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Geeta Roy (she was Roy before she married Guru Dutt) moved to Bombay with her family. Their neighbour, composer Hunuman Prasad offered Geeta a chance to sing in `Bhakt Prahlad` in 1946. Soon, the lilting song from 'Do Bhai', Mera sunder sapna beet gaya, in 1947 and her bhajans in 'Jogan' established her as a singer.
And in 1953, she married Guru Dutt, the man she loved. Her songs like 'Tadbeer si bigdi hui taqdeer bana de', 'Babuji dheere chalna' and 'Thandi hawa kaali ghata' became major hits. But her happiness was short-lived. In 1956, with CID, Waheeda Rehman entered Guru Dutt's life and films.
Ironically, without realising the intensity of their relationship, Geeta initially helped to establish Waheeda's screen image by lending her voice to her songs in 'Pyaasa' and 'Kagaz Ke Phool' in 1957, like 'Aaj sajan mohe ang laga lo' and 'Waqt ne kiya kya haseen situm'.
In 1962, when things got worse, she refused to sing for Waheeda for her film, 'Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam'. Instead, Asha Bhosle sang numbers like 'Bhanwara bada nadaan', for the film. Soon, Geeta's professional life ran into troubled waters. Her husband Guru Dutt did not encourage her to sing for films other than his own and music directors like S D Burman and O P Nayyar prefered Asha Bhosle to her. Unable to cope with her personal and professional frustrations, she became a nervous wreck.
However, when Guru Dutt returned to Geeta, after his split with Waheeda Rehman, a strong-willed Geeta refused to live with him. Guru Dutt even launched a film, 'Gauri' with Geeta as the heroine but after his shocking suicide, she showed no interest in completing the film.
At the age of 36, she decided to act, and made her debut in the Bengali film, 'Badhu Baran'. But her heart lay in trying her luck as a singer. Despite some beautiful songs in 'Anubhav' in 1971, the offers tapered off. Disappointed and disillusioned, in 1972, she gave up the struggle and surrendered to death. .
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