Ritwik Ghatak
considered being one of the greatest and most significant filmmakers in Indian
& Bengali cinema and Guru Dutt, often credited with ushering in the golden
era of Hindi cinema had things very similar often overlooked. Though both the
Legends were overlooked in their own lifetimes but had belatedly generated
international recognition. Both Ghatak and Dutt started their directorial
careers in early fifties. Dutt’s debut film was Baazi in 1951 whereas Ghatak’s
debut film was Nagarik in 1952. What’s interesting and overlooked is that both
these film-makers have directed eight movies in their lifetime. Ritwik Ghatak’s
immortal eight films are Nagarik (The Citizen) (1952/1977), Ajantrik (The
Unmechanical or The Pathetic Fallacy) (1958), Bari Theke Paliye (The Runaway)
(1958), Meghe Dhaka Tara (The Cloud-Capped Star) (1960), Komol Gandhar (E-Flat)
(1961), Subarnarekha (1962/1965), Titash Ekti Nadir Naam (A River Called
Titash) (1973) and Jukti Takko Aar Gappo (Reason, Debate and a Story) (1974).
And Guru Dutt’s immortal eight films are Baazi (A Game of Chance) (1951), Jaal (The Net) (1952), Baaz (The
Hawk) (1953), Aar Paar ( This or That) (1954), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955),
Sailaab (1956), Pyaasa (The Thirsty) (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959).
Guru Dutt was born as Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone in
Bangalore on 9th July, 1925 and Ritwik Kumar Ghatak was born in Rajshahi (the
then East Bengal and presently Bangladesh) on 4th November, 1925. Ritwik Ghatak
moved to Calcutta (now Kolkata) with his family during the Bengal Famine on
1943 whereas Guru Dutt moved to Calcutta and settled in Bhowanipur as his
father got a job in the city. Guru Dutt entered the film industry in 1944 with
a job of a choreographer in Prabhat Film Company, Poona (now Pune) whereas
Ghatak entered the film industry in 1950 as an assistant director and actor. Ritwik
Ghatak was also briefly at Pune as he taught at Film & Television Institute
of India (FTII) in 1966. Dutt married well known play back singer Geeta Ghosh
Roy Chowdhuri famous as Geeta Dutt in 1953 and Ghatak married Surama Ghatak in
1955.
Ritwik Ghatak acted in six movies namely Tathapi (1950),
Chinnamool (1951), Kumari Mon (1962), Subarnarekha (1962/1965), Titash Ekti
Nadir Naam (1973) and Jukti Takko Aar Gappo (1974). Guru Dutt acted in 17 films
namely Chand (1944), Lakha Rani (1945), Hum Ek Hain (1946), Baaz (1953), Aar
Paar (1954), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), Pyaasa (1957), 12 O'Clock (1958),
Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960), Sautela Bhai (1962), Sahib
Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Bharosa (1963), Bahurani (1963), Suhagan (1964), Sanjh
Aur Savera (1964) and Picnic (1964) (Incomplete).
Again talking on incomplete films, both these film-makers
had quite a few. Ghatak’s incomplete films were Bedeni (1951), Kato Ajanare
(1959), Bagolar Bangodarshan (1964–65), Ronger Golam (1968) and Ramkinkar
(1975). And Guru Dutt’s incomplete films were Gauri (1957) and Picnic (1964).
Guru Dutt had produced eight films: Aar Paar (1955), C.I.D.
(1956), Pyaasa (1957), Gauri (1957) , Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Chaudhvin Ka
Chand (1960), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) and Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966)
too whereas Ghatak had written six films: Musafir (1957), Madhumati (1958),
Swaralipi (1960), Kumari Mon (1962), Deeper Nam Tiya Rong (1963) and Rajkanya
(1965) apart from his own films.
Even in Death they had a thing in common, Pain. Guru Dutt
passed away on 10th October, 1964 as he was found dead in his apartment. His
death was caused due to overdose of alcohol and sleeping pills. Ritwik Ghatak
passed way on 6th February, 1974 at Calcutta’s SSKM hospital as he suffered from
cholera. He was also on high alcohol.
“My first film was called a picaresque episodic film along
the lines of the eighteenth century Spanish novel Gil Blas De Santillane; the
second was called a film of documentary approach; the next was a melodrama, and
the fourth, nothing at all, just no film.” ~~~ Ritwik Ghatak (Cinema and I).
“Life mein, yaar, kya hai? Do hi toh cheezen hai – kamyaabi
aur failure. There is nothing in between." ("What is there in life,
friend? There are only two things - success and failure. There is nothing in
between.") ~~~ Guru Dutt.
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| a collage by me |
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