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Guru Dutt is remembered in the history of Indian cinema
as the brooding romantic hero who attempted to reflect
the changing social situation in India in the fifties.
In his short life span, he created some of India's most
socially-conscious movies like Pyaasa (1957),
Kaagaz ke Phool (1960) and Baazi (1951).
He also introduced Waheeda Rehman in CID
(1956) and propelled her to stardom through his films.
Now The Hyderabad Film Club is screening the films of
Guru Dutt in a festival titled 'Guru Dutt Film Festival'
which began on September 20 at Hari Hara Kala Bhavan,
Secunderabad. Overall nine notable films of Guru Dutt
will be screened as part of the festival.
 Born
in Calcutta in 1925, Guru Dutt worked as a telephone
operator before he embarked on his career as an actor
and director in 1944. The fifties was the time when
India, under Nehru's brand of socialism, was embarking
on massive industrialization. The conventional wisdom
has it that rapid changes introduced by industrialisation
were undermining 'traditional values'. What is certain
is that industrialisation, and the accompanying migration
from rural to urban areas, was creating -- as it still
does in India -- new social norms. In the urban environment,
new social relations developed. It is, therefore, not
surprising that a recurring theme in his films is the
attraction, bound to be fatal, that develops between
a middle class girl and a tough but likable character
from the lower class. His most memorable movie in this
genre is probably Pyaasa. Inspired by Sarat Chandra's
novel, Srikanta, it depicts the romance between a poet
and a prostitute.
 Guru
Dutt's films are also said to be marked by a certain
nostalgia, most evident in Sahib, Bibi aur Gulam,
a film that explores the decline of feudal landed family.
An aristocratic demeanor and a flair for style, characterize
this film. "In all of his films, Guru Dutt showed
mastery over cinematic elements, from lighting and camera-work
to film composition; and every film bears the unmistakable
imprint of his work. Though not known widely outside
India, Guru Dutt's work compares with that of any director
working at that time around the world," said
Mr Prakash Reddy, Secretary, Hyderabad Film Club throwing
some light on Guru Dutt's work. Guru Dutt's brilliant
career came to a premature end with his suicide, following
a protracted struggle with alcoholism, in 1964.
The list of Guru Dutt films to be screened at Hari
Hara Kala Bhavan are:
20-09-2001-Pyaasa, 21-09-2001-CID, 22-09-2001-Sahib
Bibi Aur Gulam, 23-09-2001-Kagaz Ke Phool, 24-09-2001-Mr
& Mrs 55, 25-09-2001-Aar Paar, 26-09-2001-Chaudhwin
Ka Chand, 27-09-2001-Baazi, 28-09-2001-Bharosa, 29-09-2001-Pyaasa.
All films will be screened at 6:30 pm.
MAR Fareed
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