Geeta Dutt's 87th Birth Anniversary- Post your favourite songs!

The singer from Bangladesh who had a limousine at the age of 21 and sang over 1200 songs

Geeta Dutt birthday special

Tina Das Tina Das Nov 23, 2017

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Geeta Dutt and Guru Dutt had a stormy affair and marriage

"Naa jao saiyaan chuda ke baiyaan"

Haven't we all tried crooning to this song at some point of our lives? We have all wanted to become Meena Kumari and stop our lover from walking away. But there's another woman who also sings this song, the woman who probably wanted to say the same thing to her husband, Guru Dutt. Yes, I am talking about legendary Hindi film singer Geeta Dutt. Today is her birthday and I want to tell you about her love and life.

"Hum aapki aankhon mein iss dil ko basa de toh"

Geeta Dutt was not born in India, but Bangladesh in 1946, a year before India became independent. She met her future husband Guru Dutt when the latter was in Mahalaxmi studio for the recording of a song. The song was for his film Baazi (1951). The song is quite a famous one- "Tabdeer se bigdi hui taqdeer bana de". If you had a radio at home while growing up, you must have definitely heard this song. In fact, let's pause and listen to it together.

Geeta was merely 21, but a star singer who roamed in a limousine. By ten she had already sung 400-500 songs in various languages. Guru Dutt was a poor director. She was at Mahalaxmi Studio to sing for Guru Dutt's film.

"Yeh lo piya main haari hui teri jeet re,

Kahe ka jhagda nai nai preet re"

Geeta Dutt and Guru Dutt on their marriage

Geeta Dutt and Guru Dutt on their marriage

Of course they fell in love-the rich singer and the poor director. Guru Dutt had a tiny room and a big family. Geeta Ghosh Roy Choudhuri of a prestigious family fell in love with Guru Dutt, their names an exact reflection of their financial condition.

They married, Geeta and Guru, in a traditional Bengali wedding. It was 1953 and they had been together for three years. They began their married life at a rented apartment in Khar and had three children.But soon things turned sour.

Guru Dutt loved his wife a lot. When Guru Dutt attempted suicide for the second time, he was in hospital for three days. The first word he uttered when he woke up was 'Geeta'

"Ja ja ja Bewafaa"

Lata Mangheshkar attends Geeta Dutt's wedding 

Lata Mangheshkar attends Geeta Dutt's wedding

Geeta loved Guru Dutt too. But she was extremely possessive about him as well. Every time he fell in love with a woman on screen, Geeta felt betrayed-she would get angry, jealous and frustrated. Both of them would fight, and Geeta would take her children and leave for her parents' house. Guru Dutt would beg her to come beg. He would be depressed over it.

They were brilliant artistses. Geeta even wanted to be an actress for which Guru Dutt made a film 'Gauri'. But it didn't take off. They were people with egos, and in love-a dangerous combination.And add another woman to this combination.

The 'other' woman was Waheeda Rehman, GuruDutt's muse. It is said that Guru Dutt made Geeta stay at home and did not let her song for other directors. There is no way of knowing if that was true."Mera sundar sapna beet gaya"

Waheeda and Guru Dutt's affair was local gossip at that time. In fact, the film Kagaaz Ke Phool (1959) is their story. It's about a director who is married, with a daughter. But his wife doesn't let him meet her. He meets a young girl in his studio who becomes his muse. This was the story of Guru Dutt, Geeta Dutt and Waheeda Rehman, except how the film ended.

The most heartbreaking part was probably that Geeta Dutt sang all the songs that were sung by Waheeda Rehman's character in the film. Guru Dutt' world was probably this too-his films, Waheeda who was both his muse and maybe lover too, and his wife Geeta, whom he loved to destruction.

"Waqt ne kiya kya haseen sitam"

Wahheda Rehman, Guru Dutt and Geeta Dutt at the premiere of Chaudhvin ka Chand

Wahheda Rehman, Guru Dutt and Geeta Dutt at the premiere of Chaudhvin ka Chand

Guru Dutt committed suicide in 1964-he had overdosed on alcohol and sleeping tablets. Geeta was left broken by his death-she had loved him with all her heart.She took to drinking after Guru Dutt's death. She started singing for stage shows and films to provide for herself and her children. Her sorrow and frustration of losing out on songs to Asha Bhonsle and after marriage, her husband's alleged affair and his eventual death-they all probably began haunting her. Her songs however were as flawless as ever.

Guru Dutt's sister Lalita Lajmi describes Geeta as 'a woman of stunning beauty-she was dark and beautiful like the statues of Ajanata.'

Geeta's daughter Nreena Menon recalls how her mother was mischievous. She would sing Bengali and Hindi songs while playing on her harmonium for hours. She liked staying at home and talking to her friends.

Geeta's death was reported in radio with her song "Yaad karoge ek din humko yaad karoge". And when you listen to this song, you will want her to sing again, "babuji dheere chalna, pyaar mein bade dhoke hai" and wish she had listened to her own words maybe.