Guru Dutt@100: Devi Dutt remembers his brother and mentor

GURU Dutt was famous for his quicksilver temper on the movie sets but he was equally good at winning over people, says Devi Dutt while remembering his elder brother on the filmmaker's 100th birth anniversary.

- KOMAL PANCHAMATIA

Devi Dutt witnessed every shade of his brother's temperament -- the man who gifted Indian cinema timeless classics like "Pyaasa", "Kaagaz Ke Phool", and "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam".

“He was lovely. He would get angry a lot. He would speak his heart out, but within some time, he would make the other person feel as if nothing had gone wrong. He would win over a person's heart,” Devi Dutt told PTI, recalling how he has still kept the wrist watch that his brother gifted him on his wedding day.

"I still have the watch with me. But I don't wear it anymore," he added.

Guru Dutt, who died at the age of 39 in 1964, was 13 years elder to Devi Dutt.

“He would treat me like a child. He was 13 years older than me. I would cry a lot as he would insult me in front of everyone. I would tell my mother, 'What kind of a brother is he?'

"My mother would confront him, and he would say, 'I do so because he is my brother, and he should become a good producer'," Devi Dutt, who worked as production manager on movies like "Aar Paar", "Mr and Mrs 55", "CID", "Sailaab", "Kaagaz Ke Phool", "Chaudhvin Ka Chand", "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam", and "Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi", said.

Asked if Guru Dutt was receptive to ideas and suggestions from others, Devi Dutt said he never mustered the courage to speak up in front of his brother.