Legends
A Star in Person and Humane In His Actions – The Great Sunil Dutt
Bhole!!!! Arrey O Bhole!!!!
Remember this character ‘Bhola’? If you are a true Bollywood fan I am sure it is engraved in your mind and you are reminded of the movie Padosan and the unconditional friendship of ‘Bhola and Guru’. But it is time to remember this ‘Bhola’ of Hindi cinema who is still remembered for his magnificent contribution as an actor and as a citizen of this country. Balraj Dutt who was popularly known as Sunil Dutt, contributed to Hindi cinema as an actor, producer and director. Sunil Dutt was born on June 6th, 1929 into a Punjabi family and later moved to Mumbai to pursue his career in Bollywood.
Did you know him only as an actor? Then I would love to give you the information, that before taking on to movies, Dutt worked in Radio Ceylon and gained immense popularity there. Only after that he made his entry in Bollywood with his first movie Railway Platform (1955). Then what, it looked as if stardom was just waiting to embrace Dutt’s future. In 1957, his movie Mother India became a blockbuster and still is considered as one of the best movies in Bollywood. Then with pacing speed came movies like Sadhna (1958), Sujata (1959), Padosan (1967), along with Gumrah (1963), Waqt (1965) and Hamraaz (1967) in collaboration with B.R. Chopra. Dutt received Filmfare award for best actor category for his role in movies like Mujhe Jeene Do (1963) and Khandan (1965).
His next move was as a director. He directed and produced the movie Yaadien (1964). This particular movie went into the Guinness Book of Records for it was the first Indian and movie of its kind in the field of cinema, featuring only a single actor, played by Dutt himself. The movie was in the form of monologue. Subsequently he went on directing and producing few more films which did not attain much success at the box office. Though he tried his hands as director and producer but he never stopped acting. Some of his other movies include Heera (1973), Praan Jaye Par Vanchan Na Jaye (1974), etc. His acting career not only holds records in Bollywood but he did few movies for Punjabi film industry as well. He received the Padma Shree award in the year in 1968 for his valuable contribution in the world of cinema.
In 1958 he married Nargis, his co-star in the movie Mother India. Their son Sanjay Dutt is a known Bollywood actor, daughter Namrata is married to Kumar Gaurav and Priya Dutt is currently a politician in the country. His wife died because of pancreatic cancer in 1981.
Apart from being an actor, Dutt was a person who devoted his time in the betterment of the society. He established the Nargis Dutt Memorial Foundation in his wife’s memory in 1982 to help cure the cancer patients. In the same year he was appointed as the Sheriff of Mumbai, a position given by the government of Maharastra. His responsible role also came in front of the public as a sponsor of Operation Smile in their Indian Project to cure children with facial deformities. He was an active man in the domain of politics as well. He was appointed as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports during 2004 – 2005.
He did not do many movies at the last stage of his career but Munna Bhai M.B.B.S was the last film where he came on screen with his son Sanjay Dutt. A great actor and more importantly an excellent human being, Dutt continued to work till his last breath. He died of a heart attack on 25th May, 2005, but left his footprints in the society to be followed as an inspiration for the coming generations.
At the end note, list of a few beautiful songs of Sunil Dutt.
1) A super hit number from the movie Padosan.
2) A romantic number with Madhubala
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6P34vE3O0Q
3) An evergreen inspirational song from Hum Hindustani
4) Ehsaan mere dil pe tumhara hai doston – a song which takes us back to college life
5) A song from Aaj aur Kal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1l52x3wXYw
6. Those days when expression was subtle – Jalte hain jis ke liye
