Guru Dutt is now named along with the masters of world cinema like Orson Welles, Mizoguchi, Hitchcock, Jancso, Ophuls for his innovative cinematic form and his deep humanism and compassion. In Guru Dutt: A Tragedy in Three Acts, renowned film-maker and scholar Arun Khopkar sheds new light on Dutts genius through a close examination of Dutts three best-known films Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool and Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam. With a nuanced eye, Khopkar explores the historical context which influenced Dutts deeply melancholic style while also analyzing the intricacies of the medium acting, lighting, music, editing, rhythm that Dutt carefully deployed to create his masterpieces. Originally written in Marathi, this exquisite English translation paints a layered portrait of a troubled genius for whom art was not merely a thing of beauty but a vital part of living itself.