Remembering Geeta Dutt: The Unheard Story of Guru Dutt's Wife

Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhury, popularly known as Geeta Dutt in the film world, was born on 23 November 1930 in Faridpur city. When she was just 12 years old, her entire family came to Mumbai from Faridpur in Bangladesh. Her father was a landlord. Geeta Dutt was inclined towards music since childhood and she wanted to become a playback singer. Geeta Dutt received her initial music education from Hanuman Prasad. Playback singer Geeta Dutt, who lent her voice to the songs of the classic film 'Pyaasa' at the end, was the famous actor, and producer-director Guru Dutt.

50 songs of Geeta Dutt:

Geeta Dutt first got a chance to sing for the film 'Bhakt Prahlad' in the year 1946. Geeta Dutt also sang songs for some films like 'Kashmir Ki Kali', Rasili, and Circus King (1946) but none of these were successful at the box office. Meanwhile, she met the great music composer S. D. Burman. SD Burman saw the rising star of the film industry in Geeta Roy and he offered Geeta Dutt to sing for his next film 'Do Bhai'. The film 'Do Bhai' released in the year 1947 proved to be an important film in Geeta Dutt's film career and the song 'Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya' sung by her in this film became very popular among the people. After the success of this song sung by her in the film 'Do Bhai', Geeta Dutt became successful in making her mark as a playback singer.

The year 1951 brought a new turn in Geeta Dutt's film career as well as her personal life. During the making of the film 'Baazi', she met director Guru Dutt. During the recording of a song of the film 'Tadbeer se bigadi hui taqdeer bana le', Guru Dutt was fascinated by seeing Geeta Dutt. After this, Geeta Dutt also fell in love with Guru Dutt. In the year 1953, Geeta Dutt married Guru Dutt. Along with this, the success of the film Baazi made Geeta Dutt's fortune and she became established in the film industry as a playback singer.

With a voice that touched the heart and a charming style of singing, Geeta Dutt was the symbol of Western influence in Indian film music and she was such an artist who had mastered singing every kind of song. Geeta Dutt's magical voice was first heard in 'Jogan'. In this film, she has made the listeners yearn for love by pouring out Meera's cry. She sings openly - 'Main to Girdhar ke ghar jaoon. Ghunghat ke pat khol re tohe piya milenge.' And Geeta's husband left nine years before that. She kept singing - 'Jogi mat ja, mat ja...' Geeta Dutt has sung so well in Guru Dutt's films. Not from the throat, but from the heart. Her restlessness and restlessness is evident in every word. Whether it is a film like 'Baazi' or 'Aar Paar', 'CID' or 'Pyaasa', 'Kagaz ke Phool' or 'Chaudhvin ka Chand', the listeners are impressed by the variety in her voice. 'Make your bad luck better with your efforts' (Baaji), 'Walk slowly Babuji, be careful in love...yes, there are many deceptions in this love'. She was indeed deceived in love. But still she kept singing - 'Look, I have lost my love, you have won.'

'Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam' may have been the film of Choti Bahu, i.e. Meena Kumari, but the pain, complaint, loneliness and infidelity of the husband of Choti Bahu were brought to the screen by Geeta's voice in such a way that Meena became immortal. 'Na jao saiyan, chhuda ke baiya, kasam tumhari main ro padungi.' And thousands of viewers in the darkness of the cinema hall cried with Meena. Geeta Dutt has sung all kinds of songs. The audience gets a frenzy in the song 'Zara saamne aa, zara aankh mila' from the film 'Baazi'. The heart is filled with the success of love after listening to the song 'Ae dil mujhe bata de, tu kispe aa gaya hai' from 'Bhai-Bhai'. The mind gets lost in the insatiable thirst after listening to the life music of Gulabo from 'Pyaasa'- 'Aaj sajan mohe ang laga le, janam safal ho jaaye.' But Geeta drank the poison of life all her life- 'Kaise koi jiye, zahre hai zindagi.' She kept consuming the poison of alcohol every day and one day she left everyone alone and went away.

In the year 1957, there was a rift in the married life of Geeta Dutt and Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt started interfering in Geeta Dutt's work. He wanted Geeta Dutt to sing songs only for the films made by him. Geeta Dutt, who was dedicated to her work, did not agree to this at first, but later Geeta Dutt thought it better to compromise with fate. Gradually other producers and directors started avoiding Geeta Dutt. After some days, Geeta Dutt could not tolerate the increasing interference of her husband Guru Dutt and she decided to live separately from Guru Dutt. One of the main reasons for this was that at that time Guru Dutt's name was also being linked with actress Waheeda Rehman, which Geeta Dutt could not tolerate. After separation from Geeta Dutt, Guru Dutt broke down and drowned himself in alcohol. On 10 October 1964, Guru Dutt left this world due to taking sleeping pills in excessive quantity. After Guru Dutt's death, Geeta Dutt was deeply shocked and she also drowned herself in alcohol.

Apart from Hindi, Geeta Dutt also sang songs for many Bengali films. Songs like Tumi Jo Amar (Harno Sur-1957), Nishi Raat Baka Chand (Prithvi Amar Chaya-1957), Doore Tumi Aaj (Indrani-1958), Aye Sundar Swarnlipi Sandhya (Hospital-1960), Ami Sunchi Tumari Gaan (Swarlipi-1961) are still popular among the listeners.

In the seventies, Geeta Dutt's health started deteriorating and she once again reduced singing. Playback singer Geeta Dutt, who mesmerized the audience with her voice for almost three decades, finally left this world on 20 July 1972.

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