Sunil Dutt and Nargis shared one of Bollywood’s most iconic love stories. When they first met, he was just starting out while she was already a superstar. Their connection began on the set of Mehboob Khan’s classic film, ‘Mother India’.An unfortunate accident changed their lives forever. A fire broke out on set and Sunil bravely jumped in to save Nargis, risking his own life. As she looked after him during his recovery, something deeper grew between them. That was the moment she knew he was the one.The two got married in 1958 and built a beautiful life together. Their love stood the test of time—until Nargis sadly passed away in 1981, at the age of just 52. It was a loss that left Sunil shattered.Heartbreak before Sanjay Dutt’s big debutNargis lost her battle with cancer only days before her son Sanjay Dutt’s debut film ‘Rocky’ was released. Her death shook the entire family. Sunil Dutt, once a strong and loving presence, found himself unable to cope.In the book ‘Darlingji: The True Love Story Of Nargis & Sunil Dutt’, their eldest daughter Namrata Dutt shared with Kishwar Desai, “For years, my dad shut down. He could not sleep in the same room. He was in depression, he couldn’t work. He had done everything and he thought he could make her survive. He was truly finished. He didn’t talk to anybody, he used to go to office, go for walks. But he was very quiet.”Her sister Priya Dutt echoed those feelings in a later interview with Vickey Lalwani. “A little more than a year later, my father was a completely broken man. We were scared for him. What is he going to do? He used to wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning, and go to the kabristan, and just sit there alone. He couldn’t sleep at night, he couldn’t work, he couldn’t do anything.”Society wanted Sunil to remarryWhile Sunil was trying to piece his life back together, people around him started suggesting that he remarry. After all, he was only 52 and had three children to raise. Sanjay was struggling with drug addiction, Namrata was still in her late teens, and Priya was only a young teen. Life was difficult, and many believed a new partner might help him cope.One night, Nargis’ niece Zahida Hussain had a dream. In it, her aunt gave a clear and stern message from the other side. “Tell that uncle of yours, I will never leave him in peace if he remarries,” Zahida revealed.When Zahida shared this with Sunil, he was surprised but understood the message completely. “I told him and he said, ‘How come she came in your dream and not in mine? But how can I remarry? There will never be another Mrs Dutt in my life. Tell her to relax. I will never remarry,’” she said.True to his word, Sunil Dutt never remarried. His loyalty to Nargis was so strong that even death couldn’t break their bond. He stayed committed to her memory and raised their children with all the love he could give.
