Page 19 - SeniorsToday May20

fluently so she conversed with her in Bengali
and invited her over for lunch one afternoon.
“She came with her father on her first visit to
our home in Matunga. She was at the top of
her career and my brother was just starting
his first film ‘Baazi’. She used to visit us
often; I remember her in simple cotton saris,
arriving in a huge limousine. She was soft-
spoken and called my mother ‘Mashima’
(aunt). My mother was very fond of her and
was always happy when she was around.
However, Geeta’s parents and her brother
resented her visits to our home. So she
would make the excuse of coming to see me.
I was their messenger; I would help them
exchange love letters. At that time Raj Khosla
was her assistant; Raj and I would team up
and help the lovebirds spend time together.
Sometimes we would go to Powai lake; Guru
and Geeta would stroll together, we would
keep a good distance and walk behind them Tadbeer se bigdi... was the song that introduced Geeta
keeping a watch. Sometimes they fought and Roy to Guru Dutt
Geeta would disappear for days and I would more engrossed in his work. He would stay
go looking for her at her friend’s place, back at the studio working late. Geeta on
convince her to let go of the anger and come the other hand would wait for him and this
home with me. Sometimes Geeta would became a usual thing. The distance between
come home and stay back till the evening. On the couple began to grow, he kept busy
such occasions I would walk with her till her at the sets and she just kept herself busy
house in Dadar – she lived close by. with friends. The days Geeta didn’t have
a recording she would catch up with her
Love and marriage friends over cocktails. Guru began spending
“After almost three years of rendezvous, more time on the sets with his heroines, and
when Guru got some success he asked for rumours got out. The house that was once
her hand in marriage. They bought a house filled with laughter began getting populated
in Pali Hill and were so much in love. A by insecurities. Night after night of verbal
happy couple, working together, hosting arguments and loud fights – Geeta would
dinner parties, they had two beautiful sons. often fight and pack up with the children
Their first-born child Tarun, was born on to her mother’s house. Helpless and lonely,
the same day as Guru, 9th July and later Guru would ring me up crying asking us
Arun, the second-born on the 10th, so Geeta (my mother and me) to come right away. My
always celebrated the birthday of all the husband would drive us to Guru’s bungalow
three together. Those were the happy days. in Pali Hill. We would spend the night there
“As time passed, Guru became more and and would leave the next morning when

SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #11 | MAY 2020 19