When O.P.Dutta thought why he ever gave birth to his son J.P.Dutta 
By IndiaFM News Bureau, November 1, 2006 - 10:34 IST
Every filmmaker has his own unique style of working. Some filmmakers make shooting a light and fun filled process
while some are hard taskmasters and plan everything well in advance. But then there are also some who like to let things
happen spontaneously. J.P. Dutta is one such director. He never comes on set with preconceived notions. Though he
is well prepared about what he is going to shoot on a particular day, he does not plan how he is going to take the shots.
He never works out any shot in advance. He rather believes in keeping things spontaneous and letting them happen on
sets. Says J.P.Dutta, “I improvise a lot on the set because there are so many ideas one tends to get when it one is in the
actual atmosphere.”
The people from cast and crew who have been working regularly with Dutta are very much aware of this habit of his.
Since, he lets things happen on the sets itself, there are times when what he wants to film comes in divergence with what
had been written earlier, leading to rewriting of the scene again. It is this habit of J.P.Dutta that gave his father O.P.Dutta a
real hard time while making Umrao Jaan, who is also the writer of the film. Adds J.P. Dutta, “There have been
times when I have made my father write and re-write a scene 4 to 5 times.”
In fact, it was during one such occasion when on the sets, Shabana Azmi noticed O.P.Dutta writing feverishly. She was
very much aware of J.P.Dutta’s working style and therefore immediately chided him saying, “Don’t tell me you are
making him re-write yet again.” That was when J.P. smiled and said to Shabana, “Trust me, he is not writing a scene. He
must be writing why did I ever give birth to my son?”
But then J.P.Dutta shares an amazing rapport with his father. O.P Dutta has faith in his son and is sure that the outcome is
going to be brilliant. Justifying his style of working, J.P.Dutta says, “I feel that a Director’s unique sensibilities are his
biggest trump card …And one must fearlessly and unflinchingly be true to them.” And well that did work for him because
when O.P.Dutta saw Umrao Jaan, he was truly happy and proud of the way the film has shaped up. He in fact
gives full credit to his son, J.P.Dutta, for the film.
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