Pyaasa

Pyaasa

Film poster
Directed by Guru Dutt
Produced by Guru Dutt
Written by Abrar Alvi
Starring Guru Dutt
Mala Sinha
Waheeda Rehman
Johnny Walker
Rehman
Music by S. D. Burman
Cinematography V.K. Murthy
Editing by Y. G. Chawhan
Release date(s) February 19, 1957
Running time 146 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi

Pyaasa (Hindi: प्यासा; Urdu: پیاسا; English: The Thirsty) is a 1957 Indian film produced and directed by Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of struggling poet, Vijay (Guru Dutt), trying to make his works known in post-independence India. Gulabo (Waheeda Rehman in her first major leading role in Hindi cinema), a prostitute with a heart of gold,[1] eventually helps him get his poems published. The music was composed by S.D. Burman.

With the commercial success of thrillers like Baazi, Jaal, Aar Paar and C.I.D. as well as comedies like Mr. & Mrs. '55, Guru Dutt and his studio were financially secure and established. From 1957, he could now make movies he really wanted to make, including Pyaasa. In 2002, Pyaasa was ranked at #160 on the Sight & Sound critics' and directors' poll of all-time greatest films.[2] In 2005, Pyaasa was rated as one of the 100 best films of all time by Time Magazine, which called it "the soulfully romantic of the lot."[3] Indiatimes Movies ranks the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.[4] On the occasion of Valentine's Day 2011 Time magazine has declared it as one of the top 10 romantic movies of all time.

Contents

Plot

Vijay (Guru Dutt) is an unsuccessful poet whose works are not taken seriously by publishers or his brothers (who sell his poems as waste paper). Unable to bear their taunting that he is a good-for-nothing, he stays away from home and is often out on the streets. He encounters a good-hearted prostitute named Gulabo (Waheeda Rehman), who is enamoured with his poetry and falls in love with him. He also encounters his ex-girlfriend Meena (Mala Sinha) from college and finds out that she is married to a big publisher Mr. Ghosh (Rehman) for financial security, who hires him as a servant to find out more about him and Meena. A dead beggar to whom Vijay gave his coat and whom he tries to save unsuccessfully from the path of a running train is mistaken for Vijay. Gulabo goes to Ghosh and gets his poems published. Ghosh does so feeling he can exploit the poems and make a killing. But Vijay is alive and in hospital after the train mishap.

Ghosh and Shyam, Vijay's close friend, refuse to recognise him and he is committed to a mental asylum since he insists he is Vijay and is thought to be mad. Vijay's brothers too are bought off by Ghosh not to recognize him and a memorial is held for the dead poet. Vijay with the help of his friend Abdul Sattar (Johnny Walker) escapes from the mental asylum and reaches the memorial service where he denounces this corrupt and materialistic world. Seeing that Vijay is alive his friend and brothers take side with a rival publisher for more money and declare this is Vijay. At a function to honour him, Vijay becomes sick of all the hypocrisy in the world around him and declares he is not Vijay. He then leaves with Gulabo to start a new life.

Production

In the original ending Guru Dutt wanted to show that Vijay left all alone but on the distributors' insistence the ending was changed. The film was originally titled Pyaas (thirst), but Guru Dutt later changed it to Pyaasa to better describe the film.[5]

The role of Shyam was originally to be played by Guru Dutt's real life friend, Johny Walker but was then assigned to one of Guru Dutt's assistant directors. Guru Dutt wanted to film red light area scenes on locations in Kolkata (then Calcutta) but the crew was attacked by a group of pimps. Guru Dutt however recreated sets on the basis of photos taken at Kolkata.

It is also surprised that the story is based on the life of film's lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi who had failed affair with poet and writer Amrita Pritam during their college days.

Cast

Memorable quotes

Songs

The movie boasts one of the best performances of S.D. Burman, Sahir Ludhianvi, Geeta Dutt and Mohammed Rafi to produce one of the most lyrical Hindi musicals. Pyaasa marked the last collaboration of the long-lasting team of composer S D Burman and lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi.[6]

In 2004, the soundtrack for Pyaasa was chosen as one of "The Best Music in Film" by Sight & Sound, the British Film Institute magazine.[7]

Filmfare Award Nominations

The film then and now

Related films

References

  1. ^ Anindita Ghose (August 2006). "Of Names of Women in Hindi Cinema.: An Exploration in Semantics". e-Social Sciences. http://www.esocialsciences.com/data/articles/Document12592006460.2453272.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 
  2. ^ "2002 Sight & Sound Top Films Survey of 253 International Critics & Film Directors". Cinemacom. 2002. http://www.cinemacom.com/2002-sight-sound.html. Retrieved 2009-04-19. 
  3. ^ "The Complete List." All-Time 100 Movies Time Magazine. 2005
  4. ^ "25 Must See Bollywood Movies - Special Features-Indiatimes - Movies". The Times Of India. http://movies.indiatimes.com/Special_Features/25_Must_See_Bollywood_Movies/articleshow/msid-1250837,curpg-20.cms. 
  5. ^ Lots in a movie name
  6. ^ Pyaasa
  7. ^ Olivier Assayas (September 2004). "The Best Music in Film". Sight & Sound. http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/filmmusic/detail.php?t=d&q=6. Retrieved 2009-04-26. 
  8. ^ Pyaasa: Guru Dutt's masterpiece
  9. ^ http://www.3to6.com/final_retro/legend.htm
  10. ^ Embassy Of India - Paris
  11. ^ "All-Time 100 Movies". Time. http://www.time.com/time/2005/100movies/0,23220,ratethis,00.html. Retrieved 2010-05-22. 
  12. ^ a b c "Kavyamela 1965". The Hindu. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
  13. ^ "The dream merchant turns 85". The Hindu. Retrieved 2011-03-17.
  14. ^ Telugu Cinema - Research - Analysis - Over dose of love stories

External links