He directed just nine films in his lifetime.Acted in about fifteen and produced five.Despite this Guru Dutt Padukone is regarded as one of the top Bollywood directors of all time.Indeed he is certainly among the greatest five.What made this former dancer in Uday Shankar’s troupe in Almora such an unique artiste.Well, for one he took risks.In his films he dared to take on subjects which were regarded difficult or perhaps useless.He was influenced by Hollywood and certainly imbibed its style and sophistication.He certainly took his greatest risk when he made ’Pyasa’.In this movie the ill-treatment of a talented poet by society was brought out in all its detail.
Dilip Kumar refused the role of the poet because there were some uncomfortable scenes(by the standards of that era).Indeed, Guru Dutt had no qualms about such scenes.Thus, was born Guru Dutt the hero.Most of Guru Dutt’s films were sensitive portayals of troubled human beings.There was an undercurrent of human suffering in almost all his movies.Yet, by and large, Dutt Sab remained a chronicler of the essential human good.My favourite Guru Dutt movie, in my thinking, his magnum opus was certainly ’Saheb Biwi Aur Ghulam’.
Though the credits indicate that the director was his writer Abrar Alvi, a first timer could not have made such a fine film.The whole grandeur of the story and the despondency of its central players comes out rather beautifully.Guru Dutt was known all over for his song picturisation.One remembers ’Thandi Hawa Kali Ghata’(Mr and Mrs 55) or Babuji Dheere Chalna(Aar Paar) for their smartness and likeability.All in all, Guru Dutt was a director who probed the human mind, and searched the depths of the soul to create human stories with finesse.