Dastangoi in Delhi: Unravelling the enigma of Guru Dutt through storytelling

Filmmaker Guru Dutt's birth centenary year will be marked by Daastan-e-Guru Dutt by Fouzia Dastango. The show will celebrate Dutt's contributions to cinema.

Love, loneliness, longing and everything in between was seamlessly explored by one maverick Indian filmmaker-actor: Guru Dutt. He was just 39 when he died, in 1964. Born on 9 July 1925, in Karnataka, this is his centennial birth year. And among the many tributes being showered on him, is a dantangoi performance titled Daastan-e-Guru Dutt.

Artiste Fouzia Dastango will present this one-of-a-kind tribute to late filmmaker, Guru Dutt.

Guru Dutt is the man behind classic Indian films such as Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959).

The show that will be staged in the city today will be performed by Fouzia Dastango. “I’m not a film historian, so I wanted to approach this story with authenticity and respect,” shares Fouzia, adding, “What inspired me to conceptualise a dastangoi performance on Guru Dutt was a deep sense of admiration, and a little ache, for a man who gave so much to Indian cinema yet never truly got his due in his lifetime. This year marks his birth centenary, and I couldn’t think of a better moment to revisit the story of the man who gave us Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959).”

With songs sung by singer Latika Jain, and script penned by Abbas Qamar, this dastangoi is well researched by Asha Batra. Fouzia adds, “For me, this isn’t just a tribute. It’s a way of giving voice to a man who once spoke for all the unheard souls of cinema. So, I reached out to Asha, who works in film documentation and preservation. Her insights grounded the idea in solid research and sensitivity.”

Their joint passion and vision brought this daastan to life. Vikas Jalan, the presenter of the show, adds, “Guru Dutt was an enigma that has been very close to my heart. I used to enjoy watching his films alone and listen to the music of his films, where every lyric, every word had such a deep meaning... We thus came up with this dastangoi as we wanted to inspire and expose the new generation to the life and times of this unparalleled genius.”

Catch It Live

What: Daastan-e-Guru Dutt – A musical tribute to the cinematic genius

Where: Kamani Auditorium, 1 Copernicus Marg, Mandi House

When: October 11

Timing: 6pm

Nearest Metro Station: Mandi House (Blue & Violet Lines)

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