B’day Special-Guru Dutt: The self-destructive genius who couldn’t digest failure!

Deepika Padukone Connection
Guru Dutt shared his surname with Deepika Padukone, though they do not share any relationships. Guru Dutt birth name was Vasanth Kumar Shivsankar Padukone and he hailed from Karnataka.

Traumatic childhood and Financial Restraints
Guru Dutt had a traumatic childhood which included conflicts between his parents, hostility from his maternal uncle’s family and also scary encounters he had with his adopted maternal uncle who was considered insane. Due to financial restraints, instead of going to college, Guru Dutt had joined the performing arts troupe of Uday Shankar who is elder brother of renowned Sitar Maestro Ravi Shankar.

Worked as English Writer and Choreographer
Before becoming a part of Indian Cinema, Guru Dutt had worked as choreographer, telephone operator and also English writer.

Kalpana Lajmi, Shyam Benegal Connection
Kalpana Lajmi is the daughter of Guru Dutt’s younger sister, Lalitha Lajmi. He is also related Dada Saheb Phalke award winner Shyam Benegal whose paternal grandmother was sister of Guru Dutt’s maternal grandmother.

International Star
Guru Dutt has received great recognition in the countries of France, Japan and Germany, where his films are re-released to full houses. Unfortunately, fame came to Guru Dutt long after his death from abroad.

Trademarks
Guru Dutt gave to Indian cinema the close-up shot. He also introduced songs that gave narration of a story, which went on to become popular in all regional languages of Indian Cinema.

India’s Orson Welles
Guru Dutt is among the top 25 Asian Actors of all time rated by CNN. He also is included among the greatest film directors of all time by Sight & Sound. Many refer to him as Orson Welles of Indian Cinema.

Friendship
Dev Anand and Guru Dutt shared a great friend all through their lives. This friendship began when Guru Dutt and Dev Anand, whose laundry man was the same, received each other’s shirts. When Dev Anand came on set to find the young choreographer wearing his shirt. When questioned, Guru Dutt admitted to it and explained that he had no other shirt. Since then, the two became close friends. So much so, that they made a pact, that when Dev would start producing films, he would hire Guru Dutt as his director and when Guru Dutt became a director, he would direct Dev Anand.

Relationships
Guru Dutt was involved in a relationship with Waheeda Rehman, which caused a lot of problem for their marriage. When he died, he was already living separately from Geeta and lived alone in a rented apartment. His wife too died at the age of 41, in the year 1972, due to excessive drinking which damaged her liver. People remember Guru Dutt for the perfectionist and disciplinarian he was professionally. Unfortunately, his personal life was a total opposite of his professional life

Sad End
Guru Dutt died at a young age of 39 due to overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol – a deadly mix. The last person to speak to Guru Dutt was Asha Bhonsle, who he had called up asking about his wife.

Shelved Films
Guru Dutt left many unfinished projects with his death. He would scrap a movie and re-plan it all over again whenever he was not satisfied with the way it was moving ahead. Baharein Phir Bhi Aayenghi, Picnic and Love and God were few among them.