An introduction over a laundry mix-up
Dev Anand and Guru Dutt, two iconic virtuosos in their respective fields, had their first exchange over a laundry mix-up. What started as a hilarious interaction between two struggling artists would turn into one of the most enduring and iconic friendships in Bollywood.
On arriving in Bombay in the 1940s, after completing his education, Dharamdev Pishorimal Anand joined the Indian People’s Theatre Association, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Chetan Anand. After adopting the screen name ‘Dev Anand’, he bagged the lead role in Prabhat Film Studios’ Hum Ek Hain. Young Guru Dutt was the assistant director and choreographer on the same set.
The duo met for the first time at the studio’s exit where they exchanged pleasantries, and while taking each other’s leave, they noticed something peculiar. Both had each other’s shirts on! The young artists shared a good laugh and thus began a friendship for the ages.
A legendary friendship and partnership
Dev and Guru vowed that they'd be in each other's future ventures. Dev Anand and his brother Chetan soon opened their own production house, Navketan Films, and the second production under their banner, Baazi, was directed by Guru Dutt. Baazi, deemed to be India’s first crime noir film, was also the second-highest commercial grosser of 1951. Apart from the professional success of the film, Baazi also marked a personal win for the two friends.
Guru Dutt met Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhury during a song recording for Baazi and was entranced by her voice. The pair married in 1953. On the other hand, Dev Anand also met his future wife, Mona Singha on the sets of Baazi. Their on-screen romance turned into real-life love and in 1954, they tied the knot during the shooting break of Taxi Driver. Guru Dutt was among the first guests to arrive at the midnight wedding.
Even though Guru Dutt broke ties with Navketan due to creative disputes with Chetan Anand, his friendship with Dev Anand remained solid as ever. In 1952, the duo paired again for Jaal. The movie, along with being the biggest commercial success of the year, marked Dev Anand's arrival among superstars.
The last project they worked on was CID in 1956, with Anand in the lead and Dutt as the producer. However, Dev Anand and Guru Dutt’s friendship and creative bond continues to remain much larger than their work.
*This article has been curated by Hook. All claims and opinions expressed belong to the original author. Hook does not verify or endorse the information presented and is not responsible for its accuracy.*
