As the world celebrates Guru Dutt's birth centenary, two voices bring us closer to the legend, not as a film icon, but as dadaji.
Karuna and Gouri, daughters of Guru Dutt's late son Arun Dutt, are filmmakers in their own right, having worked as assistant directors for over a decade. But stepping into the world of cinema didn't come easy. In fact, both sisters say their dadaji would have disapproved of their career choices.
"There was a phase when we weren't even allowed to watch MTV," says Gouri. "And we were often told, if your grandfather were alive, he wouldn't be happy about you being in the film industry."
Their father, Arun Dutt, mirrored that sentiment. "Our father found it difficult navigating the film industry himself. It's not an easy place to be in," Karuna shares. "It's unpredictable, it's insecure, none of the creative professions are safe. I think Dadaji would've been happier if we had 9 to 5 desk jobs, something stable and salaried."
The Quiet Risk-Taker
Though he's known for his pathbreaking cinema, Guru Dutt rarely spoke about his choices, yet every move he made was emblematic of his craft.
"He didn't even intend to act in most of his films," says Karuna. "But he ended up doing it. To direct and act at the same time, that's double pressure. That, to me, was one of his biggest risks."
The Strict Grandfather They Never Met
Despite never meeting him, the stories of Guru Dutt's discipline and intensity were household lore.
"There's a standing joke in the family," Karuna laughs. "We often hear, if your grandfather were alive, you don't know what you would've had to go through."
"Our dad would speak fondly about how strict he was," adds Gouri. "And he was strict too, just in a quieter way."
That seriousness extended to how Guru Dutt viewed the world, and perhaps why even as a child, Gouri found herself drawn to his most personal film, Kaagaz Ke Phool.
"It's so intense, almost as if it mirrored his life. I don't know if he intended it to, but it just did."
A Legacy of Pets, Sweets and Farm-Fresh Vegetables
Amidst the towering legend are simple family stories, and these are what Karuna and Gouri hold most dear.
Guru Dutt was known to cook for the family, loved spicy food, and had a sweet tooth. "He often treated his crew with sweets after pack-up," Karuna shares. He was also incredibly fond of animals, a love passed down through generations.
"I don't remember a time we didn't have a pet at home," she says. "That's something we've always kept alive." "And the farm in Lonavala, he loved it. Grew vegetables there himself," Gouri adds.
The Sisters Chose Their Favourite Ones
For Karuna, it's Pyaasa and Mr & Mrs 55. "The house in Matunga where he wrote Pyaasa, titled Kashmakash back then, still belongs to our family. We spent our struggling years there. I even have his handwritten script with me."
Gouri's choice is Kaagaz Ke Phool. "I think I saw it too young to understand its gravity. But it stayed with me."
And while the world debates whether Guru Dutt was more of an actor, writer, or director, for his granddaughters, the answer is deeply personal.
Karuna was speaking to NDTV
"I appreciate him as a director," says Karuna. "But watching him act still feels strange. I look at the screen and think, why is my grandfather acting?"
"To me," says Gouri, "he was a writer first. The way he saw relationships, the world, it was so specific to his experience. His words translated to images, and that's what inspires me."
Carrying the Torch in Their Own Way
Both sisters write, but in very different ways.
"I'm the explainer," Karuna smiles. "My sister's the natural writer." "Even as a child, I wrote intense, often depressing stuff," Gouri laughs. "Once, my dad read one of my poems from school and said, maybe try happier things? But I said, you told me to write the truth, so I did."
Gouri in conversation with NDTV
A Festival for the Big Screen, Just as He Intended
With Guru Dutt's restored films now returning to cinemas for a centenary festival, it's a moment of magic, not just for audiences, but his own family.
"We haven't seen most of his films on the big screen either," says Gouri. "We hope to catch all of them." "It's an experience of a lifetime," adds Karuna. "To see his work how he intended. I'll always be grateful to Ultra for making it happen."