The Hindu Business Line : A hero, resilient and committed

JALTE hai jiske liye, the lilting song sung in the fragile voice Talat Mehmood from the film Sujata is the quintessential image of Sunil Dutt, a gentle, ever smiling person.

Sunil Dutt not only had an interesting array of films to his credit but he figured in some of the most memorable songs of the Hindi film industry to date. Rang aur noor ki baraat was another melodious and soulful song from the film Ghazal that never lets you forget him. The other famous songs were Sawan Ka Mahina from the film Milan, Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se from Gumraah and the unforgettable Ek Chatur Naar Karke Singaar from Padosan.

No one can forget his attempt at comedy in Padosan, though Kishore Kumar took away much of the acclaim. His film debut was in the 1955 Railway Platform, other notable films being Mera Saaya, Humraaz and Khandaan.

Though his first hit film was Ek Hi Raasta, it was with the 1957 Mother India, in which he portrayed `Birju' that made him a star. After the film's release, he married Nargis.

Sunil Dutt took to production quite early with films such as Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke and Mujhe Jeene Do.

In 1981, he launched his son Sunjay Dutt in the film Rocky, his own production. That was also the year he lost Nargis to cancer. In fact, there were several tragedies in his life. Born in 1930 in Jhelum district, he lost his father when he was five and his mother at 23.

Shortly after Nargis' death, in 1984, he entered politics contesting from the North West Mumbai constituency. He took to it whole heartedly but ill luck continued to dog him, the arrest and subsequent legal proceedings against his son in connection with Mumbai's serial bomb blasts.

For a man as resilient as he was in personal life and as committed in public, he would be remembered as one actor who weathered much sorrow early in life and became a minister rather late in life.

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