saath De,
Jab Tum Chalo Zameen Chale Aasman Chale,
Jab Hum Rukein To Saath Ruke Sham-e-bekasi,
Jab Tum Ruko Bahaar Ruke Chandni Ruke
( A Popular Poetic Dialogue from his Movie Pyaasa that remains a “Time “ readers choice for top 10 movies of all times )
(When I walk, even my shadow doesn’t accompany me;
When you stroll , the earth and the sky stroll with you.
When I discontinue , This evening of helplessness comes to stay along ,
When you halt ,
The spring comes to stay,
The moonlight too takes rest .)
Guru Dutt led an undisciplined personal life. He was a chain smoker , drank heavily, and quite often left his house at sunrise and returned past midnight .
And then One day, his wife Geeta Dutt took the children with her and went to live in her parental House . He sold his house and shifted to a rented accommodation at Peddar Road. To ward off loneliness , he took to heavy drinking . He also got addicted to sleeping pills while trying to treat his sleep disorder and restlessness .
Nothing helped him.He died an unnatural death in 1964 at a young age of thirty-nine . Guru Dutt had scheduled appointments the next day of his death with actress Mala Sinha for his movie Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, and Raj Kapoor to discuss making colour films .
Some believe it was due to an accidental overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol.
Adds V K Murthy
“Before I shifted to Bangalore, I met him and Abrar Alvi. Guru Dutt told me, ‘I have become an orphan now. Gharwale nahi hain, tum Bangalore ja rahe ho, Abrar doosra film likhne ke liye Madras ja raha hai. (My family is gone, you are going to Bangalore, Abrar is going to Madras to write for a film.). I have become an orphan. Kya karuun mein?’’
Guru Dutt had three childen , Arun , Tarun and Neena . Tarun , the eldest , also committed suicide . Arun is looking after his father’s rich lineage . Neena is married to Actress Minu Mumtaz’s son.
Shy to face camera , he turned to direction and production. His movies are a class apart . His songs explore passionate human situations with intense lilting poetry. He engaged masters like Sahir , Majrooh , Shakeel and Kaifi Azmi as lyrics writers for his movies . The classics that he created include Pyassa ( He also acted as hero in this Masterpiece apart from Producing and directing it) , kagaz ke Phool , Chaudavi Ka Chand , Sahib Beebi Aur Ghulam , CID, Mr and Mrs 55, Baazi and Aar Paar . Who can forget his movie songs like ,
(1) Badle Badle Meray Sarkar Nazar Aatay Hain..
(2) Dekhi Zamaane Ki Yaari
(3)Waqt ne kiyaa Kyaa Haseen Sitam.
(4) Aaj sajan mohe aang Lagaa Lo
(5) Jaane woh Kaise log thhay Jin Ke
(6) Jinhe Naaz hai Hind Par Woh Kahaan Hain
(7) Tang Aa Chuke Hain
(8) Piya aiso Jiya mein Samaayi Gayo Re
(9) Na Jaao Saiyaan Chhurra Ke Baiyaan
(10) yeh Lo Mein Hari Piyaa
(11) Babu Ji Dheere Chalnaa
(12) Kabhi aar Kabhi Paar
Some times I believe that he lived the last days of his life exactly by what he sang in his masterpiece PYAASA …
lo Aaj hamne torr diyaa rishta-e-ummeed
lo Ab kabhi Gilaa Na Kareinge kisi se hum
Gar Zindagi Mein Mil Gaye phir ittefaaq se
Poochheinge apnaa haal teri bebasi se hum
Tang aa Chuke Hain Kashmakashe Zindagi Se Hum
Thukraa na Dein jahaan Ko Kahin Bedilli Se Hum
Autar Mota is a Blogger , Translator and writes in English , Urdu , Kashmiri and Hindi.His write-ups have appeared in many national magazines and journals.
