Book review
 

Understanding Guru Dutt through Abrar Alvi’s Eyes

By

Randeep Wadehra

Ten years with Guru Dutt: Abrar Alvi’s journey by Sathya Saran
Penguin/Viking. Pages: xii+203. Price: Rs. 499/-

Cinema is a very sophisticated undertaking. Often described as the director’s medium it just cannot do without the contributions from other creative persons like story & screenplay writers, music directors, singers, actors, editors, camera persons etc. In other words, a movie is the end product of the efforts put in by variegated talents. Guru Dutt is a towering icon of Indian cinema who has a dedicated international following to this day. The high standards that he had set for film production ensured that his movies like Pyasa, Kaghaz Ke Phool etc carved out permanent niche as all time great movies. However, the genius of Guru Dutt was ably complemented by the highly talented writer and ideation expert Abrar Alvi. His screenplays for Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Kaghaz Ke Phool, Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi, Pyaasa, Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam etc are testimony to his immense talent.

Sathya Saran has portrayed various aspects of the two personalities. Most of the material comes from her interviews with Alvi who dwells upon Guru Dutt’s professional as well as personal life not to mention their decade long association as friends and colleagues. Dutt emerges as a perfectionist who would not mind junking entire stock of filmed reels if he was not satisfied with the end product, or had been suddenly struck with a better idea. Dutt was most particular about song sequences, which he always shot himself. Another thing he was very particular about was the “mood” of a scene wherein lighting and camera positions played prominent role. He respected talent. This was the reason why he chose the unknown Abrar Alvi over the more seasoned writers for his movies only because he had witnessed Alvi give a long lecture on acting and characterization during an argument.

There are descriptions of differences and arguments between the director and the writer; of how, when Dutt asked Alvi to direct Sahib Biwi…, he still wanted to shoot the song sequences himself, which led to confrontation between the two. The Geeta Dutt-Guru Dutt-Waheeda Rehman triangle too figures in the narrative, but Alvi dismisses the widespread rumours that Waheeda was the cause of Guru Dutt’s suicide. He blames the downswing in financial fortunes for the tragedy although he does hint at the Geeta Dutt factor too. According to Alvi Geeta had refused to send her daughter to visit Guru Dutt despite several requests from the latter who then issued a veiled threat to commit suicide – a threat that was not taken seriously. And that was the last time the Dutt couple had talked to each other.

Be that as it may. It would be interesting to speculate whether Guru Dutt’s creative genius would have touched the sublime heights without the ballast and boost provided by Alvi’s writing and ideating skills. Would the now classic movies have attained their present stature if one takes out the Abrar Alvi factor? Conversely, would Alvi have been able to get the sort of recognition he eventually did, earning many accolades as writer-director, if he had not met Guru Dutt?

There are various humorous asides in this book that highlight SD Burman’s kanjoosi as well as touchiness; and Mehmood’s desperation to be a part of Dutt’s charmed inner circle or Tanuja and Mala Sinha’s propensity for playing practical jokes on Alvi. There are also poignant moments, when Meena Kumari’s not

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