Apart from his short life span of 39 years, film-maker/actor Guru Dutt had this in common with the epochal Tamil poet Subrahmanya Bharati: Like the latter, he had recognition and apotheosis thrust upon him only after his death. Even as Bharati’s seminal lines of poetry are eternally etched in the Tamil consciousness, the songs of Dutt’s films project evergreen lyrical hues of great human significance. Who can forget the anthemic refrain in ‘Pyaasa’ penned for Dutt by the incomparable Sahir Ludhianvi, ‘Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye tho kya hai’ (To what avail is personal victory in a world bereft of human values)!

More directly underscoring the Tamil literature connection of Dutt was his little-known fascination for the work of the prince-turned ascetic and poet, Ilango, and his urge to picturise his epic ‘Silappadhikaram’ with Waheeda Rehman playing the role of Madhavi, the other woman in the life of the epic’s protagonist Kovalan who suffered the tragic fate of decapitation for a crime he had not committed. But that was not to be because of Dutt’s untimely death in Oct 1964 either due to a deliberate or involuntary overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills.

Known as the grand master of romantic gloom and the alchemist who transformed commercial Hindi cinema’s pedestrian formulas through his individualism, artistry and vision, Dutt’s reputation skyrocketed in the decades after his demise, with Time magazine listing his ‘Pyaasa’(1958) among the hundred all-time great films of world cinema in 2005.

In the early 1960s, consequent on the resounding failure of his ambitious ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, India’s first cinemascope film in 1959, after the commercial and critical success of ‘Pyaasa’, Dutt became chary of directing films and preferred to essay roles rather than wield the megaphone, though there is speculation that he might have ghost directed some parts of his successful film ‘Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam’ (1962) which he produced and played a significant role in.

It was at this point that South Indian film producers found it opportune to cast the famous but unassuming director-actor in their quickly made Hindi films based on proven regional language subjects. Guru Dutt too, tired of the tempests raging in his life, both because of his difficult relationship with his wife Geeta Dutt, as well as his growing attachment to Waheeda Rehman whom he had groomed as a heroine, found working in the efficient Kodambakkam studios to his liking.

The first South Indian Hindi film in which Guru Dutt played the male lead was ‘Bahurani’ (1963), which has a gutsy young wife standing up for her newly wed, somewhat mentally challenged husband, against her violent brother-in-law. The film had been earlier made in Telugu as ‘Ardhangi’ (1955) and in Tamil as ‘Pennin Perumai’ (1956). In the Tamil version, Gemini Ganesan had essayed the role played by Guru Dutt in the Hindi re-make. Guru Dutt was directed in the film by the veteran Telugu-Tamil filmmaker T Prakash Rao who had such hits as Sivaji Ganesan’s ‘Uthamaputhiram’ (1958) and MGR’s ‘Padagotti’ (1964) to his credit. The film, however, did not make waves.

N Vasudeva Menon, an AVM studio manager who had become a producer and studio owner himself, booked Guru Dutt for ‘Bharosa’ (1963), a remake of the Tamil ‘Thedi Vandha Selvam’ (1958), an ordinary film about a wronged hero with a golden heart. It was a role in which Guru Dutt was comfortable in, though the film did not have much to write home about.

The famous producer A L Srinivasan, known for his connections with Hindi film personalities and all-India film trade bodies, liked Dutt so much that he booked him for ‘Suhagan’ (1964), the Hindi remake of his own Tamil hit production, ‘Sarada’ (1962), which deals with a husband who can have physical relations with his wife only at the risk of dying. Director K S Gopalakrishnan had been fearful of directing a filmmaker of Dutt’s stature but the latter put him at ease.

More than ‘Suhagan’, it was the time Dutt spent with Gopalakrishnan in his village, Malliyam, near Mayiladuthurai, that proved unforgettable. Gopalakrishnan’s associate, the respected dramatist and writer Komal Swaminathan has recalled Dutt’s easy manner and friendliness in his memoirs. Dutt would spend hours together in the hot sun angling for fish in a village tank. At a time when prohibition was being firmly implemented in Tamil Nadu, Dutt enjoyed potfuls of country toddy with the relish of sipping his favourite Chivas Regal!

After all this merriment, some in place, some out of place, Dutt’s unexpected death came as a shock to the ‘Suhagan’ unit, and producer ALS had to release the film with the message, “I humbly dedicate this film to the everlasting memory of the late Shri Guru Dutt, my friend and your favourite”. Commercial hype apart, Guru Dutt has proved to be of the great favourites of world cinema.

(The writer is a Chennai-based journalist)

Before beginning his acting journey with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya (2007), Ranbir Kapoor assisted him on Black (2005). And he recalls how he learnt some lessons about filmmaking then.

“Mr Sanjay Leela Bhansali used to really treat me as an assistant director... He used to hit us, abuse us, and I’m sure dada ji (late filmmaker-actor Raj Kapoor) used to do the same. It only hardens you and prepares you for the world. You understand filmmaking, there is much more to it,” said Ranbir, who was in the Capital recently. When quizzed what he’d ask his grandfather if he was still alive, Ranbir said , “I’d like to have a drink with him and chat. I’m very interested in making a biopic about him.”

The 39-year-old also highlighted the differences in the filmmaking process today versus his grandfather’s time, saying: “They truly made films like kings. I’m not saying my age as a filmmaker and actor is only running behind the commercial aspect of filmmaking. I think cinema is something we learn from people like Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt — the kind of stories they sold, the kind of values they spoke of in their films, they inspire us (even now).”

Ranbir also shared that he has heard stories of Raj Kapoor’s house being mortgaged and his late grandmother Krishna Kapoor’s jewellery being sold to complete a film.

He clarified that things aren’t as rosy in showbiz as they appear on the surface, particularly when it comes to certain notions that people may encounter when aspiring to be actors. “There’s this misconception that in order to get into movies, you must take dance classes, learn horseback riding, and become an actor. But there’s a lot [more] that goes into what we do. There’s an understanding of storytelling and complex human emotions,” he shared.

As the discussion steered to his father, late actor Rishi Kapoor, Ranbir recalled that as a kid, he used to be “petrified” of him. He added that even though his father seemed to be hard on the outside, he was kind. “We miss him dearly,” Ranbir ended.

MID-DAY (July 29, 2020)

Mother India actress Kumkum breathed her last on July 28 at the age of 86. The veteran actress was part of a number of yesteryear hit films like Mother India, CID, Kohinoor, Ujala, and Naya Daur, among others.

Late veteran actor Jagdeep's son, Naved Jafri, took to Twitter to pay respect to the actress. He wrote, "We have lost another gem. I have known her since I was a kid and she was family, a superb artist and a fantastic human being, innalillahe wa innailaihe raajeoon. Rest in peace kunkum aunty #ripkumkum #kumkum"

Kumkum hailed from Hussainabad in Sheikhpura district, Bihar.

Her most memorable film appearances include Mr X In Bombay, Mother India, Kohinoor, Ujala and Naya Daur.

She also starred in the first Bhojpuri film, Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo, in 1963.

But her popularity rests mostly on the songs that were picturised on her, be it Madhuban Mein Radhika Nache Re, from Kohinoor (1960), Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar from Aar Paar (1954) or Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan from 1956's CID.

She was discovered by actor-director Guru Dutt in the 1950s, who case her in Aar Paar in an uncredited role. She later earned a small role in Dutt's Pyaasa.