Guru Dutt team
Encyclopedia
The Guru Dutt team is a group of people Guru Dutt
created for some of his finest works. The death of Guru Dutt cut short more works. What the team created is considered to forever have left its mark on Indian cinema
as well as world cinema
.
, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
, Kaagaz Ke Phool
and Pyaasa
. Pyaasa is ranked among the top 100 movies of all times by Time magazine. Much of their work found critical appreciation long after these movies were made. Movies such as Kaagaz Ke Phool, which was a huge commercial failure of its days, found critical and commercial success when it was re-released in the 1980s in Europe. Guru Dutt has a huge fan-following in France, Germany and Japan, where his movie festivals are held occasionally.
when he was 39 years old.
Post his death, only a few of the members were able to achieve the critical acclaim they did as a team. Partly the reason was Guru Dutt's eye for detail. Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool are an inspiration for directors even today. The exceptions were S.D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi
, Hemant Kumar and Mohammad Rafi who were already established when Guru Dutt
entered film making. Waheeda Rehman
may be debatable, however none of her future roles would give her same critical acclaim as under the team. V.K.Murthy continued work with Promod Chakravarthy but his notable work was in Tamas
(1987), directed by his erstwhile assistant Govind Nihalani
.
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
created for some of his finest works. The death of Guru Dutt cut short more works. What the team created is considered to forever have left its mark on Indian cinema
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
as well as world cinema
World cinema
World cinema is a term used primarily in English language speaking countries to refer to the films and film industries of non-English speaking countries. It is therefore often used interchangeably with the term foreign film...
.
About
Some well-known movies the team created are Chaudhvin Ka ChandChaudhvin Ka Chand
Chaudhvin Ka Chand is a 1960 Hindi feature film directed by Mohammed Sadiq. A production of Guru Dutt, the film centers on a love triangle between Guru Dutt, Rehman and Waheeda Rehman, and features music by Ravi. Farida Jalal is a guest appearance in the film, her debut...
, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. It is based on a Bengali novel, Shaheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra, and is a look into the tragic fall of the haveli-dom and feudalism in Bengal during the British Raj...
, Kaagaz Ke Phool
Kaagaz Ke Phool
Kaagaz Ke Phool, , is a 1959 Hindi film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film .The film was a box office disaster of its time but was later resurrected as a world cinema cult classic in the 1980s. The film's music was composed by S. D...
and Pyaasa
Pyaasa
Pyaasa is a 1957 Indian film produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of struggling poet, Vijay , trying to make his works known in post-independence India...
. Pyaasa is ranked among the top 100 movies of all times by Time magazine. Much of their work found critical appreciation long after these movies were made. Movies such as Kaagaz Ke Phool, which was a huge commercial failure of its days, found critical and commercial success when it was re-released in the 1980s in Europe. Guru Dutt has a huge fan-following in France, Germany and Japan, where his movie festivals are held occasionally.
The team
- Writer : Abrar AlviAbrar AlviAbrar Alvi was an Indian film writer, director and actor. Most of his notable works are from the 1950s, 1960s done with Guru Dutt. He wrote some of the most respected works of Indian cinema, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Kaagaz Ke Phool, and Pyaasa which have an avid following world over...
- Directorial : Raj KhoslaRaj KhoslaRaj Khosla was one of the top directors, producer and screenwriter in Hindi films from the 1950s to the 1980s. He was known for bringing in ‘neo-noir’ and style in Indian cinema since black & white times, and also as a "women's director" because he showcased actresses at their best. He is often...
, Abrar AlviAbrar AlviAbrar Alvi was an Indian film writer, director and actor. Most of his notable works are from the 1950s, 1960s done with Guru Dutt. He wrote some of the most respected works of Indian cinema, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Kaagaz Ke Phool, and Pyaasa which have an avid following world over... - Cinematography : V.K. Murthy
- Actor(s) : Waheeda RehmanWaheeda RehmanWaheeda Rehman , is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood movies and is known for many successful and critically acclaimed movies from 1950's, 60's and early 70's most notably C.I.D. and Guru Dutt classics such as Pyaasa , 12 O'Clock , Kaagaz Ke Phool , Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam...
, Johnny WalkerJohnny Walker (actor)Johnny Walker is the screen name of an Indian movie comedian, who acted in over 300 movies. He was born as Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi in Indore, India, the son of a mill worker. The family shifted to Mumbai when the textile mill his father worked in closed...
, RehmanRehmanRehman was an Indian film actor whose career spanned from late 1940s through to late 1970s. He was an integral part of the Guru Dutt team, and most known for his roles in films, like Pyaasa , Chaudhvin Ka Chand , Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam and Waqt... - Singer : Geeta DuttGeeta DuttGeetā Dutt was a prominent singer in India. She found particular prominence as a playback singer in Hindi cinema...
, Mohammad Rafi - Music : O. P. NayyarO. P. NayyarOmkar Prasad Nayyar was an Indian film music director and composer born in Lahore, India, now in modern day Pakistan. He was particularly acclaimed for his peppy numbers.-Career:...
, S.D. Burman, Hemant Kumar - Lyrics : Sahir LudhianviSahir LudhianviSahir Ludhianvi was a popular Urdu poet and Hindi lyricist and songwriter. Sahir Ludhianvi is his pseudonym...
, Kaifi AzmiKaifi AzmiKaifi Azmi was an Indian Urdu poet. He is considered to be one the greatest Urdu poets of 20th century. Together with Pirzada Qasim, Jon Eliya and many others he participated in many memorable mushairas of 20th century.-Early life:... - Editor : Y.G. Chawhan
- Art Director : Biren Naag ( worked as Art Director on Dutt's five films)
Notable works
- BaaziBaaziBaazi is a 1951 Indian Hindi film directed by Guru Dutt. Dev Anand's Navketan production house produced the movie, and as per a commitment given by Dev Anand to Guru Dutt in their days of struggle, the movie was directed by Dutt....
(1951) - JaalJaalJaal may refer to:* Jaal * Jaal * Jaal * Jaal: The Trap...
(1952) - BaazBaazBaaz is an Hindi film released in 1953, directed by Guru Dutt. This film is Guru Dutt's first starring film, an action film packed with adventure staged mainly on a ship.-Plot:The 16th century, the Malabar Coast...
(1953) - Aar PaarAar PaarAar-Paar is a 1954 Indian Hindi-language film. Directed by Guru Dutt, the film has music by O.P. Nayyar and lyrics by Majrooh Sultanpuri. A light-hearted film , Aar-Paar stars Johnny Walker, Shyama, Shakila, Jagdeep, Jagdish Sethi, Bir Sakuja, Rajendra, Amir Banu, Rashid Khan, M.A...
(1954) - Mr. & Mrs. '55Mr. & Mrs. '55Mr. & Mrs. '55 is a 1955 Bollywood film by director Guru Dutt. Guru Dutt stars alongside Madhubala, supported by Lalita Pawar, Johnny Walker and Jagdeep in this socially critical romantic comedy set in contemporary Bombay. The films music is by O. P...
(1955) - C.I.D. (1956)
- PyaasaPyaasaPyaasa is a 1957 Indian film produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of struggling poet, Vijay , trying to make his works known in post-independence India...
(1957) - Kaagaz Ke PhoolKaagaz Ke PhoolKaagaz Ke Phool, , is a 1959 Hindi film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the lead role in the film .The film was a box office disaster of its time but was later resurrected as a world cinema cult classic in the 1980s. The film's music was composed by S. D...
(1959) - Chaudhvin Ka ChandChaudhvin Ka ChandChaudhvin Ka Chand is a 1960 Hindi feature film directed by Mohammed Sadiq. A production of Guru Dutt, the film centers on a love triangle between Guru Dutt, Rehman and Waheeda Rehman, and features music by Ravi. Farida Jalal is a guest appearance in the film, her debut...
(1960) - Sahib Bibi Aur GhulamSahib Bibi Aur GhulamSahib Bibi Aur Ghulam is a 1962 Indian Hindi film produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Abrar Alvi. It is based on a Bengali novel, Shaheb Bibi Golam by Bimal Mitra, and is a look into the tragic fall of the haveli-dom and feudalism in Bengal during the British Raj...
(1962) - Baharen Phir Bhi AayengiBaharen Phir Bhi AayengiBaharen Phir Bhi Aayengi is a 1966 Hindi-language film. Produced by Guru Dutt and directed by Shaheed Latif. It stars Mala Sinha, Dharmendra, Tanuja, and Rehman. The film is still remembered for its music is by O.P...
(1966) - Released post death of Guru DuttGuru DuttVasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
Post Guru Dutt's death
The magic of the team dissipated after the death of Guru DuttGuru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
when he was 39 years old.
Post his death, only a few of the members were able to achieve the critical acclaim they did as a team. Partly the reason was Guru Dutt's eye for detail. Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool are an inspiration for directors even today. The exceptions were S.D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi
Sahir Ludhianvi
Sahir Ludhianvi was a popular Urdu poet and Hindi lyricist and songwriter. Sahir Ludhianvi is his pseudonym...
, Hemant Kumar and Mohammad Rafi who were already established when Guru Dutt
Guru Dutt
Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone , popularly known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer and actor. He is often credited with ushering in the golden era of Hindi cinema...
entered film making. Waheeda Rehman
Waheeda Rehman
Waheeda Rehman , is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood movies and is known for many successful and critically acclaimed movies from 1950's, 60's and early 70's most notably C.I.D. and Guru Dutt classics such as Pyaasa , 12 O'Clock , Kaagaz Ke Phool , Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam...
may be debatable, however none of her future roles would give her same critical acclaim as under the team. V.K.Murthy continued work with Promod Chakravarthy but his notable work was in Tamas
Tamas
Tamas may refer to:* Tamas , the philosophical concept of darkness and death, the lowest of the three gunas.* Tamas , a highly acclaimed 1987 TV series/movie about the Partition of India directed by Govind Nihalani....
(1987), directed by his erstwhile assistant Govind Nihalani
Govind Nihalani
Govind Nihalani is an Indian director, cinematographer, and also a screenwriter and film producer. He has been directing Hindi films since the late seventies, and worked in the television medium.- Biography :...
.
Further reading
- Guru Dutt, 1925-1965: A Monograph, by Firoze Rangoonwalla, National Film Archive of IndiaNational Film Archive of IndiaThe National Film Archive of India was established as a media unit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in February 1964. Its three principal objectives are* To trace, acquire and preserve for posterity the heritage of Indian cinema;...
, Govt. of India, 1973. - Guru Dutt, un grand cinéaste encore pratiquement inconnu hors de l’Inde, by Henri Micciollo, Films sans Frontières, 1984.
- Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema, by Nasreen Munni Kabir, Oxford University Press, 1997, ISBN 0-19-564274-0.
- In Black and White: Hollywood and the Melodrama of Guru Dutt, by Darius Cooper, Seagull Books, 2005. ISBN 81-7046-217-7.
- Yours Guru Dutt: Intimate Letters of a Great Indian Filmmaker, by Nasreen Munni Kabir, Lustre Press, Roli Books, 2006. ISBN 81-7436-388-2.
- Ten Years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi's journey, by Sathya Saran. 2008, Penguin, ISBN 0-670-08221-X.