Sunil Dutt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sunil Dutt
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Dutt at his New Delhi office in 2005.
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| Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports | |
| In office 22 May 2004 – 25 May 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Manmohan Singh |
| Preceded by | Vikram Verma |
| Succeeded by | Mani Shankar Aiyar |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 1984–1996 |
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| Preceded by | Ram Jethmalani |
| Succeeded by | Madhukar Sarpotdar |
| Constituency | Mumbai North West |
| In office 1999–2005 |
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| Preceded by | Madhukar Sarpotdar |
| Succeeded by | Priya Dutt |
| Constituency | Mumbai North West |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Balraj Dutt
6 June 1929 Nakka Khurd, Punjab Province, British India (present-day Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 25 May 2005 (aged 75) Mumbai, India |
| Cause of death | Heart attack |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, including Sanjay Dutt and Priya Dutt |
| Relatives | See Dutt family |
| Residences | Bandra, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation |
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| Awards | Padma Shri (1968) |
Sunil Dutt, born Balraj Dutt (June 6, 1929 – May 25, 2005), was a famous Indian actor, producer, director, and politician. He served as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports for India from 2004 to 2005. He was also the father of well-known actor Sanjay Dutt and politician Priya Dutt.
In 1968, the Government of India honored him with the Padma Shri award. This is one of India's highest civilian awards. In 1984, he joined the Indian National Congress political party. He was elected to the Parliament of India five times from the Mumbai North West area.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to Mumbai
Sunil Dutt was born on June 6, 1929. His parents were Diwan Raghunath Dutt and Kulwantidevi Dutt. He was born in a place called Nakka Khurd in what was then Punjab Province, British India. This area is now in Punjab, Pakistan.
When Sunil was five years old, his father passed away. In 1947, when he was 18, India was divided into two countries. This event, called the Partition of India, caused a lot of violence between different groups. A Muslim friend of his father, named Yakub, helped save Sunil's entire family.
His family then moved to a small village called Mandauli. Later, he moved to Lucknow with his mother. He spent a lot of time there during his college years. After that, he moved to Bombay (now Mumbai). He joined Jai Hind College and also worked at the city's transport division. In 1954, he earned his degree in History.
Starting His Career
Sunil Dutt began his career in radio. He was very popular on the Hindi service of Radio Ceylon. This was the oldest radio station in South Asia. He was known for his excellent command of the Urdu language.
He later decided to become an actor in Hindi films. He made his first movie in 1955, called Railway Platform.
How He Got His Screen Name
Director Ramesh Saigal helped Sunil Dutt get his first big break. Saigal saw Dutt hosting a radio show and was impressed by his personality and voice. He offered him a role in his new film.
Sunil Dutt's real name was Balraj Dutt. However, there was already a famous actor named Balraj Sahni. To avoid confusion, Saigal gave him the new screen name "Sunil Dutt."
Film Career and Rise to Stardom
Sunil Dutt became a big star with the 1957 film Mother India. In this movie, he played the role of a strong-willed son. During the filming, a fire broke out on the set. It is said that Dutt bravely saved his co-star, Nargis, from the fire. This event brought them closer, and they got married in 1958.
They had three children: a son named Sanjay Dutt, who also became a successful actor, and two daughters, Priya Dutt and Namrata Dutt. Namrata married Kumar Gaurav, whose father, Rajendra Kumar, was also a co-star in Mother India.
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Sunil Dutt was one of the most important stars in Hindi cinema during the late 1950s and 1960s. He starred in many popular films. Some of his notable movies include Sadhna (1958), Mujhe Jeene Do (1963), Khandan (1965), Mera Saaya (1966), and Padosan (1967). He also worked well with director B.R. Chopra on films like Gumraah (1963) and Waqt (1965).
In 1964, he directed and starred in the film Yaadein. This movie was unique because he was the only actor in it. It even made it into the Guinness Book of Records for having the fewest actors in a story film. He also produced Man Ka Meet (1968), which launched the careers of his brother Som Dutt and actors Vinod Khanna and Leena Chandavarkar. In 1971, he directed, produced, and starred in Reshma Aur Shera.
His acting career faced a tough period in the early 1970s. However, he made a strong comeback with films like Geeta Mera Naam (1974). He continued to star in hit movies such as Nagin (1976), Jaani Dushman (1979), and Shaan (1980). He also acted in several Punjabi religious films. In the 1980s, he appeared in successful movies like Dard Ka Rishta (1982) and Watan Ke Rakhwale (1987).
In 1981, he directed Rocky, which was the debut film for his son, Sanjay Dutt. The movie was a success. Sadly, shortly before the film's release, his wife Nargis passed away from cancer. In her memory, he started the Nargis Dutt Foundation to help cancer patients. He also supported the India Project, an organization that helps children with facial differences.
In 1982, he was given the honorary title of Sheriff of Bombay for one year. This is a non-political position given by the government.
He mostly stopped acting in the early 1990s to focus on his political career. His last few films included Parampara (1992) and Kshatriya (1993).
In 1995, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognized his amazing contributions to the film industry over four decades. He returned to acting briefly in 2003 for the film Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.. In this movie, he finally shared the screen with his son Sanjay Dutt for the first time in a scene.
Death
Sunil Dutt passed away from a heart attack on May 25, 2005, at his home in Bandra, Mumbai. This was just two weeks before his 76th birthday. At the time of his death, he was serving as the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports in the Indian government. He was also a Member of Parliament for North-west Mumbai.
He was cremated with full state honors in Mumbai. His daughter, Priya Dutt, later won his seat in Parliament and served as a Member of Parliament until 2014.
Awards and Honors
Sunil Dutt received many awards and honors throughout his life:
- 1963 – Filmfare Best Actor Award for Mujhe Jeene Do
- 1964 – National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi for Yaadein
- 1965 – Filmfare Best Actor Award for Khandan
- 1967 – BFJA Awards for Best Actor (Hindi) for Milan
- 1968 – Padma Shri (a high civilian award from the Indian government)
- 1982 – Sheriff of Bombay
- 1995 – Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1998 – Rajiv Gandhi National Sadbhavana Award
- 1999 – Screen Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2000 – Lifetime Achievement Award at the Anandalok Awards
- 2001 – Zee Cine Award for Lifetime Achievement
- He also received the Glory of India Award from IIFS, London.
Images for kids
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Dutt at his New Delhi office in 2005.
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Nargis helps Sunil Dutt during the filming of Mother India.
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Sunil Dutt in 1958.
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Sunil Dutt becoming the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports in New Delhi on May 25, 2004.
