This ‘haunted' bungalow ruined lives of 2 superstars, the actor suffered sleepless nights, his wife used to heart loud noises, later they…, the bungalow is now…, Not Rajesh Khanna
The film Industry is filled with many mysterious stories, whether they have a somber ending or no conclusion at all. Today, we are going to discuss one of the most famous stories from the Journal of Indian Cinema that not only devastated two lives but also created a huge impact on the industry. So, without any further ado, let's start. The Devastating Tragedy of Guru Dutt-Geeta Dutt
Here we are talking about the veteran actor-director Guru Dutt who created the biggest impact on the film industry with his stellar masterpieces. But, those who know him by their hearts know what a devastating phase this legendary actor had especially when he was living in a Pali Hill Bungalow with his wife Geeta Dutt. In a book titled 'Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story' the author Yaseer Usman mentioned the tragic incident that completely changed Guru Dutt's life. The Mystery of the Pali Hill Bungalow
Earlier, during the conversation with the author, Geeta Dutt's sister Lalita Lazmi stated that her sister felt that there was some kind of entity in their bungalow that lives on the tree and is continuously trying to ruin her happy marriage with Guru Dutt. She also stated that there was a statue of Lord Buddha in their drawing from which Geeta was also frightened all the time.
After a while, she told to her husband and asked him to leave the bungalow as soon as possible and after knowing this Guru Dutt got devastated by knowing the fact that this house was one of the most ambitious and wonderful things that he had ever accomplished. The Fights & The End Of Guru Dutt's Dreamy Mansion
In the book, the author further stated that due to Geeta's fear their marriage started falling apart. Geeta had an intuition that this bungalow was the sole reason for all the chaos in her life which later turned Guru Dutt's life into many sleepless nights. As per the book, whenever Guru Dutt went to his studio for the shoot schedule, he took some time off and took a little bit of sleep for a while in a small room.
One day, when Geeta was sleeping in her bungalow she heard some noises from the outside that made her worried as they were breaking into their house. She then instantly telephoned Guru Dutt who was in his studio at that time he answered in a breaking voice and said to Geeta 'Please let them… I've asked them to break it off.' After this Guru Dutt's dreamy mansion was demolished and later subsequently redeveloped, becoming a building called 'Imperial Heights.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Why Mahesh Babu's Khaleja is finally getting the love it missed 15 years ago
The final dialogue from the film 'Khaleja', 'Athbhutham jarige tappudu evvaru gurthinchaleru, jarigina tharuvatha evvaru gurthinchalsina avasaram ledu' which translates to, 'No one recognises a miracle while it's happening; and once it's done, there's no need to recognise it" - has come to reflect the film's own journey. What was once seen as a commercial failure in 2010 has now, fifteen years later, turned into a record-breaking success with its re-release. A miracle that went unnoticed at first, only to be celebrated long after it had quietly made a film's success is judged by its box office performance. But is that the only metric? This debate of success versus impact has existed for as long as cinema itself. Box office numbers depend on much more than just the quality of the film: timing, audience sensibilities, release competition, packaging, genre, the star's momentum. All of these played a part in the film's box office success. But, if success also means longevity, cultural relevance and emotional celebration, then a good film will always find its way into the hearts of audiences, even if it takes are countless examples in Indian cinema. From Guru Dutt's Kaagaz Ke Phool and Raj Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker to Shah Rukh Khan's Swades, films that failed at first found cult status later. Telugu cinema too has its share of such films, including Ram Charan's 'Orange', Rana's 'Leader', Ravi Teja's Neninthe, and among them, Mahesh Babu and Trivikram's Khaleja stands out as a film whose second life seems far more powerful than its Khaleja Failed to Impress in 2010advertisement Released on October 7, 2010, Khaleja arrived with high expectations. It marked the reunion of Mahesh Babu and Trivikram Srinivas after Athadu, a film that also gained widespread recognition after its satellite run. By then, Mahesh had already become a mass hero following Pokiri. However, his previous two films - Sainikudu and Athidi - were commercial disappointments, and Khaleja marked his comeback after a three-year the film's promotional interviews, when asked about his hiatus and the role in Khaleja, Mahesh Babu remarked, 'I felt a sense of monotony with the characters I was playing. I wanted to break out of that bubble, so I went all in with this one. Alluri Seetharama Raju in Khaleja is the most challenging and significant role of my career.' This shift in tone and the long gap between films contributed to heightened expectations among too, was riding high after Pawan Kalyan's Jalsa, and expectations were sky-high. But, upon its release, Khaleja received mostly negative responses. Critics pointed to its confusing themes, uneven screenplay and the lack of strong action moments. Despite Mahesh Babu's entertaining performance, fans were divided. The film also released around the same time as Rajinikanth and Shankar's Enthiran, which affected Khaleja's run in an interview with iDream, producer C Kalyan remarked, 'Before common audiences saw the merit in the film, Mahesh Babu's fans themselves killed the film. Their expectations were high, expecting a mass entertainer, but here he was, doing comedy which people didn't accept. They compared it to Robot (Endhiran) and dismissed it. But, I knew Khaleja would become a trendsetter.'What Makes Khaleja an Over-Time Classic?While Khaleja may not be a perfect film, several of its elements are undeniably striking. Mahesh Babu as Alluri Sitarama Raju, a taxi driver, is fresh, humorous, grounded and entirely believable. His reactions, one-liners and comedy timing add a layer of spontaneity. Even in high-stakes sequences, he never breaks the character of Seetharama Raju. His iconic use of "Bhayya!" became a pop culture comedy is another high point. It's woven into the fabric of the narrative, not added as filler but as organic, dialogue-heavy moments. The chase scene involving Govardhan in the second half is a great example. The intensity is contrasted by its quirky energy, making it both entertaining and Trivikram attempts to layer deeper philosophical ideas into the plot, about God, purpose and faith. At the film's success meet, the director, explaining the core of the film, said, 'After the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna ruled for many years. He died a normal man, his children were killed, thieves looted the kingdom. We don't talk about that because, to us, he is God when he speaks the Bhagavad Gita. Similarly, when an auto driver saves a man in an accident, he becomes God to that man, for that moment, for the outside world, he is an ordinary auto driver. Similarly, our hero.' It's a bold, layered idea. One that took time to be understood and Trivikram's signature dialogue writing elevated the film, intense lines like "Gaali velu chusthundi (the wind will lead the way) or 'Nela vollu virucukuntundi sidda (The earth will tear apart its skin, Sidda), or the famous monologue in the climax are now quoted with reverence, not just for their meaning, but for their literary time, social media discourse, decoding videos, and re-watches have also brought attention to the film's aesthetics, from Mani Sharma's music to the cinematography and production Khaleja a Perfect Film?Despite its cult following, many of the film's original criticisms still hold. The pacing is slow. While the chemistry between Mahesh Babu and Anushka works, her character Subhashini's role, too, feels underwritten. The villain, a corporate mining kingpin, comes across as a convenient caricature in an otherwise ambitious importantly, the film fails to invest enough time in its central theme. About 50 per cent of Khaleja is comedy, 40 per cent is set up, and barely 10 per cent is devoted to exploring the idea of godhood and existentialism. The one scene where Seetharama Raju has his realisation is brilliant, but there should have been more such moments to lend weight to the for all its flaws, Khaleja is a rare attempt. A film that blends philosophy, humour and commercial sensibilities in a way Telugu cinema hadn't seen before. It may not have worked in 2010, but fifteen years on, its resonance is louder than ever.
News18
2 days ago
- News18
Watch: Geeta Basra Recreates Harbhajan's Iconic Action Into A Meme-Worthy Moment
Last Updated: Harbhajan Singh and Geeta Basra scooped out some time to play backyard cricket. A clip featuring some moments from the game has now gone viral on social media. Legendary Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was spotted enjoying a light-hearted cricket session with his wife, actress Geeta Basra, amid the Indian Premier League (IPL). The power couple recently launched a 'fun, fiery, and relatable" chat show, 'Who is The Boss", on YouTube. While Harbhajan and Geeta are busy with the promotion, they scooped out some time to play backyard cricket. A clip featuring some moments from the game has now gone viral on social media. Harbhajan, who has more than 700 wickets under his belt, picked up the willow, with Geeta rolling her arms. She imitated Harbhajan's signature run-up– a moment that sparked loud cheers among the onlookers. The former Indian cricketer effortlessly scored a boundary before pulling off a six as the ball landed among the paparazzi. Harbhajan and Geeta recently announced their upcoming show via social media. 'We have played many roles in life – on the field, in films, and most importantly, as husband and wife! Now, it's time to bring all that love, laughter, and little chaos to your screens," the couple shared in a joint statement on Instagram. 'Who is The Boss?" will celebrate women who have sacrificed enough to support their cricketer-husbands. 'This idea was conceptualised years ago. People are always curious about what goes on behind closed doors, especially in the homes of these cricketers. Being a cricketer's wife myself, my main goal was to highlight the women behind these successful men," Geeta said at the launch event. Referring to the entertaining side of the show, Harbhajan said, 'I liked the concept very much. It's about bringing the wives to the forefront and couples sharing amazing facts and funny stories about themselves." 'We are strictly against controversies. We don't want to force anyone to come to our show and speak about something that's not good. It's all going to be happy and full of smiles," he added. While Harbhajan remains committed to his commentary duties in the ongoing IPL, Geeta will next be seen in movies like 'Mehr' and 'Awasthi vs Awasthi'. First Published: May 29, 2025, 16:21 IST
Scroll.in
4 days ago
- Scroll.in
From the archives: How Raj Khosla and Guru Dutt struck up an instant friendship
In the late 1980s, I had the privilege of meeting Raj Khosla. I was introduced to him by Guru Dutt's sister, the artist Lalitha Lajmi, who took me to see him in Marina Apartments in Pali Hill in Bandra, Mumbai. His apartment was later bought by Aamir Khan's family, and it is where they still live today. At that time, I was researching material for a documentary I later made called In Search of Guru Dutt (Channel 4 TV, UK, 1989) and meeting Raj Khosla was most memorable. His love for cinema, warmth of personality and generosity of heart were so evident. Following are excerpts from two conversations, the first an audio interview recorded on November 5, 1986, and the second filmed on September 22, 1988. Raj Khosla: In those days [late 1940s, early 1950s], I wanted to be a playback singer. Dev [Anand] was trying to help me, but things weren't working out. So, one day he told me, 'There's a friend of mine, Guru Dutt, and he's going to direct my next picture. Why don't you become his assistant?' 'I don't want to do filmmaking; I want to sing.' He said, 'Come on! Get together, things will gradually fall into place.' That's how I met Guru Dutt. He asked me, 'Do you have any experience in being an assistant in films? Dev has recommended you.' 'Yes, I have, I'm studying filmmaking.' The second thing he asks, 'Do you know Hindi?' 'Of course I know Hindi.' I didn't write in Hindi. I wrote in Urdu and Persian. In the 1940s, most Punjabis knew Urdu well, and some, even Farsi. But I didn't know how to write in Devanagari. He said, 'Fine, join duty from tomorrow.' So I ran from there and the first thing I did was learn to read Hindi, ka, kha, ga. Sure enough, after six or seven days, he said, 'Just copy out these scenes.' By that time, I had picked up some Hindi. When I wrote the scenes, he asked, 'One second, when did you start learning?' I said, 'The day you asked me if I knew Hindi.' He smiled. We struck up a friendship instantly. Nasreen Munni Kabir: What was your relationship with the Anands? Raj Khosla: The Anand family and my family were from the Punjab. We had generational relations. Their father and mine were college mates and friends. So, we were the second generation of friends. When I was looking to work, Chetan Anand said, 'Why don't you work at Navketan?' Since they were producing Baazi at that time, my destiny was kind to me. I opted to work as Guru Dutt's assistant. Nasreen Munni Kabir: You told me you were very fond of Sahir Ludhianvi. Raj Khosla: I was a college student when I heard the work of Sahir sahab. I told my father that Sahir Ludhianvi was going to be a fantastic success. In my college days, I used to know a poem written by Sahir, Sanaa-khvaan-e taqdis-e mashriq kahaan hain. This poem became Jinhen naaz hai hind par woh kahaan hain. The lines were changed for Pyaasa, because who would understand the Persianised original lines? One day we were sitting in the Navketan office, and I sang the whole song to Guru Dutt. I had composed the tune myself, and he said, 'Raj, this is it! This is Pyaasa!' By chance, Sahir was already writing for him in Baazi. So, there was no problem of copyright or anything. Guru Dutt had a great gift of understanding emotion. But the relationship between Sahir and Guru Dutt was a little distant, I would say. In art, they were very close but personally they were not very close. I was personally much closer to Sahir. Nasreen Munni Kabir: You said you wanted to be a singer. Did you record any songs? RK: No, I didn't. In Jaal, we had this song, Sun Ja Dil Ki Dastaan. Guru Dutt recorded me singing it, but I failed the test. SD Burman said, 'Raj is good, but...' The song was later re-recorded in Hemant Kumar's voice. It was a tremendous hit. Raj Khosla: My first film was Milap, I made it for the same producer, TR Fatehchand, who also made Jaal. Many people thought C.I. D. was my first film, because Milap was not a hit. It was C.I.D. that got me noticed as a director. There's an amusing incident that happened when C.I.D. was released in Calcutta in 1957. We had very heavy rains that year and all the flights were cancelled, so we went to Calcutta by train. We took a box of beer and drank in the compartment. Remember Bombay-Calcutta was 46 hours in those days. We got thoroughly bored with each other. As the train ultimately entered the train station, the distributor, who was a very fat man, I don't remember his name, had garlands ready for us and he said, 'Raj, it's a hit. Ho gaya kaam!' (The work is done!) The garlands told us things were okay. Nevertheless, we went to the theatre to see for ourselves how C.I.D. was doing. Twenty minutes into the film, Guru Dutt says, 'Raj, you've made a super-hit film, come on, let's celebrate.' The next morning, I didn't find him in the hotel suite. I searched everywhere for him. Where is he? Fully dressed, with bowtie and all, lying in the bathtub. He must have been drinking all night. He was very sweet. Nasreen Munni Kabir: Why didn't you carry on directing under Guru Dutt's banner? Raj Khosla: As a matter of fact, after C. I. D., he offered me a lakh of rupees for the next film, which was a lot of money in 1957. I said, 'No, Guru Dutt, I will not work with you anymore.' 'Why? What's the problem?' 'You don't grow under a big tree. I'm a small plant. If I work with you, it'll always be Guru Dutt made this film.' He said, 'Go your way. Whenever you want to come and make a film for me...' Nasreen Munni Kabir: Can you talk about the C.I.D. song Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar, featuring Dev Anand and Shakila? It was filmed on the pedestrian promenade on the Worli Sea Face [now part of the Coastal Road]. Raj Khosla: Dev Anand was a very disciplined person. He still is one of the most disciplined actors we ever had. The only thing I remember about that song is that Dev Anand tells me, 'Raj, what am I doing in this song?' 'The song is doing everything, you just walk.' So we started shooting. It was quite a long walk down the promenade, you know. The song goes through its entirety for about three minutes or so and he keeps walking. So after a few shots, he said, 'You want me to walk a mile or two or something? What am I doing in this song?' I said, 'You're walking. You're not going to sing.' 'Okay, you're the boss.' Typical of Dev, you know, he always wants to be active. Then the second thing I remembered is that while walking he had this habit of always using his hands somewhere. 'You don't move your hands.' He says, 'I can't sing, I can't move my hands, I'm supposed to walk.' 'That's it, you're just supposed to walk and look handsome!'
