Character redefined. Review on Pyaasa -1957 Bollywood

There was a Hollywood film where this lady was asked to spend a night with a millionaire and she refused as there was something wrong. I think this film was called Indecent Proposal.

Then there was a Bollywood film Judaai which was made much after this film and goes on similar lines.

Pyaasa was made much before any of these - back in 1960s. Buth this film touches many more questions regarding character. The questions in Judaai and Indecent proposal are when you are asked to sleep with a stranger for money. The question in Pyasaa is when you are ask to leave your brothers when you do not have money and you are rescued by a prostitute. The same question - relationship vs money.

Comparing with films like Judaai (Anil Kapoor, Sri Devi and Urmila), where value of a relationship is projected as higher than money, the futility of money on face of absence of character and the power of character albeit one is a prostitute puts up real questions about character in social frame and what is character in reality. In Judaai the relationship wins whereas in Pyaasa relationship lost. These basic questions are important and one can analyze them to any depth. But if you cant analyze, some films are good and give you at least some food for thought.

And as far as food for thought goes, Guru Dutt is winner. All his films raise questions as they end negatively, forcing you to think. The cinema of Guru Dutt been known for projecting the dilemma of human feelings in face of survival interests, especially when survival interests of the people go to the extent of selfishness. They are excellent presentation in the society of this subcontinent.

The film has the story of the main character (Guru Dutt) who is unemployed and is rejected by his own brothers due to financial reasons and is expelled out of the house. He is even denied his rites and rituals for his father. He is then helped by a prostitute who fell into this business due to circumstances. She loves him and helps him until a false news about his death spreads. Shattered, she publishes his poetry and he becomes famous - because he was declared dead. His poetry is already good and the public sympathy due to his death makes him very successful. When famous his brothers come to claim their share on his royalty. The same brothers who expelled him! Even fake poetry is being published in his name. Real Guru Dutt, when he discovers this, tries to show up but people deny to identify him initially. Finally he could prove his identity but in a public presentation he intentionally denies his own identity - to get public thrashing on stage.

The film goes up and down but finally, the purists and the simplicity go to the background in the end and what does remain is a chaos everywhere. Nothing to direct things. Just anarchy and chaos.

The film has a sad end. But the distortion of the term character in a superficial society is indeed presented beautifully and film does present questions which are real in nature. Questions of relationship vs money, the question of love vs money and the question of false fanaticism due to sympathy are beautifully presented. He has presented the dilemma of simple people who could not understand the falsity resulting from these attitudes and perished. Some better people perished in a complex social structure. And they perished beautifully in Guru Dutt films. Be it Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam or Pyaasa. They are lovely, clean films putting forth a clean character always. Some people may call it idealism but it is more of what our deeper feelings are made of.

In a system where the classes are not separated not even by money but a false puritanical attitude, Guru Dutt has been an excellent artist, be it Saheb, Biwi aur Ghulam or Pyaasa. Pyaasa differentiates beautifully between illusion and reality. And this 40 year old film raises many more questions. The story of this film projects the futility of the money earned at the cost of relations. The second thing projected is the false fanaticiam and the difference between illusion and reality.

Pyaasa is one of the best films I have seen. Largely due to the light and beautiful music and its smooth flow of events. And partially due to the beautiful presentation of the roles played by Waheeda Rehman, Guru Dutt, Rehman. The direction of the film is excellent. The urdu poetry forms a beautiful background and this has been used to portray a beautiful message simply and beautifully. Being B&W, this film projects the characters beautifully and Guru Dutt has made the best use of it.