Legendary actor-filmmaker Guru Dutt’s .
cinematic masterpiece Pyaasa clocked 69 years since its release.
Released on February 19, 1957, it was initially a moderate success but has since been hailed as a global top 100 classic. It is celebrated for its haunting poetry, unflinching look at a materialistic society, and powerful performances by Waheeda Rehman and Mala Sinha.
Pyaasa is frequently described as a masterpiece.
The writer celebrated this anniversary with their first-hand accounts of how a film “isn’t just made, but simply happens.”
Waheeda Rehman who played the streetwalker with a heart of gold in the film
says such films are not made consciously.
Nobody says, ‘Let’s make a classic.’ When Guru Dutt offered her ‘Pyaasa’, she wasn’t sure she could pull it off. The behaviour, body language and attitude of a streetwalker were alien to her and she never thought she could do it. But Guru Duttji was confident. He told her to leave it to him and she surrendered to his vision. She did exactly what he asked her. All those expressions in the song “Jaane kya main suni” are the director’s. She did only what she was told.
*Mala Sinha who played the protagonist Vijay’s girlfriend who dumps him for a more successful man, says she was warned against doing the role. “she was told to stay away. They said it was a vampish role. Ladki pyar paise ke liye gawa deti hai. The girl sacrifices love for financial security. But she eventually said yes for two reasons. Firstly, who says no to Guru Dutt? Secondly, she sensed that the character was thinking practically. She was ahead of her times. Many of her roles were seen as too progressive for their times. When she did ‘Dhool Ka Phool’, she was told her career was over for playing an unwed mother. Later Sharmila Tagore played the unwed mother in Aradhana (the role was first offered to her). Then later Preity Zinta also played an unwed mother in some film (‘Kya Kehnaa’). As for ‘Pyaasa,’ it is one of her most favourite films and characters. The other female protagonist (Waheeda Rehman) got all the sympathy. But she thinks she pulled off a tough part without seeming a shrew.
As Pyaasa enters its 70th year, it remains a haunting reminder that while the world may often ignore the poet, Guru Dutt’s vision and the brilliant women who brought it to life, will never be forgotten.
Pyaasa released in 1957 is a timeless cinematic masterpiece directed by and featuring Guru Dutt as Vijay, a struggling poet whose work is only appreciated after he is mistakenly presumed dead.
The film is viewed not as a nostalgic piece but as a contemporary reflection on the commodification of art, the loneliness of integrity, and the selfishness of a society that values wealth over humanity.
Guru Dutt’s use of light and shadow,, cinematography by V.K. Murthy, and Sahir Ludhianvi’s poetic lyrics are highlighted as creating a “film-noir” quality that captures the agony of the poet. The film, particularly the climax where the poet rejects the hypocritical world, serves as a “wake-up call” and a “poetic protest” against materialism.
“Pyaasa” recognized by Time magazine as one of the top 100 films of all time, is celebrated as a “soul-searching poem” that continues to resonate across generations.
News Edit KV Raman
