Sunil Dutt

Infobox_Indian_politician
name = Sunil Dutt


caption =
birthname = Balraj Dutt
birth_date = birth date|1930|6|6|mf=y
birth_place = Jhelum, British India (now Pakistan)
residence = Mumbai
death_date = Death date and age|2005|5|25|1930|6|6
death_place = Mumbai
constituency = Mumbai North West
office = MP
salary =
term =
predecessor =
successor =
party =INC
religion =
spouse = Nargis Dutt
children = Sanjay Dutt and 2 daughters
website =
footnotes =
date = September 16
year = 2006 |
source = [http://164.100.24.208/ls/lsmember/biodata.asp?mpsno=476]

Sunil Dutt (Hindi: सुनील दत्त, June 6, 1930 – May 25, 2005), born as Balraj Dutt was an Indian Hindi movie actor, producer, director and politician. He was the cabinet minister for Youth Affairs and Sports in the Manmohan Singh government (2004-2005). His son, Sanjay Dutt, is currently also a Bollywood star [ [http://164.100.24.208/ls/lsmember/biodata.asp?mpsno=476 Sunil Dutt Profile] ] .

In 1984 he joined the Congress (I) party and was elected to Parliament for five terms from the constituency of Mumbai North West.

Early life

Sunil Dutt, a Mohyal Brahmin by caste, was born 1930 in the village of Khurd in the Jhelum District of Punjab, British India (since 1947 part of Pakistan), and his family settled in a small village on the bank of river Yamuna called "Mandoli" which is in Yamunanagar district of Haryana. Later he moved to Mumbai to fulfill his dreams. In Mumbai, he joined Jai Hind College as an undergraduate and took up a job.

Career

Starting out in radio, Sunil Dutt was a hugely popular announcer on the Hindi Service of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia. He moved to acting in Hindi films and got introduced to the film industry in the 1955 film "Railway Platform". He shot to the stardom in the 1957 film "Mother India" in which he co-starred with Nargis, whom he married on March 11, 1958. In the film, Dutt played a short-tempered, angry son of Nargis. During the making of this film a fire accident happened on the sets. It is believed that Dutt braved the raging fire to save Nargis and thereby won her love.

He had one son Sanjay Dutt, also a successful film actor and two daughters, Priya Dutt and Namrata Dutt(Anju). His daughter Namrata married Sunil Dutt's good friend and also "Mother India" co-star Rajendra Kumar's son Kumar Gaurav.

Dutt was one of the major stars of Bollywood in the late 1950s and 1960s and continued to star in many successful films which included "Sadhna" (1958), "Sujata" (1959), "Mujhe Jeene Do" (1963, "Khandaan" (1965)and "Padosan" (1967). His collaboration with B.R. Chopra proved to be successful in films such as "Gumraah" (1963), "Waqt" (1965) and "Hamraaz" (1967).

He created a record of sorts by directing and starring in the unique film "Yaadein" (1964) in which he was the only actor in the cast. He later turned producer of the 1968 film "Man Ka Meet" which introduced his brother Som Dutt who was unsuccessful in films. In 1971 he produced, directed and starred in the big-budget period romantic film "Reshma Aur Shera" (1971) which was a huge failure at the box office.

He bounced back when he continued to star in hit films which included "Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye" (1974), "Nagin" (1976), "Jaani Dushman" (1979) and "Shaan" (1980).

He also starred in a series of Punjabi religious movies in the 1970's: "Man Jeete Jag Jeet" (1973), "Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam" (1974), and "Sat Sri Akal" (1977).

He launched his son Sanjay's career with the film "Rocky" in 1981 which was a success. However shortly after its release his wife died of pancreatic cancer. He set up Nargis Dutt foundation in memory of his wife for the cure of cancer patients. He was also a sponsor of the India Project, a Nobel Peace Prize-nominated organization akin to Operation Smile for the treatment of Indian children with facial deformities.

In 1982 he was appointed as the Sheriff of Mumbai, an apolitical titular position, a position bestowed on him by the Maharashtra government for the period of a year. He turned character actor in the 1980s often playing an elderly police officer or family patriarch at the centre of family feuds. He retired from the film industry in the early 1990s to turn to politics after his last few film releases including "Parampara" (1992) and "Kshatriya" (1993).

His political career was halted for some years in the early 1990s when he worked to free his son from jail after he was arrested following Hindu-Muslim clashes in Mumbai.

In 1995 he won the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the film industry for four decades.

He returned to films shortly before his death in the 2003 film "Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.". In this film he shared the screen with son Sanjay for the first time although they had both appeared earlier in "Rocky" (1981) and "Kshatriya" (1993) but did not appear in any scenes together.

He died of a heart attack [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4577963.stm] at his residence in Bandra, Mumbai in his sleep. His seat in Parliament was contested by his daughter, Priya Dutt who eventually won it and is a Member of Parliament from North West Mumbai. His death coincided with the death of film producer Ismail Merchant who was famous for his Merchant-Ivory productions.

Awards and honors

* 1963 - Filmfare Best Actor Award, "Mujhe Jeene Do"

* 1965 - Filmfare Best Actor Award, "Khandaan"

* 1967 - BFJA Best Actor for "Milan" [http://www.bfjaawards.com/legacy/pastwin/196831.htm]

* 1995 - Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award

* 1998 - Star Screen Lifetime Achievement Award

* 2001 - Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement

* 2005 - Phalke Ratna Award by the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy. [http://www.apunkachoice.com/happenings/20080403-0.html]

* Sunil Dutt was awarded with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Padma_Shri_recipients]
* Dutt was a recipient of the "Glory of India Award" by IIAF, London. [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070525/asp/jamshedpur/story_7742079.asp]

elected Filmography

ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Railway Platform
Year = 1955
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Ek Hi Raasta
Year = 1956
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Mother India
Year = 1956
Role = BirjuActingFilmography-movie
Title = Sadhna
Year = 1958
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Sujata
Year = 1959
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Ek Phool Char Kaante
Year = 1960
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Hum Hindustani
Year = 1960
Role = Surendra NathActingFilmography-movie
Title = Main Chup Rahoongi
Year = 1962
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Gumraah
Year = 1963
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Mujhe Jeene Do
Year = 1963
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Yeh Raasten Hai Pyaar Ke
Year = 1963
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Aaj Aur Kal
Year = 1963
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Yaadein
Year = 1964
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Waqt
Year = 1965
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Khandaan
Year = 1965
Role =ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Humraaz
Year = 1967
Role = Kumar ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Meherbaan
Year = 1967
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Milan
Year = 1967
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Padosan
Year = 1968
Role = Bhola ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Reshma Aur Shera
Year = 1971
Role = SheraActingFilmography-movie
Title = Zakhmee
Year = 1975
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Geeta Mera Naam
Year = 1974
Role = ActingFilmography-movie
Title = 36 Ghante
Year = 1974
Role = HimmatActingFilmography-movie
Title = Nagin
Year = 1976
Role = Professor VijayActingFilmography-movie
Title = Jaani Dushman
Year = 1979
Role = LakhanActingFilmography-movie
Title = Shaan
Year = 1980
Role = Inspector Shiv KumarActingFilmography-movie
Title = Rocky
Year = 1981
Role = Rocky's father (guest appearance)ActingFilmography-movie
Title = Dard Ka Rishta
Year = 1982
Role = Dr RaviActingFilmography-movie
Title = Faasle
Year = 1985
Role = VikramActingFilmography-movie
Title = Kurbaan
Year = 1991
Role = Prithvi SinghActingFilmography-movie
Title = Parampara
Year = 1992
Role = Thakur Bhavani SinghActingFilmography-movie
Title = Kshatriya
Year = 1993
Role = Maharajah Bhavani SinghActingFilmography-movie
Title = Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.
Year = 2003
Role = Hariprasad SharmaActingFilmography-movie
Title = Om Shanti Om
Year = 2007
Role = Guest Appearance in song Dhoom tanna through special effectsFilmography-end

Co-stars

*Meena Kumari
*Nargis
*Nutan
*Waheeda Rehman
*Sadhana
*Mala Sinha
*Asha Parekh
*Johnny Walker

Further reading

* "Mr. and Mrs. Dutt: Memories of our Parents", Namrata Dutt Kumar and Priya Dutt, 2007, Roli Books. ISBN 9788174364555. [ [http://www.hindu.com/lr/2007/10/07/stories/2007100750160200.htm To Mr. and Mrs. Dutt, with love (Literary Review)] The Hindu, Oct 7, 2007. ]
* "Darlingji: The True Love Story of Nargis and Sunil Dutt", Kishwar Desai. 2007, Harper Collins. ISBN 9788172236977.

References

ee also

*Radio Ceylon
*List of Hindi broadcasters of Radio Ceylon

External links

*imdb name|id=0004570
* [http://164.100.24.208/ls/lsmember/biodata.asp?mpsno=476 Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website]
* [http://www.iacfpa.org/mediatalk/03062005-mediatalk.shtml Death of 2 cinema icons from India, Ismail Merchant, Sunil Dutt] - IACFPA
* [http://users.cjb.net/musafirofsanjaydutt/musafir.htm Sanjay Dutt] at the Sanjay Dutt unofficial site since 2004