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She’s Gouri Dutt and the name is special because more than its mythological significance, it was her grandmother Geeta Dutt’s favourite name. In fact, Geeta was to make her acting debut in a Bengali-Hindi film by the same name, being produced by Gouri’s grandfather, Guru Dutt, who was playing a sculptor of Durga idols opposite her. The film remained incomplete, but Gouri was curious about it after learning its connection with her name. “I haven’t watched any rushes or read the script, but I saw some stills from my grandmother’s look test,” she shares.
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She got a degree in interior designing, even worked as an architect, not wanting to pursue a career in films because so many from the family were associated with it. But having seen her father, Arun Dutt, experimenting with writing, lighting and editing since she was a child, filmmaking was familiar territory. “And at one point, I decided to give it a shot, not wanting any regrets later. Besides, I had a back-up plan in case things didn’t work out,” she laughs. Gouri was the first Assistant Director on a number of films, including Girls Will Be Girls, and web series like Tanaav Season 2. “Being associated with a project from scratch and running the set is fun. There’s another film this year,” she informs.
Her sister, Karuna Dutt, also was, still is, first AD on many projects, but now has also moved to the creative side. “I was the creative producer of Jubilee and now a creative director on an upcoming show by Applause Entertainment. But both of us consciously take a break between projects to focus on our writing and pitch ideas. We want to direct someday and the hustle continues,” says Karuna whose name is an amalgamation of her parents, Arun and Kavita.
Applauding their father for archiving her grandparents’ lives, the girls grew up with access to their pictures and film equipment, Guru Dutt’s driving license and wallet, Geeta’s purse, watching their films and listening to their songs. “I’m told I’ve inherited my grandmother’s personality since I’m social and outgoing too,” reveals Karuna, while Gouri admits that for decades, like Guru Dutt, she was the quiet one who rarely spoke. “I was told I had a sad face and looked like I was about to cry, and even my writing was intense and depressing,” she chuckles.
Also Read | Guru Dutt @ 100: Here’s looking at the man behind the artist
The earliest Guru Dutt films they recall watching was Kagaz Ke Phool and it affected them deeply. “As a child, I never asked my parents how and grandfather had died, but in my mind, I had made up this story that he had passed away on a set perhaps because the film mirrored his life so closely,” Gouri reminisces, adding that since their father had exposed them to world cinema from a young age—she had watched Rosemary’s Baby when she was 11 and was terrified—she could empathize with such dark films. “Today, I understand the technicalities and nuances better, but at the core, the memories remain the same.”
Karuna was equally affected by the 1959 film, confessing that whenever Kagaz Ke Phool played, she’d pretend to watch, but would shut her eyes because it felt so personal. Her favourite is Pyaasa, and in 2015, both sisters watched the digitally restored film on screen for the first time at the 17th MAMI Mumbai Film Festival after seeing it on TV for years. “It was heartwarming, I could see how captivated everyone was through the screening, and revelled in the spontaneous applause at the end. Some were watching it for the first time, others had watched it several times, but the connection with the film was universal,” she recalls.
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NFDC recently announced that it would restore six of Guru Dutt’s films, including Baazi and Chaudhvin Ka Chand. His granddaughters are grateful for such initiatives that keep his work alive, reconnecting it to a new audience. They haven’t thought of reviving the family banner yet, but may in the future. Gouri points out that while they want to work together, they want to do things on their own first that will add to their legacy. “Even without Guru Dutt Films, the association will always be there,” she says, admitting it’s fun to see people’s reaction when they discover the family connection since they don’t go around proclaiming it.
Guru Dutt (Express archive photo)
Karuna adds that by the time people find out, they have already formed their own equation with them. So, rather than take over the moment, it adds to their perception, with many admitting their parents were huge fans and they have grown up on their grandparents’ work. “One writer reached out to me on Instagram to confide that whenever he hits a rough patch professionally, he watches Pyaasa and it rejuvenates him,” she narrates. Gouri loves the fondness with which everyone speaks about her grandfather. “It’s always an exercise in empathy,” she asserts.
The world lost Guru Dutt when he was 39 and Karuna believes that with him, we lost many interesting stories and a unique, personal voice. Also, a pioneer given that Kagaz Ke Phool was the first Indian film in CinemaScope and many such technical revolutions might have come earlier had he lived.
Also Read | GURU DUTT @ 100: Granddaughters recall their grandfather’s legacy
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It is also a huge personal loss because, unlike their friends, having lost both their paternal and maternal grandparents early, the sisters never had any grandparents’ stories to share. “I was often told my grandfather didn’t belong to us alone, he was everybody’s, and while I understood that he was a public figure, it would have been nice to have him around,” she sighs.
Guru Dutt loved romping in his Lonavala farm with his children and his animals, once waiting for hours to watch a chicken hatch. They have inherited his love for animals and grew up with dogs, cats, birds and fishes, today having two pet cats. “There was a light-hearted side to my grandfather, and occasionally, he would use his image of an introvert and a disciplinarian, pretend to be angry, then crack jokes,” says Gouri. Perhaps that’s why, on his 100th birthday, both Karuna and she want to move away from the intense Pyaasa, Kagaz Ke Phool and Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam and watch the breezy romcom Mr & Mrs ’55. “It would be a nice tribute,” they echo in unison, recalling how as children, they would run around the house with dupattas singing Geeta Dutt’s “Thandi hawa kali ghata” from this Guru Dutt-Madhubala starrer.
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