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Guru Dutt Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 4 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth9 July 1925

Age39 (at time of death)

BirthplaceBangalore, Kingdom of Mysore, British India

ProfessionActor, Producer, Director, Choreographer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseGeeta Roy Chaudhary

FamilyFather - Shivashankar Padukone; Mother - Vasanthi Padukone; Brother - Atma Ram; Sister/Cousin - Lalita Lajmi

Guru Dutt Biography

Guru Dutt, born Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone, was a pioneering Indian filmmaker, actor, producer and choreographer whose work in the 1950s and early

Early life and background
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone was born on 9 July 1925 in Bangalore, then part of the Kingdom of Mysore in British India. He later became widely known by his professional name, Guru Dutt. His parents were Shivashankar Padukone and Vasanthi Padukone; the family originally hailed from Karwar, Karnataka before moving to Bhowanipore in West Bengal. As a young man he developed a strong interest in dance and at age 16 joined the academy of dancer Pandit Uday Shankar. He moved around in search of work in the early 1940s, including a stint in Kolkata, before entering the film world through a contract with Prabhat Film Company in Pune as an assistant director.

Career
Guru Dutt’s film career spanned acting, directing, producing and choreography. His acting debut came with the film Chand in 1944. He worked as a choreography assistant on Hum Ek Hain (1946) and rose into directing with Baazi in 1951. As a producer he is credited with Aar Paar (1954). He discovered and collaborated closely with a core creative group that included cinematographer V.K. Murthy and writer-director Abrar Alvi; this team is often credited with creating a distinctive body of work in Indian cinema.

Dutt’s films combined striking visuals, memorable music and poetic storytelling. Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool stand among his best-known directorial works; Chaudhvin Ka Chand and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam are other major titles associated with his production and directorial efforts. Kaagaz Ke Phool is notable for being filmed in cinemascope; Dutt adopted lenses used in a foreign production to shoot the film, making it one of the earliest Indian features to employ that format.

He maintained a professional friendship with actor Dev Anand that translated into a working arrangement: when Anand produced films he would offer Dutt the director’s role, and when Dutt directed he would cast Anand. This pact led to several collaborations, helping establish both men’s reputations in the industry.

Public profile
Guru Dutt became known not only for the films themselves but for their songs and musical scores. Many of his projects featured work by prominent composers and lyricists of the era; songs from his films entered popular circulation and contributed to their lasting reputation. Critics and film publications have since acknowledged Kaagaz Ke Phool and Pyaasa among the important films of the period, and the work has been studied in film schools.

Personal life and family
Guru Dutt married playback singer Geeta Roy in 1953. The couple had three children: two sons, Arun Dutt and Tarun Dutt, and a daughter, Nina Dutt. His brother Atma Ram later took responsibility for raising the children after Dutt’s death. His sister Lalita Lajmi is also part of the extended family network described in accounts of his life.

Later years and death
Dutt’s later career was marked by personal struggles. Kaagaz Ke Phool, an ambitious project for him, failed commercially on its initial release and caused him considerable distress. Although subsequent films such as Chaudhvin Ka Chand and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam were commercially successful, Dutt continued to experience depression and increasing reliance on sleeping medication. He died on 10 October 1964 in Bombay at age 39. The circumstances of his death involved an overdose of sleeping pills combined with alcohol; contemporary accounts and later recollections offer differing interpretations about whether the overdose was intentional.

Legacy
In the decades after his death, several of Dutt’s films were reassessed and have acquired a strong critical reputation. Kaagaz Ke Phool in particular was rediscovered internationally and requested by film schools and festivals; over time it developed a cult following and became an object of study for filmmakers and students. Songs and scenes from his major films continue to be remembered among the era’s most influential work.

Latest updates
Posthumous interest in Dutt’s life and films has included documentaries and critical reassessment. Members of his creative circle and family have continued to reflect on his contributions to Indian cinema, and his films remain part of retrospectives and academic discussion.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Guru Dutt, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

Kagaz Ke Phool

Directed by Guru Dutt; noted for being shot in cinemascope and later gaining international recognition.

1959
Pyaasa

Directed by Guru Dutt; regarded as one of his most celebrated films.

1957
Chaudhvin Ka Chand

Produced and associated with Guru Dutt; achieved box-office success.

1960
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam

Associated production released after Kaagaz Ke Phool; proved a major hit.

1962
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Career Highlights

  1. Became a leading filmmaker in 1950s Indian cinema as actor, director, producer and choreographer
  2. Directed pioneering work in cinemascope with Kaagaz Ke Phool
  3. Formed a core creative collaboration with V.K. Murthy and Abrar Alvi
  4. Responsible for influential films including Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Chaudhvin Ka Chand and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Guru Dutt born?

Guru Dutt was born on 9 July 1925.

What is Guru Dutt known for?

Guru Dutt is known for actor, Producer, Director, Choreographer.

What is Guru Dutt’s marital status?

Guru Dutt's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Guru Dutt married to?

Guru Dutt is publicly listed as married to Geeta Roy Chaudhary.