Guru Dutt – the name of one of the best film-makers of Hindi Film Industry brings a flood of emotions to our mind once we start thinking about his films full of love, life, joy, passion, pain, agony and loneliness.
Reading the above introduction, the youngsters today might consider his films as pretty slow, artistic and depressing. But for them I would like to say that Guru Dutt was certainly one of those few passionate Indian film-makers who were just here amongst us to make films and probably the only one who also died due to his same passion of making true to life motion pictures and nothing else. And even today if one wishes to learn the finer details of the actual film-making or the real art of cinema (other than the present commercial, business ventures) then he or she can easily find a passionate teacher as Guru Dutt still alive in all his masterpieces made straight from the heart. So unarguably you can learn a lot about life, its truths and its hardships through Guru Dutt’s precious gems such as PYAASA, KAAGAZ KE PHOOL and SAHIB BIBI AUR GHULAM which would continue to enlighten many students of cinema for generations to come.
Unfortunately, since Guru Dutt committed suicide in an early age of 39 in the year 1964, so (probably) we don’t have any interview or personal footage of the maestro speaking about his own films and on his passion for film-making recorded on the camera. Hence all we have got are his family members, close friends, work associates and other people related to his films, who can share their own personal experiences of living those insightful years with the master film-maker in his prime time.
Thankfully, this important documentation of compiling all the exclusive information through various interviews of people related with Guru Dutt was done by Munni Nasreen Kabir in 1989 after almost 25 years of his demise. It is a widely appreciated documentary titled “In Search Of Guru Dutt” made for Channel 4 TV (UK) which has testimonies, interviews, anecdotes, trivia and other rare unknown facts about one of the most respected and adored directors of Indian Cinema.
To be precise, watching this well directed documentary is probably the best way to know more about the maestro who actually started the new age wave of cinema in our part of the world with his though provoking films talking about life in a straight truthful manner. It reveals a lot of secrets behind many famous sequences and songs which are both educative and inspiring. For instance, how the song “Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Hasin Sitam” was actually written by Kaifi Azmi or how Guru Dutt once declared “Pack Up” for the whole day, just for not finding the right camera angle for his shot.
The actual fact is that biographical books and documentaries like these remain our only way of having a direct contact with such master film-makers who were way ahead of their times. And if you are really a keen lover of Indian Cinema then this Documentary gives you another chance to know Guru Dutt more closely, as seen from the eyes of his relatives, friends and associate contributors to his films.
The Documentary DVD has now been released in India (after more than two decades) in a beautiful exclusive pack by Shemaroo Entertainment Company which also has a small book with few rare pictures from the master’s life. And I don’t think any true lover of Indian Cinema can really afford to miss watching this important work of Munni Nasreen Kabir about the man who could have given much much more to Hindi Cinema had he lived a few more decades for his own love for the art and his fans………..!
"Rehne Ko Sada Dehar Mein Aata Nahin Koi,
Tum Jaise Gaye Aisey Bhi Jaata Nahin Koi,
Ik Baar To Khud Maut Bhi Ghabra Gayi Hogi,
Yun Maut Ko Seeney Se Lagata Nahin Koi" - (Kaifi Azmi)
Surely a must watch treat for everyone loving the Golden Era of Indian Cinema and its master film-makers.
Directed By Nasreen Munni Kabir
Produced By Hypen Films Ltd. for Channel 4, UK.
Tags :
In Search of Guru Dutt, A Documentary on the Life and Works of Guru Dutt, Movies To See Before You Die Biographical, Must See Films List by Bobby Sing, Must Watch Documentaries on Hindi Cinema, Documentaries on Indian Cinema and its master film-makers.
