Waheeda Rehman suggests Pankaj Tripathi for Guru Dutt biopic
Waheeda Rehman suggests Pankaj Tripathi for Guru Dutt biopic
Waheeda Rehman shares her work experience with Guru Dutt on his 100th birth anniversary
The day 9 July marked the 100th birth anniversary of late legendary filmmaker Guru Dutt. Waheeda Rehman shared her work experience with the legendary filmmaker. The actress credits film ‘Pyaasa’ her favourite and recollected her three-year contract with him.
A biopic on the legendary filmmaker is on the cards and Waheeda Rehman couldn’t think of a matured actor other than actors like Pankaj Tripathi for his biopic.
On the occasion of Guru Dutt’s 100th birth anniversary the veteran actress looked back at the filmmaker who shaped some of the most memorable roles of her career.
Interacting with the media on the occasion
she said, that It’s really nice that people remember it’s going to be 100 years. When she started working with him, at that time nobody knew, not even him, that he will be making such great classic movies. She was so fortunate to have been a part of them.
As of today, people talk about ‘Pyaasa’ and others. Her first film with him was ‘CID’, then came ‘Pyaasa’ and it was on a three-year contract with him.
When talks were going on of a biopic being on Guru Dutt’s life, possibly Vicky Kaushal’s name figured in the lead. When asked who she thinks should play the role, Waheeda with no hesitation named Pankaj Tripathi. Other that she took were Naseeruddin Shah or Pankaj Kapur. All of them have maturity on their face and in their work. Today’s youngsters are very young to play him, one needs a certain maturity. Young actors won’t be able to do it.
Many people have spoken about Guru Dutt’s personal struggles over the years, but Waheeda remembers him as a quiet and sensitive person. She shared, Guru Dutt was very understanding about an actor’s problems. Once, she couldn’t scream in a scene. He was surprised and said,
A 17-year-old girl can’t scream?’ she told him she couldn’t, and he calmly changed the scene. Another time, she had to run downstairs and speak, but she struggled and her mother, who was on set, told Guru Waheeda was slightly asthmatic. Then he said, ‘that a director should be updated on these things,’ and changed the scene to suit her.
Waheeda also recalled Guru Dutt’s creativity and how he once made a bold move to improve a film even after its release. “’Chaudhvin Ka Chaand’ was shot in black and white. Later, Guru Dutt decided to reshoot the title song in colour and add it to the running film. That idea worked and people returned to theatres again and again just to watch that song – Chaudhvin Ka Chaand”
His films are still studied in film schools, even abroad. Waheeda shared a surprising memory from her trip to Paris: She was walking with her sister on Champs-Elyses road and suddenly saw her face on a poster. They went inside to ask, and the person told us that on weekends they screen Indian films, especially ‘Pyaasa’ and Satyajit Ray films, as French filmmakers and students love them. She was shocked – he didn’t recognise her because she was wearing a saree!
Waheeda, who was just a teenager when she started working with him, featured in classics like ‘Pyaasa’ (1957), ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ (1959), ‘Chaudhvin Ka Chand’ (1960), and ‘Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam’ (1962).
News Edit KV Raman
