Mahmood Farooqui’s Book 'Dastan-e-Guru Dutt' Launched at the 18th Habitat Film Festival

NEW DELHI — A special session was organized at the Gulmohar Hall of the India Habitat Centre on Wednesday evening, May 20, as part of the 18th Habitat Film Festival 2026. The event marked the official launch of renowned Dastango and theatre artist Mahmood Farooqui’s latest book, 'Dastan-e-Guru Dutt'.

Published by Rajkamal Prakashan, the book offers a profound exploration of the life of legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt and the Indian cinema of his era. The launch was followed by an in-depth panel discussion featuring senior film critic Jawrimal Parakh, film scholar Ira Bhaskar, poet and critic Priyadarshan, and poet-writer Sudipti. Dastango Poonam Girdhani moderated the event.

Initiating the program, Girdhani remarked that the occasion was not merely a book launch but a celebration of the confluence of literature, cinema, and the oral storytelling art of Dastangoi. She noted that the work revives a forgotten literary tradition where stories were narrated before being printed. When a Dastango prepares a book, she emphasized, the impact goes beyond reading and transforms into a deeply felt sensory experience.

Senior critic Jawrimal Parakh described the book as an essential read for understanding Hindi cinema. He stated that it is not merely a biography but a deep investigation into Guru Dutt’s family life and creative contradictions. Parakh praised Farooqui for avoiding the trap of turning Dutt into a mythical hero, instead presenting him honestly with all his flaws, complexities, and his complex relationship with Geeta Dutt. Through films like Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Parakh noted, the book illustrates the heavy personal price one pays in the making of a great artist.

Film scholar Ira Bhaskar shared that reading the book deeply immersed her in Guru Dutt’s struggles and tragedies. She lauded the highly sensitive, balanced, and unbiased writing, noting that Farooqui maintained a necessary critical distance despite his emotional proximity to the subject. Comparing Dutt to filmmakers like P.C. Barua and Ritwik Ghatak, Bhaskar highlighted their shared restlessness and deep faith in creation. She urged audiences to remember Dutt not just as a tragic figure, but as a passionate filmmaker and an unparalleled choreographer of human emotions through light, music, and camera angles.

Poet and critic Priyadarshan called the book a living document of an entire era of Hindi cinema. He commended the extraordinary research and sensitivity with which Dutt’s life, relationships, and cinema have been recorded. Priyadarshan noted that films like Pyaasa are not just cinematic achievements but profound expressions of the conflict between life and poetry. He added that the book serves as a mirror to a changing post-independence Indian society and the collapsing studio system.

Writer Sudipti expressed that listening to the live Dastan and reading the book are distinct yet equally profound experiences. She recalled how the live narration had left audiences spellbound in silence, effectively channeling Dutt’s creative restlessness and personal darkness. While Farooqui's voice and rhythm echo in the reader's memory, Sudipti noted that the book goes further, offering a deeper understanding of history, the shifting cinematic landscape, and the emergence of a new cinematic aesthetic.

Addressing the audience, author Mahmood Farooqui explained that his goal was to honestly present Dutt’s personal and creative contradictions without painting them over with romantic myths. During the question-and-answer session, Farooqui reflected on Dutt’s final years, noting that the filmmaker was deeply exhausted and undergoing severe mental stress. He mentioned that associates, including Waheeda Rehman, had observed Dutt’s will to live steadily diminishing.

Farooqui emphasized that understanding an artist's creative fatigue is highly complex, drawing parallels to creators like V.S. Naipaul and P.C. Barua, who also endured phases of deep depression and mental agony. He admitted that his own perspective on Dutt evolved over time; while he was captivated by the romantic 'self-destructive artist' trope in his youth, he later adopted a more critical and humane view. Farooqui concluded by stating that while we must understand Guru Dutt’s sorrow, it is equally vital to remember him through his films and enduring creative legacy.