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It's about time dad got recognition: J.P. Dutta
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service

Mumbai, June 15 (IANS) This year at the 7th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Dubai, director-writer O.P. Dutta will be honoured with a lifetime achievement award.

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At the age of 82, Dutta continues to be supremely active in his son's (J.P. Dutta) cinema - he has penned the Urdu dialogues of J.P.'s latest period film "Umrao Jaan" starring Aishwarya Rai in the title role. The film will be screened at the IIFA.

"It's about time my dad got some recognition. Do you know he's been an active part of the film industry for more than 50 years? He has directed eight-nine films and written dialogues for all my films, including 'Umrao Jaan', J.P. told IANS.

"Still when he heard he was being honoured at IIFA do you know what dad's reaction was? 'Why should I be honoured? I have given nothing to the industry. The industry has given so much to me'.

"Lately, I have discovered some startling facts about my father. No one knows he directed the first Indo-Pakistan film. It was called 'Anokhee' and it was shot in 1956 in Karachi with India's Sheila Ramani and a cast of Pakistani actors. Even I tried to do something to bring the two countries together in 'Border' and 'Refugee' many years ago."

Javed Akhtar, who pens lyrics regularly for J.P.'s films, will probably give a speech on the prolific Dutta.

"You know when dad and Javed saab get together they talk about such amazing incidents and events in our cinema. I feel so small in front of them. Even at his age you have to see how lucid dad's writing is in 'Umrao Jaan'."