Geeta Dutt and Guru Dutt’s marriage was once full of love, but things changed when the singer started believing their dream home in Pali Hill was haunted. What followed not only broke Guru Dutt’s heart but also became one of the most painful chapters in their relationship.
Geeta Dutt witnessed labourers tearing down bungalow
One afternoon, Geeta was resting in the guest house of their Pali Hill bungalow when she heard a sudden loud bang. She woke up around 4 pm and was stunned to see workers tearing down the house right before her eyes.Confused, she immediately called her husband. To her surprise, it was Guru himself who had asked the labourers to demolish the bungalow. Though it was his dream home, he gave in to Geeta’s insistence that the place was unlucky and haunted. The incident was mentioned in Yasser Usman’s biography of the Bollywood legend.
Lalita Lajmi revealed Geeta’s fears of haunting
As shared by Guru Dutt’s sister, Lalita Lajmi, who revealed Geeta’s strange feelings about the house. As quoted by BollywoodShadis, she revealed, “She believed that the bungalow was haunted. There was a particular tree in the house, and she said there was a ghost who lived in that tree, who was bringing bad omens and ruining their marriage. She also had something against a Buddha statue that was kept in their huge drawing room.”According to Lalita, Geeta suggested they leave the house, which deeply upset Guru. He had once proudly said that the bungalow was the most beautiful among all the buildings in Pali Hill.
Guru Dutt expressed love for his dream home
Guru Dutt himself expressed how attached he was to the house. He had said, “I always wanted to be happy in my household. My house is the most beautiful among all the buildings in Pali Hill. Sitting in that house, it does not look like you are in Bombay. That garden, that ambience—where else can I find it? Despite this, I could not stay in that house for much longer.” Even with all his love for the place, he had to watch it being pulled down because of Geeta’s fears.
Geeta blamed bungalow for marital troubles with Guru
Geeta soon began blaming the bungalow for her troubled marriage with Guru. Many even said that their relationship problems began after moving into the Pali Hill residence.The house that was meant to be Guru’s pride soon turned into a place of sorrow. He started suffering from sleepless nights and would often escape to his studio. There, his trusted man ‘Friday’ would open a tiny seven-foot by seven-foot room, where Guru could finally rest.
Lalita remembered Guru’s heartbreak on demolition day
Lalita shared how painful the demolition was for her brother. She had recalled, “I remember it was his birthday. He loved that house, and he was heartbroken when it was demolished. Guru Dutt had agreed to what Geeta wanted, but it broke his heart. He used to blame Geeta for the house. Geeta was suspicious and also believed in ghosts. Guru’s stars were bad. He did not give a second thought to it. The beautiful bungalow was destroyed. Ever since the bungalow was pulled down, Guru Dutt’s home went to pieces gradually.”