--- name: "Sunil Dutt" canonical: "https://film.one/person/sunil-dutt" fi1m_id: "sunil-dutt" imdb_id: "nm0004570" tmdb_id: 14079 wikidata_id: "Q377903" roles: ["Actor"] born: "6 June 1930" died: "25 May 2005" reviewed_on_fi1m: 1 average_as: "actor" average_over: 1 updated: "2026-09-25T08:15:31.788168+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Sunil Dutt ## Identity Sunil Dutt - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/sunil-dutt - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** sunil-dutt - **IMDb ID:** nm0004570 - **TMDB ID:** 14079 - **Wikidata ID:** Q377903 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunil_Dutt, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q377903, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004570/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14079 Actor. Born 6 June 1930 in Jhelum. Died 25 May 2005. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 6 June 1930, Jhelum - **Died:** 25 May 2005 - **Also known as:** सुनील दत्त, Сунил Датт - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunil_Dutt, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q377903, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004570/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/14079 ## Fi1m on Sunil Dutt > Sunil Dutt's emotional directness makes him a compelling melodramatic actor, though he can be too emphatic. His gentler romantic work and comic timing deserve attention alongside Birju's rebellion in *Mother India*. Sunil Dutt can hold a stare until the feeling behind it is impossible to miss. That directness suits *Mother India* (1957), where his rebellious Birju belongs to a cast playing at full force. We find him convincing within that melodramatic scale, but wish he and the film would vary the intensity more often. Director Mehboob Khan makes the emotions plain, and Dutt gives him the physical presence to make those large responses credible. Nargis's Radha remains the reason to see the film. We were moved by her endurance, though the repeated emphasis on her suffering wore us down. Dutt has to be judged within that approach: the size of his performance suits the storytelling. The reservation is that Birju, like the people around him, could use more moments when the feeling is less insistently expressed. The move to Adhir in *Sujata* (1959) shows why Birju should not define him. With Bimal Roy directing and Nutan opposite him, Dutt could offer the quieter romantic presence that also became part of his work. He returned to a dangerous man in *Mujhe Jeene Do* (1963), playing the dacoit Thakur Jarnail Singh, whose conscience gave him more to work with than simple menace. He also wrote, directed and produced the experimental solo-actor film *Yaadein* (1964). That is a considerable commitment to carrying a film through one performance, and an unusual choice for a leading man. In *Padosan* (1968), his comic timing and the simple, endearing Bhola offered a welcome alternative to the intense parts. The later career brought supporting roles, ending with *Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.* (2003). Start with *Mother India* for Dutt's force, accepting that it is Nargis's film and that its repetitions ask for patience. Then try *Sujata* before deciding that he always needed to make his feelings quite so plain. ## Biography Sunil Dutt was an Indian actor, producer, director and politician. He made his film debut in *Railway Platform* (1955) and rose to prominence with his role as Birju in *Mother India* (1957). He appeared in more than 80 films over five decades, including *Sujata* (1959), *Mujhe Jeene Do* (1963), *Waqt* (1965), *Milan* (1967) and *Padosan* (1968). Dutt married actress Nargis in 1958; she died in 1981. Their children include actor Sanjay Dutt and politician Priya Dutt. He received the Padma Shri in 1968. Later in his career he entered politics as a member of the Indian National Congress, serving five terms as a Member of Parliament for Mumbai North West and as Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports. Dutt was born in Jhelum and died in Mumbai on 25 May 2005. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, britannica.com.* ## On Fi1m (1) - *Mother India* (1957), Fi1m 76, as Birju — [page](https://film.one/film/mother-india.md) ## Complete filmography (85) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.* (2003), as Shri Hari Prasad Sharma - *Phool* (1993), as Balram Choudhary - *Parampara* (1993), as Thakur Bhavani Singh - *Rang* (1993), Actor - *Kshatriya* (1993), as Maharaja Bhawani Singh (Mirtagarh) - *Virodhi* (1992), Actor - *Pratigyabadh* (1991), as Pascal - *Nargis* (1991), Actor - *Kurbaan* (1991), as Prithvi Singh - *Dharamyudh* (1988), as Thakur Vikram Singh - *Watan Ke Rakhwale* (1987), as Jailor Suraj Prakash - *Kala Dhanda Goray Log* (1986), as Gaurishankar/Michael - *Faasle* (1985), as Vikram - *Laila* (1984), as Dharamraj Singh / Thakur Prithviraj Singh - *Raaj Tilak* (1984), as Jai Singh - *Yaadon Ki Zanjeer* (1984), as Ravi - *Badle Ki Aag* (1982), as Lakhan - *Dard Ka Rishta* (1982), as Dr. Ravi Kand Sharma · Director, Producer - *Rocky* (1981), Director - *Shaan* (1980), as DSP Shiv Kumar - *Ek Gunah Aur Sahi* (1980), Actor - *Ganga Aur Suraj* (1980), Actor - *Ahinsa* (1979), as Birju - *Jaani Dushman* (1979), as Lakhan - *Muqabla* (1979), as Vikram 'Vicky' - *Daku Aur Jawan* (1978), Director, Screenplay - *Kaala Aadmi* (1978), Actor - *Charandas* (1977), as Advocate Tondon - *Paapi* (1977), as Raj Kumar - *Nagin* (1976), as Professor Vijay - *Nehle Pe Dehla* (1976), as Producer - *Zakhmee* (1975), Actor - *Himalay Se Ooncha* (1975), as Vijay - *36 Ghante* (1974), as Himmat Singh - *Geetaa Mera Naam* (1974), as Suraj / Johnny - *Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam* (1974), as Sadhu - *Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye* (1973), as Raja Thakur - *Man Jeete Jag Jeet* (1973), as Sardar Bakhel 'Bakhya' Singh - *Heera* (1973), as Heera - *Zindagi Zindagi* (1972), as Dr. Sunil - *Zameen Aasmaan* (1972), as Ravi - *Reshma Aur Shera* (1971), as Shera · Producer, Director - *Jwala* (1971), as Veera - *Where the River Padma Flows* (1971), Actor - *Bhai-Bhai* (1970), Actor - *Pyasi Shaam* (1969), as Raja - *Chirag* (1969), as Ajay Singh - *Meri Bhabhi* (1969), as Rajoo - *Darpan* (1969), Actor - *Bhai Bahen* (1969), as Surendra Pratap - *Padosan* (1968), as Bhola - *Gauri* (1968), Actor - *Hamraaz* (1967), as Kumar / S.N. Sinha - *Mehrban* (1967), as Kanhaiya - *Milan* (1967), as Gopikishan 'Gopi' - *Maitighar* (1966), Actor - *Amrapali* (1966), as Magadh Samrat Ajaatha Shatru - *Mera Saaya* (1966), as Thakur Rakesh Singh - *Gaban* (1966), Actor - *Khandan* (1965), Actor - *Waqt* (1965), as Ravi - *Beti Bete* (1964), as Ramu/Krishna - *Yaadein* (1964), as Anil · Director, Producer - *Gazal* (1964), as Ejaz - *Mujhe Jeene Do* (1963), Actor - *Gumrah* (1963), as Rajendra - *Aaj Aur Kal* (1963), Actor - *Nartakee* (1963), as Prof. Nirmal Kumar - *Yeh Rastey Hain Pyar Ke* (1963), as Anilkumar G. Sahni - *Main Chup Rahungi* (1962), as Kamal Kumar - *Jhoola* (1962), as Dr. Arun - *Chhaya* (1961), as Arun/Rahee - *Usne Kaha Tha* (1960), Actor - *Hum Hindustani* (1960), Actor - *Ek Phool Char Kaante* (1960), as Sanjeev - *Sujata* (1959), as Adhir - *Didi* (1959), as Gopal - *Insaan Jaag Utha* (1959), Actor - *Sadhna* (1958), as Mohan - *Mother India* (1957), as Birju — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/mother-india.md) - *Payal* (1957), Actor - *Ek-Hi-Rasta* (1956), Actor - *Kismet ka Khel* (1956), Actor - *Kundan* (1955), as Amrit - *Railway Platform* (1955), as Ram ## Gallery - ![Sunil Dutt](https://film.one/media/person/3875717/gallery-93894efddcca.jpg) Sunil Dutt — Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/Sunil_Dutt_cropped_face.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) - ![Sunil Dutt](https://film.one/media/person/3875717/gallery-32e3e07ee641.jpg) Sunil Dutt — Image via TMDB ## Awards ### Other awards — 1 won - Padma Shri in arts 1968: Padma Shri in arts (won) *From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.* --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/sunil-dutt