ReFocus: The Films of Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt’s films are integral to the golden age of Hindi cinema as they were both critical and commercial successes. In a short career spanning twenty years, Dutt has served as an actor, a director, and a producer. His versatility is testament to a deep understanding of every aspect of filmmaking. Critics contend that contradictory ideas coalesced in his movies. A prominent theme of nationalism is at the heart of Dutt’s oeuvre. While he set out to refashion Indian national identity, Dutt envisioned a utopia for the new nation. Ideologically, Dutt was influenced by Nehruvian socialism, which finds its expression in his selection of subjects and themes. His movies also critiqued the new nation’s failure to afford equal opportunities to every citizen.