This top singer's husband cheated on her, she was forced to leave house, struggled with alcoholism, faced extreme poverty, died tragically at...; her name is...

Geeta Dutt was born as Geeta Ghosh Roy Chowdhuri on November 23, 1930, in Faridpur, now in Bangladesh. Her family later moved to Mumbai in the 1940s. It was here that music director Hanuman Prasad discovered her talent. Geeta gained instant recognition with the song Mera Sundar Sapna Beet Gaya from the film Do Bhai (1947). Her unique voice and emotional expression made her one of the top singers of the 1950s.

Despite her family’s opposition, Geeta married filmmaker Guru Dutt on May 26, 1953. They had three children, Tarun, Arun, and Nina. Geeta chose to focus on her family life, while Guru Dutt became consumed by his work.

However, their marriage soon started to suffer. Rumors about Guru Dutt’s affair with actress Waheeda Rehman caused more strain, and their relationship began to fall apart.

As tensions grew, financial problems also hit the couple. They were forced to vacate their bungalow. Guru Dutt moved into a rented flat, and Geeta returned with the children to her parents’ home.

During this time, Guru Dutt also struggled with depression and alcoholism. Waheeda reportedly distanced herself from him due to his unstable condition. He had already attempted suicide twice before his sudden death in 1964, widely believed to be suicide.

Guru Dutt’s death broke Geeta completely. Left alone to raise her three children, she also struggled emotionally and financially. Her singing career took a sharp dip.

Geeta tried to revive her work through stage shows, but her voice had weakened due to alcohol abuse. She couldn’t compete with rising stars like Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, and work offers became rare.

Geeta Dutt’s final years were filled with loneliness and pain. Her health worsened due to heavy drinking, and she suffered from cirrhosis of the liver. On July 20, 1972, she passed away at the age of just 41. Though her life ended in sadness, her voice still lives on in the hearts of music lovers across generations.