In 1984 he joined the Congress (I) party and was elected to Parliament for five terms from the constituency of Mumbai North West.
Early Life
Sunil was born in the village of Khurd in the Punjab'Jhelum District of Punjab in British India (now located in Pakistan). His family moved to India during the Partition of India (1947). In Mumbai, he joined Jai Hind College as an undergraduate and took up a job.
Career
Starting out in radio, Sunil Dutt was a hugely popular announcer on the Hindi Service of Radio Ceylon, the oldest radio station in South Asia. He moved to acting in Hindi films and got introduced to the film industry in the 1955 film Railway Platform. He shot to the stardom in the 1957 film Mother India in which he co-starred with Nargis, whom he married on March 11, 1958. He had one son Sanjay Dutt, also a successful film actor and two daughters, Priya Dutt and Namrata (Anju) Dutt. His daughter Namrata married Sunil Dutt's good friend and also Mother India co-star Rajendra Kumar's son Kumar Gaurav.
He continued to star in many successful films from the late 1950s through to the 1970s which included Sadhna (1958), Sujata (1959), Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke (1963) and Padosan (1967). His collaboration with B.R. Chopra resulted in many hits such as Gumraah (1963), Waqt (1965) and Hamraaz (1967). In 1971 he produced, directed as well as starred in Reshma Aur Shera which was appreciated by critics but was a failure at the box office. He then went on to appear in many multi-starrer films which included Nagin (1976), Jaani Dushman (1979) and Shaan (1980).
He launched his son Sanjay's career in the film Rocky in 1981. In that same year, his wife died of pancreatic cancer. He set up Nargis Dutt foundation in memory of his wife for the cure of cancer patients. He was also a sponsor of the India Project, a Nobel Peace Prize-nominated organization akin to Operation Smile for the treatment of Indian children with facial deformities.
In 1982 he was appointed as the Sheriff of Mumbai, an apolitical titular position, a position bestowed on him by the Maharashtra government for the period of a year. He acted in fewer films in the 1980s and 90s and retired from the film industry after his last few film releases Parampara (1992) and Kshatriya (1993).
His political career was halted for some years in the early 1990s when he worked to free his son from jail after he was arrested following Hindu-Muslim clashes in Mumbai.
He returned to films shortly before his death in the 2003 Bollywood film Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.. In this film he shared the screen with son Sanjay for the first time although they had both appeared earlier in Rocky (1981) and Kshatriya (1993) but did not appear in any scenes together.
He died of a heart attack at his residence in Bandra, Mumbai in his sleep. His seat in Parliament was contested by his daughter, Priya Dutt who eventually won it and is a Member of Parliament from North West Mumbai. His death coincided with the death of film producer Ismail Merchant who was famous for his Merchant-Ivory productions.
Awards And Honors
1963- Filmfare best actor award Mujhe jeene do
1965- Filmfare best actor award khandaan
1995- Filmfare lifetime achievement award
1998- Star screen lifetime achievement award
2001- Zee cine award for lifetime achievement
Sunil Dutt was a recipient of the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India
Acting Filmography
Railway Platform (1955)
Ek Hi Raasta (1956)
Mother India (1957)
Sadhna (1958)
Sujata (1959)
Main Chup Rahoongi (1962)
Gumraah (1963)
Mujhe Jeene Do (1963)
Yeh Raasten Hai Pyaar Ke (1963)
Yaadein (1964)
Waqt (1965)
Humraaz (1967)
Meherbaan (1967)
Milan (1967)
Padosan (1968)
Reshma Aur Shera (1971)
Zakhmee (1975)
Nagin (1976)
Jaani Dushman (1979)
Shaan (1980)
Rocky (1981)
Dard Ka Rishta (1982)
Kurbaan (1991)
Parampara (1992)
Kshatriya (1993)
Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
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