Guru Dutt
Page 19
102. Binidra, Bimal Mitra.
103. ‘Now I’m so used to it.’
104. ‘Nasreen Munni Kabir on Guru Dutt through the eyes of the late Raj Khosla’, DailyO, 9 July 2015.
105. https://www.dailyo.in/arts/guru-dutt-raj-khosla-nasreen-munni-kabir-pyaasa-kaagaz-ke-phool-in-search-of-guru-dutt-channel-4-uk-baazi-cid/story/1/4860.html.
106. Raj Khosla in Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema, Nasreen Munni Kabir.
107. Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Sathya Saran.
108. Shakila interviewed by Nalini Uchil in 1984, reproduced in cineplot.com, https://cineplot.com/shakila-shakeela-interview/.
109. Conversations with Waheeda Rehman, Nasreen Munni Kabir.
110. Bimal Mitra in Filmy Duniya, October 1989.
111. Lalitha Lajmi, interview with the author.
112. ‘You look like a mouse.’
113. Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam: The Original Screenplay, Dinesh Raheja and Jitendra Kothari, Om Books International, New Delhi, 2012.
114. Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Sathya Saran.
115. Lalitha Lajmi, interview with the author.
116. Lalitha Lajmi, interview with the author.
117. Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Sathya Saran.
118. Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Sathya Saran.
119. ‘The more distance you keep between your home and the studio, the happier you’ll be. Otherwise, you’ll be talking about work at home and about your home in the studio. You’ll get confused whether you’re coming or going.’
120. Meena Kumari, Vinod Mehta, Jaico Publishing House, Bombay, 1972.
121. Binidra, Bimal Mitra.
122. Classics and Cash by Guru Dutt, Celluloid (1963), reprinted by Firoze Rangoonwalla in his monograph Guru Dutt (1973).
123. Yours Guru Dutt: Intimate Letters of a Great Indian Filmmaker, Nasreen Munni Kabir, Lustre Press, Roli Books, New Delhi, 2006.
124. Binidra, Bimal Mitra.
125. A Journey Down Melody Lane, Raju Bharatan.
126. Interview with the author.
127. My Son Gurudutt, Vasanthi Padukone.
128. ‘Tribute to an artist,’ Dev Anand, Screen, 23 October 1964.
129. ‘Guru Dutt was never satisfied with his work’, Patcy N., Rediff.com, October 2004.
130. ‘Hamlet of Films’, Abrar Alvi, Filmfare, 1964.
131. ‘My Friend Guru Dutt’, Dev Anand, Open Magazine, 31 May 2011.
132. ‘He was my Guru’, Devi Dutt, Screen, 13 October 1989.
133. ‘He was my Guru’, Devi Dutt, Screen, 13 October 1989.
134. ‘Hamlet of Films’, Abrar Alvi, Filmfare, 1964.
135. ‘Khuda, Maut Aur Ghulam,’ Filmfare, 1964.
136. ‘Hamlet of Films’, Abrar Alvi, Filmfare, 1964.
137. ‘Hamlet of Films’, Abrar Alvi, Filmfare, 1964.
138. Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Sathya Saran.
139. ‘How Dev Anand met Guru Dutt’, Ranjan Das Gupta, Mid-Day, 23 September 2012.
140. O.P. Nayyar interview, http://www.opnayyar.org/theman.htm.
141. ‘Guruji and I’, Waheeda Rehman, Journal of Film Industry, 17 November 1967.
142. ‘Aah! Guru Dutt’, Sushma, October 1964.
143. ‘Khuda, Maut Aur Ghulam,’ Filmfare, 1964.
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Guru Dutt, 1925-1965: A Monograph, Firoze Rangoonwalla, National Film Archives of India Poona, 1973.
‘The Legend of Guru Dutt’, Iqbal Masud, The Illustrated Weekly of India, November/December 1983.
My Son Guru Dutt, Vasanthi Padukone, serialised in The Imprint, 1979.
Guru Dutt: 1925-1964, Henri Micciolo, L’Avant-scène, 1976.
Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema, Nasreen Munni Kabir, Oxford University Press, 1996.
Asha Bhosle: A Musical Biography, Raju Bharatan, Hay House, 2016.
Binidra, translated in Hindi as Bichhde Sabhi Baari Baari, Bimal Mitra, Vani Prakashan, 2010.
Ten Years With Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s Journey, Sathya Saran, Penguin, 2008.
A Journey Down Melody Lane, Raju Bharatan, Hay House, 2010.
S.D. Burman: The Prince-musician, Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Balaji Vittal, Tranquebar, 2018.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Gratitude to all family and friends who always stand by me unconditionally. You know who you are.
The splendid team at Simon and Schuster with a special shout-out to my editor Sayantan Ghosh, Himanjali Sankar and Rahul Srivastava for believing in this story. Shukriya!
The seniors in the family: M. Usman, Haseeba Khanam, Shabnam Faridi and Pervez Jamal.
Sahir, Atiya and Irza for their unflinching support, always.
Nazia Erum for everything. For being my first reader, suggesting the most significant change in the narrative of this story and for her love.
And
Myra, who asks why do I write her name in all my books: ‘O come on, Papa!’
A lobby card of Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959). The famous Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) first scene in the studio when the once-famous/now-forgotten filmmaker Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt) comes to the studio.
Guru Dutt and Shakila in Aar-Paar (1954).
All photographs courtesy of Lalitha Lajmi’s personal collection, National Film Archive of India, Pune
At the Berlin Film Festival for the screening of Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1963). Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman and Abrar Alvi.
Guru and Waheeda in Berlin. According to Waheeda Rehman, they met in Berlin for the last time. They never worked together after Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1963).
Guru Dutt and Abrar Alvi at the premiere of Pyaasa (1957).
Waheeda Rehman (Shooting still from Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam)
Guru Dutt reading some film trade newspaper. Commercial success and business of films was always important for him.
Geeta Dutt with Guru Dutt’s mother Vasanthi Padukone.
Guru Dutt created magic with his melancholic eyes but very few know that he wore thick glasses in real life (it’s possible he couldn’t even see the camera lens clearly while emoting).
Guru Dutt with Raj Kapoor. Guru was very impressed with the popularity of Raj Kapoor’s films abroad. He wanted to show him his film Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959). It could never happen. One of the last few calls he made were to Raj Kapoor.
Guru Dutt in Pyaasa.
Guru Dutt’s final scene, the film is Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966). Playing a reporter in the film, he resigns from his job. He throws his resignation letter on the table and tells his editor (Mala Sinha), ‘Whether you accept it or not, this is my resignation. I am going…’
Guru Dutt with Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
Guru and Geeta Dutt, united in matrimony.
Geeta with a young Tarun Dutt, their son.
Guru with Dev Anand and Johnny Walker. Friends for Life.
Postcard/letter he sent to his mother from Beirut.
Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. Shooting still from Sahib, Bibi Aur Ghulam (1963).
Geeta Dutt. The star singer who married a struggling film-maker.
Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960): Guru Dutt’s biggest commercial success ever.
Geeta Dutt.
Guru Dutt at his Lonavla farmhouse.
Aar-Paar (1954).
Dev Anand in Guru Dutt’s directorial debut, Baazi (1951). Fulfilling the promise between them: whoever will make it first will give the other friend a chance.
Guru Dutt with Geeta Bali in Baaz (1953), also Dutt’s first lead role. A failure at the box office.
Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman in Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960).
Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman in Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), India’s first CinemaScope film and this one is considered to be an iconic shot for its lighting and composition. Shot inside Mehboob Studios in Bombay.
Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959): The rise of the director. Fans lining up for autographs. The world at his feet.
Gur
u Dutt with Madhubala in Mr. & Mrs. ’55 (1955).
Another wonderful shot from Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) filmed inside Vauhini Studious, Madras.
The mental asylum scene in Pyaasa (1957). A disturbed Guru Dutt often used to tell his friends: ‘Mujhe lag raha hai main pagal ho jaoonga.’
A still from the song ‘Jaane woh kaise log the’ in Pyaasa (1957), inspired from the crucification of Christ.
Waheeda Rehman in her famous song from the Telugu film Rojulu Marai (1955).
The ethereal Meena Kumari as Chhoti Bahu in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1963).
A young Guru Dutt at Uday Shankar’s India Cultural Centre in Almora (1942–1944).
A friend gone too soon. Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor at Guru Dutt’s funeral.
Geeta Bali (Guru Dutt’s first lead actress) and Geeta Dutt.
The three tigers. Guru with Guruswamy and Johnny.
The family: Guru and Geeta with Tarun, Arun and Nina.
Guru and Geeta Dutt.
A young Guru Dutt in Calcutta.
Sudarshan Benegal, B.B. Benegal, Guru Dutt and another member of the Benegal family.
Guru Dutt with Dev Anand. The close friend from the days of struggle in Poona.
Guru with Geeta Bali and Geeta Dutt.
Guru Dutt with Bimal Roy, a film-maker he respected a lot.
Guru Dutt with K. Asif on the sets of Love and God.
Guru Dutt and Geeta Bali. Shooting for Baaz (1953).
C.I.D. (1956).
Shooting still from K. Asif’s Love and God, Guru was playing Majnu in this but died before completing the film. This was supposed to be K. Asif’s next mega project after Mughal-E-Azam.
Jaal (1952).
Pyaasa (1957).
12 O’Clock (1958).
Guru Dutt with Sahir Ludhianvi. The on-screen and off-screen poets of Pyaasa (1957).
Guru’s letter to his sister Lalitha while he was planning to make Baaz (1953).
Guru Dutt and Mala Sinha on the sets of Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966).
The baby Guru Dutt.
Guru Dutt with Shashi Kapoor, Abrar Alvi and Shammi Kapoor.
Guru in Europe.
Guru Dutt’s letter to his mother.
Geeta Dutt’s letter to Lalitha Lajmi.
K. Asif paying his last respect to Guru Dutt at his funeral.
Lalitha Lajmi with the author.
First published in India by Simon & Schuster India, 2020
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Copyright © Yasser Usman, 2020
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