Guru Dutt's grand-daughter eyes his legacy, gingerly

Bhopal, Feb 25 (IANS) Legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt's grand-daughter Gouri is set to foray into the world of acting. One of her aims is to portray her grandfather the way family members have known him.

"I had not met my grandfather and as a kid I did not understand what people used to talk about him. But later I realised what kind of personality he was. Now, one of the aims of my life is to portray him in a different way...how our family members have known him," Gouri told IANS.

People remember Guru Dutt as a remarkable filmmaker who died at a young age of 39, but left behind a legacy of cinematic excellence that boasts of films like "Pyaasa", "Kaagaz Ke Phool", "Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam" and "Chaudhvin Ka Chand".

"I have watched all his movies and now I believe that my grandfather was unmatched in several senses. People are in awe at times when they learn who I am, but what means most to me is that he was my grandfather," she added.

The 23-year-old daughter of Guru Dutt's son Arun has done fashion designing, but now wants to make a career in acting.

"In my family, earlier we were not encouraged to work in the film industry. But I have realised that I should work in the industry and make a full-fledged career as an actress," said Gouri, who even did a four-month course from Guru Dutt Films Academy, Pune.

She was here along with her parents - Arun and Kavita Dutt - to promote the institute.

She is making her debut with an Anurag Kashyap film while her elder sister Karuna has collaborated with Kashyap for the movie "Gangs of Wasseypur".

So far, the family has maintained a low profile.

"It was not me only, but our family was also not much involved in film industry directly. It was only the film academy that was being run first by our grandmother Geeta Dutt and later by my uncle and father," Gouri said.

"My elder sister Karuna also got associated with Anurag Kashyap's production company, but still we remain low profile in our attachment to film industry," said Gouri, whose favourite movies of her grandfather include "Pyaasa", "Kagaz Ke Phool" and "Mr.& Mrs.55".