The 3 Enigma's Of Indian Cinema-Remembering the Legends

Being Quite a film buff i wanted to talk about the 3 people ,3 starts ,all some how connected to my state Karnataka-Guru Dutt,Shankar Nag and Puttanna Kanagal.I call them Enigma because their works become more famous and adorned after they had long given up  their mortal life.But their works still stays with us.

Who can forget the classics like Pyaasa,  Kaagaz Ke Phool (disastrous box-office performance  though )from Guru Dutt.The title song of Chaudhvin Ka Chand is an examle of  all time classic with composer Ravi, and the lyrics by his all time favourite Shakeel Badayuni and with the golden voice of Rafi Saab .It still remains in the heart of every Indian.Not to forget the ever beautiful Waheeda Rehman in the lead with Guru Dutt.

His  life was as enigmatic as their death turned out to be .On 10 October 1964, Guru Dutt was found dead in his bed in his rented apartment at Pedder Roadin Mumbai. He is said to have been mixing alcohol and sleeping pills. His death may have been suicide, or just an accidental overdose. It would have been his third suicide attempt .

I remember Gopaakrishna Adiga's Line here " ಇರುವುದೆಲ್ಲವ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಇರದುದರೆಡೆಗೆ ತುಡಿವುದೆ ಜೀವನ"

Next comes our  own legendary kannada director Puttanna Kanagal .Who can forget "olave jeevana saakShtkaara" with Annavru and Jamuna(Telugu Actress if my memory is right) at their best .He was instrumental in getting the new wave of cinema or cinema with social relevance a new lease of life in Indian Cinema,along with the likes of K Balachander during that period.

Even the rock hard person will become emotional after seeing and hearing he song "janma needida bhutaayiya" from PADUVAARAHALLI PAANDAVARU.

Again he touched upon different varieties of cinema ,like Upasane and MAANASA SAROVARA is probably the finest movie with a subject exhibiting the human psychology.

A legend again ending up with a tragic death .

I just cannot talk about Shankar Nag as a director or an actor,he was a star with a vision.Recently i heard that in an interview where his wife Arudathi Nag(Actress and Theatre person) tells that he had a vision of Bangalore metro in those days that he went to Europe on his own expenses to get to know how this dream could be made possible in Bangalore.

What Shankar Nag could have done in this age of mobiles,computers ,apple products is anybodies guess.

But fate has its own rules.Again another director who thought beyond his times,Malgudi Days-Remember the title sound track composed by  Carnatic musician L. Vaidyanathan.

Can anyone forget the music and songs of his film Geeta composed by Ilayaraja .I can still hear at least one song of this film played again and again in our FM channels.

Again he died in an car accident.

3 legends who  took Indian Cinema to another level altogether.