Director, writer and producer, Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone, better known to the world as Guru Dutt, was a legend. He gave such remarkable films to the audience that even today his films are being rewatched by people. Dutt moulded Hindi cinema intricately and changed how people looked at the industry. But while Dutt was acing at the profession front, his personal life had some rocky moments.

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Today marks the 96th birth anniversary of the star and looking back at one of the toughest phases of his life, let’s look back at the time he was romantically involved with Waheeda Rehman. The actor, who was married to Geeta Dutt, had fallen in love with the beautiful Rehman, but their love story met a tragic end, and as well all know, the two never got together.

It all started when Dutt was looking for a fresh face for his film CID. Rehman was then working in South films and happened to meet Dutt for the first time in a ceremony. The actor was impressed by her beauty and asked Rehman to come for the screen test of CID. The actress bagged the role and it is being said that this was the time when the closeness between the two started to increase.

The love kept growing and Dutt continued to work with Rehman. His film Pyaasa was supposed to feature late actor Dilip Kumar, but he decided to cast himself opposite Rehman in the film in order to stay close to her. It is also rumoured that Dutt changed a few scenes for Rehman in Pyaasa as well. The film was a hit and people love the duo’s chemistry on the screen. The love blossomed ever more and the word was out that something was going on between the two.

Guru Dutt was madly in love with Rehman. So much that he liked to be around her all the time. Her makeup room was always next to his, and even when the actress used to work on any other project, she used to use the same vanity. Things became serious and Geeta Dutt got a hint of their relationship. She asked Dutt to choose between her and Waheeda. Making the tough choice, Dutt broke it off with Rehman, and used to stay separate from his wife as well.

It is said that Geeta Dutt was the reason why Waheeda Rehman and Guru Dutt’s love blossomed and went downhill as well. The actor passed away at the age of 39, on October 10, 1964. It was then said that his death may have been a suicide or an accidental overdose.