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Guru Dutt |
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 Born in Mysore on July 9, 1925-Guru Dutt Padukone, better known as Guru Dutt, is undoubtedly one of the most multi faceted personalities the Indian Film Industry has ever seen. He was a choreographer, an actor, producer as well as a director. He is however most acclaimed as a director. Guru Dutt was trained by the dance maestro Uday Shankar after the former had completed his basic education in Calcutta. Guru Dutt’s association with film industry began with his joining the Prabhat Studios. This multi talented personality started his career as a choreographer in Hum ek Hain (1946), which ironically was also the first film of his famous actor director friend Dev Anand. They soon became good friends with Dev Anand promising Guru Dutt a directorial debut should the former ever produce one. Later on, Guru Dutt joined Bombay Talkies. |
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| His Directorial Genius |
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| Guru Dutt turned into a debutant director with Baazi hitting the silver screen in the year 1951. This film was made under the banner of Dev Anand’s ‘Navketan’. The film was a runaway hit and it heralded the beginning of Bombay Film Industries courtship with urban crime films. So, many consider this film as a trend setter. However, Aar Paar, released in 1954 cemented the position of this young director. He further consolidated his position in the Bombay Film Industry with other hits like Mr and Mrs 55 and Pyaasa. Guru Dutt’s genius as a director finds expression in his integration of songs into the narrative texture of the films. Songs in his films are not merely an added attraction; rather they work as a vehicle to forward the narrative further. This usage of songs is apparent even in his debut film Baazi. The song ‘ Suno gajar kya gaaye’set a new trend with the vamp warning the hero using the song as a medium. This usage of a musical number was never seen before in Hindi films. Guru Dutt’s directorial genius is profoundly noticeable in his use of light and shade. The use of light and shade in all his films creates a fitting atmosphere where romance thrives. His usage of light and shade to this magical effect can be best exemplified by the song-‘Saakiya aaj mujhe neend nahin aayegi' from the film Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam. Guru Dutt is also credited with using cinemascope for the first time in the Indian cinema. He also utilized close up shot to probe deeper into the characters’ psyche. He was the one credited with applying tighter close up shots. Pyaasa arguably one of his finest films deals with the tussle between the materialistic and the simplistic nature of human beings. The talented poet in this film, played by Guru Dutt himself, at the end, retires to anonymity leaving the materialistic world behind. Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam equally deals with a revolutionary and disturbing narrative and is a poignant tale of lovelessness in the life of a high society woman. Kaagaz ke Phool however marked the end of the directorial genius of this talented director. The miserable performance of this film made Guru Dutt quit the direction field. He also produced a film named C.I.D in 1956, casting his friend Dev Anand as the hero.
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| Acting Prowess |
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| Acting was another field where this genius director won critical acclamation. Who can ever forget the poet in Pyaasa, struggling to survive in the face of sheer materialism and selfishness? Neither can the depressed and dejected director in Kaagaz ke Phool be ever forgotten. Guru Dutt portrayed the helplessness of a sensitive man in both these films with absolute perfection. Some other notable films where this versatile genius has left his indelible mark are: |
- Twelve o'clock ( 1958 )
- Sautela Bhai ( 1962 )
- Bahurani ( 1963 )
- Bharosa ( 1963 )
- Sanjh aur Savera ( 1964 )
- Suhagan ( 1964 )
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