PANAJI
On the fifth day of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), a special musical retrospective titled Dastan-e-Guru Dutt was presented at the Kala Academy, Goa. Performed by Fouzia and her team, the event offered an immersive narrative on the life and creative legacy of filmmaker Guru Dutt.
The session opened with filmmaker Rahul Rawail sharing his reflections on Guru Dutt’s contribution to Indian cinema. Fouzia then led the audience through a captivating narration, supported by singer Latika Jain, Sudip on tabla, Rishabh on harmonium and Ankit on guitar. The production was led by Vikas Jalan, with research support from Asha Batra.
The narrative traced Guru Dutt’s early childhood in Kolkata and the artistic influence of his maternal family. It highlighted his formative training at the Uday Shankar Cultural Centre in Almora, which he joined at 16, shaping his interest in the performing arts.
The event also focused on Guru Dutt’s close friendship with Dev Anand, formed during their early days at Prabhat Studio in Pune. The two promised to collaborate when they began producing films, a commitment that later became a defining creative partnership.
Fouzia described Guru Dutt’s move to Mumbai, where Dev Anand founded Navketan Film Company and invited him to direct its first film, Baazi. The film launched Guru Dutt’s career and introduced comedian Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi as Johnny Walker. He later created classics such as Pyaasa.
The retrospective also reflected on his personal struggles after the failure of Kaagaz Ke Phool. The audience responded warmly, and Producer Ravi Kottarakara felicitated the team.
