Sunil Dutt

Sunil Dutt (Balraj Dutt; 6 June 1926 – 25 May 2005) was a famous Indian actor, director and politician. He was appointed the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2004. He was a former Sheriff of Mumbai. He is the father of actor Sanjay Dutt and politician Priya Dutt. In 1968, he was honoured by the Padma Shri by the Government of India. In 1984 he was elected to the Parliament of India from the constituency of Mumbai North West. In 2004, he was elected for Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs.

Sunil Dutt's father was Diwan Raghunath Dutt and mother name was Kulwantidevi Dutt. When he was five years old, his father died. He then moved to Bombay ( Mumbai). He got a job at the city's BEST bus service. He graduated with B.A. in history in 1954.He also became radio announcer, He was very popular on the Hindi service of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia. His first film was Railway Platform(1955). Film director gave him new screen name "Sunil Dutt" to avoid name conflicts with the actor Balraj Sahni.

Sunil Dutt became famous for his role in the 1957 film Mother India^[1] in which he co-starred with Nargis. Dutt was one of the major stars of Hindi cinema in the 1960s. With several hit films like Sadhna (1958), Insan Jaag Utha (1959), Sujata (1959), Mujhe Jeene Do (1963), Khandan (1965), Mera Saaya (1966), Milan (1967), Meherban (1967), Hamraaz (1967), Padosan (1968), Chirag (1969), Meri Bhabhi (1969) and Bhai Bhai (1970) . His collaboration with B.R. Chopra give big hit films such as Ek Hi Rasta (1955), Sadhna (1958), Gumraah (1963), Waqt (1965) and Hamraaz (1967).

Dutt made his directorial debut and was the only actor to feature in Yaadein (1964). The film was featured in the Guinness Book of Records for Fewest Actors in a Narrative Film.

Sunil Dutt married famous actress Nargis in 1958. Nargis died due to pancreatic cancer in 1981. Dutt built a hospital in her memory. He also helped his son Sanjay in recovering from his drug addiction and released him from jail when Sanjay was arrested in 1993. Dutt faced lots of ups and downs in his life but did his work sincerely whether in films or politics. Many notable figures considered him as their inspiration. Media says that Dutt was a bigger hero in real life than reel.

In Geeta Mera Naam (1974) he again played an anti-hero after a long gap of films like Mother India and Mujhe Jeene Do. He continued to star in 1970s with several hits that included Heera (1973), Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye (1974), Zakhmi (1975), Nagin (1976), Nehle Pe Dehla (1976), Paapi (1977), Jaani Dushman (1979), Muqabla (1979). In 80s, he played a police officer in Shaan (1980). Later give hit films like Dard Ka Rishta (1982), Badle Ki Aag (1982), Raaj Tilak (1984), Mangal Dada (1986), Watan Ke Rakhwale (1987) and Dharamyudh (1988). He retired from films in early 90s and did social work. In 2003, he appeared for the last time in blockbuster film Munna Bhai MBBS.