The truth at 72: Anjan Dutt releases autobiography
The legendary polymath of Bangali culture, Anjan Dutt, has chosen his seventy-second year to pull back the curtain on a life lived loudly in the spotlight. His long-awaited autobiography, 'Anjan Niye', was officially launched on 15 January at the Oxford Bookstore on Kolkata's Park Street, marking a definitive milestone for a man who has spent over four decades as a singer, songwriter, actor, and director.
Accompanied by the esteemed actress and filmmaker Aparna Sen at a special event titled 'Bahatture Anjan', Dutt presented the memoir as a race against time and temperament. He explained that writing the book now, just days before his seventy-third birthday, was a strategic choice to preserve his characteristic wit and objectivity.
"I felt that if I waited any longer, I might not be able to do it," Dutt admitted with his trademark candour. "Later on, I may become more sentimental, my sense of humour may fade, and I might say more than necessary. I wanted to capture the truth as it is, and that is precisely what I have done."
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Published by De'j Publications, the memoir promises more than just a chronological list of career achievements. While his mentorship under the great Mrinal Sen is well-documented in Bangali cultural history, 'Anjan Niye' dives into the lesser-known corners of his journey.
Readers can expect "unusual and interesting" anecdotes regarding his interactions with the maestro Satyajit Ray, alongside detailed accounts of his formative professional years working in Germany. Dutt believes these international experiences and high-profile interactions are essential for fans to understand him "comprehensively."
For admirers of his urban folk music and his gritty, realist cinema, the book serves as a bridge between the artist's public output and his private reflections.
Dutt expressed a particular desire to reach the younger generation of creators, hoping they might find clarity in his vision, struggles, and inspirations.
As he prepares to enter his seventy-third year, Anjan Niye stands as a definitive self-portrait of one of India's most versatile cultural figures, ensuring his complex legacy is told in his own, unfiltered voice.
