Pyaasa

For the 2002 film, see Pyaasa (2002 film).
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
Edited by Y. G. Chawhan
Release dates
  • 19 February 1957 (1957-02-19)
Running time
 146 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget ₹200 lakh (equivalent to ₹140 crore or US$21 million in 2016)
Box office ₹500 lakh (equivalent to ₹351 crore or US$52 million in 2016)

Pyaasa (Hindi: प्यासा Pyāsā, meaning "Thirsty") is a 1957 Indian film produced by, directed by, and starring Guru Dutt. The film tells the story of Vijay, a struggling poet trying to make his works known in post-independence India, and Gulabo, a prostitute with a heart of gold who 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 CID 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 No. 160 on the Sight & Sound critics' and directors' poll of all-time greatest films.[1] 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."[2] Indiatimes Movies ranks the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.[3] On the occasion of Valentine's Day 2011 Time magazine has declared it as one of the top 10 romantic movies of all time.[4]

Plot

Mala Sinha (right) and Waheeda Rehman (left) in the confrontation scene, which is considered one of the film's highlights.

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 has married a big publisher Mr. Ghosh (Rehman) for financial security. Ghosh 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. The poems are very successful. However, Vijay is alive and in the 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 recognise 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 surmised that the story is based on the life of film's lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi who had failed affair with poet and writer Amrita Pritam .

Cast

Guru Dutt and Mala Sinha in a scene of the film

Memorable quotes

Music

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 Burman and lyricist Ludhianvi.[7]

No.TitleSinger(s)Length
1."Aaj Sajan Mohe Ang Lagalo"  Geeta Dutt04:56
2."Ham Aapki Aankhon Me"  Geeta Dutt, Mohammad Rafi05:42
3."Jaane Kya Tune Kahi"  Geeta Dutt04:10
4."Jaane Woh Kaise Log"  Hemant Kumar04:49
5."Sar Jo Tera Chakraye"  Mohammad Rafi04:33
6."Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye"  Mohammad Rafi05:08
7."Ye Hanste Huye Phool"  Mohammad Rafi07:50
8."Jinhen Naaz Hai Hind Par"  Mohammad Rafi06:06
9."Tang Aa Chuke Hain Kashm-e-Kashe Zindagi Se"  Mohammad Rafi04:23

Music expert Rajesh Subramanian reveals that Guru Dutt wanted Rafi to sing "Jaane Woh Kaise Log". But Burman had decided to record it in Hemant Kumar's voice. A major argument took place between the director, composer, writer Abrar Alvi and Geeta Dutt. Finally Dutt, who remained unconvinced, had to give in to the pressure.

In 2004, the soundtrack for Pyaasa was chosen as one of "The Best Music in Film" by Sight & Sound, the British Film Institute magazine.[8]

The film then and now

(Source: ‘Ten Years with Guru Dutt – Abrar Alvi’s Journey’ an authorised biography by Sathya Saran, Pages 71 and 72)

Restoration

This film is restored & digitized by Mumbai-based Ultra Media & Entertainment. As per the report, the original camera negative had come to them from the archives completely melted, with parts damaged or lost. Their biggest challenge was the flickering. Every frame was at a different angle and there was no stability. After several clean-ups, they managed to retrieve the actual content from the original camera negative but it lacked clarity and depth. 45 restoration experts worked for almost 4 months over 2 lac frames. The original monaural soundtrack remastered at 24-bit from the 35 mm optical soundtrack. The company sent it to the 72nd Venice International Film Festival held in 2015 where it competed with 20 other films and was selected to be screened as part of the Venice Classics section aongwith 11 other films from all over the world.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "2002 Sight & Sound Top Films Survey of 253 International Critics & Film Directors". Cinemacom. 2002. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "The Complete List." All-Time 100 Movies Time magazine. 2005
  3. ↑ "25 Must See Bollywood Movies – Special Features-Indiatimes – Movies". The Times of India.
  4. ↑ Corliss, Richard (11 February 2007). "Son of the Sheik | Top 100 Romantic Movies | Entertainment | TIME.com". Entertainment.time.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  5. ↑ "Lots in a movie name". The Times of India. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  6. ↑ Anindita Ghose (August 2006). "Of Names of Women in Hindi Cinema.: An Exploration in Semantics" (PDF). e-Social Sciences. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
  7. ↑ "Pyaasa". Upperstall.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  8. ↑ Olivier Assayas (September 2004). "The Best Music in Film". Sight & Sound. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  9. ↑ "Pyaasa: Guru Dutt's masterpiece". Rediff.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  10. ↑ "Pyaasa". Upperstall.Com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  11. ↑ http://www.3to6.com/final_retro/legend.htm
  12. ↑ "Media & Culture > Bilateral Relations". Embassy Of India – Paris. Archived from the original on 26 August 2007.
  13. ↑ "All-Time 100 Movies". Time. 12 February 2005. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  14. ↑ "PYAASA GOES TO VENICE". Mumbai Mirror. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  15. 1 2 3 "Kavyamela 1965". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  16. ↑ "The dream merchant turns 85". The Hindu. Retrieved 17 March 2011.
  17. ↑ "Telugu Cinema – Research – Analysis – Over dose of love stories". Idlebrain.com. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
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