Guide - An insight by Kay S



GUIDE - An amazing potpourri of love, life, & relationships
A review based on a narrative by Professor Ramesh Dutt


Waah Dutt Saab!  How astute of you to start off a narrative by expressing a dilemma in answering questions at the time ever so subtly referring to the fact that the world hesitates to or resists truth and facts of the world.  Your honesty and candid acceptance that your favorite movie has been and will be “Guide” for that is your perception and perspective is that this is one of the best movies.  I do totally agree  with this fact, Dutt Saab.  The most significant fact that this movie was first made in English by Ted Daniel for the American audience is indeed a revelation that was unknown to me and I am sure to many of us who saw the movie and the fact that Dev Anand bought the rights of this movie from R.K. Narayan to make it in Hindi.  Making a very controversial movie with extra-marital affair as the theme in 1965 was indeed an act of courage I must agree, but of course Dev Anand was much ahead of his times.  Requesting Chetan Anand to direct the movie and his refusal feigning the waiting of a loan approval for a movie based on war, fully knowing the puritanical approach of the society towards such an unacceptable storyline vis-à-vis extramarital affair….Nuances that you bring in to the information about these movies and their back stories are one of a kind, which the common man would never be aware of.  Vijay Anand as a director, an iconoclast interested in the storyline with condition of writing story and dialogue himself and there was born a story for Guide which became a hit….The narration of the story of the movie by you as always, smooth as chocolate taking us literally through the movie as though we are in the theatre in front of the screen watching with you…Not a marriage but just a farce…interesting thought…many a times marriage becomes a relationship of convenience instead of a joining of souls. You are so right, you never know that strong emotion called love until it hits you in the face like the freezing wind on a snowy day.  It can happen anywhere with anyone at any stage in life and comes in unannounced to create havoc in your life, so true indeed.  You take us through the hypocrisy of life, the double standards of the society, the superstitions, the wonderful peaks and troughs in the storyline of this movie, waah…kya baat hai…Each and every role assigned with such brilliance, the locations and locale where the shooting takes place, only a maverick gypsy like you could know all these places…..The music and songs of this movie was indeed a beautiful one….aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai…din dhal jaay in your mesmerizing voice as always a treat….every song touches your heart and remains in it….the disappointing fact that this movie did not win the Filmfare aware…the cinematography was indeed amazing…A movie that became a late hit, but remains in our heart till date even after 52 years.  The intricacies and complicated nature of human relationships being shown in this movie has been woven into a beautiful narration as though silky liquid chocolate flowing over as an icing over the cake due to your in-depth understanding, sensibility, and sensitivity.  Shailendra ji was indeed a great lyricist, great singers delivering great numbers with great direction and cinematography….Sapera dance….what a beautifully choreographed number.  Rishton ke baare mein sirf aap hi keh sakte ho aise Dutt saab, ghutan, kudan, jalan, rishton mein utarna, naye marasim ka banana, phir dhokaa….rishte muntasir hoti hai…waah….woh tajurba hai joh boltaa hai…Nida Fazli saab ne kya khoob kaha hai:

dushmanī laakh sahī ḳhatm na kiije rishta
dil mile yā na mile haath milāte rahiye

Aapka Dev Anand saab se impress ho jaana, paise bachaake jaana aur aapki bateeji ka Dev saab ka interview, aur unka Dev saab ko bataana aapke baare mein aur Guide ke itne baar dekhna, Dev saab ka aapse baat karna phone par….Waah, what an experience and aapka unse bataana aapka impression about this movie aur unka Bombay mein aapko invite karna aur unka number dena, aur aapka constant unse tough mein rehna…kya baat hai Dutt Saab….Time and tide waits for none indeed…Dev Saab’s loss, his outlook on loss…what a beautiful outlook on life and loss.  A person’s vision, mission, and goal is of utmost significance in one’s life indeed…aapka unka book launch mein jaana, pen present karna aur aapka ehsaas…meeting other actresses, their opinion of Dev Saab, other famous actors, singers, uff…. So right, each one of us earn respect only through our passion for our vision and our hard work and our achievements along with our demeanor with which we conduct ourselves in life and with others.  Tadbeer se bigdi hui….again another favorite song of mine….such an apt song on life, main zindagi ke saath nibhaata chala gaya…kya hi gaate ho Dutt saab….Dev Saab’s failure in love and moving on in life, his marriage and divorce with Kalpana Karthik, Vijay Anand’s rift with him, Chetan Anand ji’s death and his acceptance of his own death and Vijay Anand’s death.  Khoya Khoya Chaand…what a beautifully nostalgic song indeed….chaand ki khoobsoorti ka kya hi kahein, every song you remember and sing…what a mesmerizing experience Dutt Saab.  The numerous music directors that he brought in ….One needs to step out of the comfort zone, think innovatively out of the box in life to have great experiences in life….sahi kehto aap, try everything you want in life…it becomes either a success or becomes an experience. The legacy of great people does become an untouchable height for many of the successors as you rightfully put. Indo-Anglican paper and the existence of Guide in your syllabus…waah….Guide being a true reflection of tourism in Rajasthan, never thought along these lines….Waheeda ji was indeed a brilliant actress bringing about a dimension and panache to every role she acted in I believe.  Her character in Guide was indeed quite challenging and she carried it off with elan.  The angle of Gita in this movie pointed out was amazing Dutt Saab….your scene to scene dissection is impeccable…hadd se aage aap kahiye aur humne sun bhi liyaa…aur humne likh diyaa…yaadon ke mausam aur yaadon ka dareecha….kya baat….You were so right, Dutt Saab! Woh puraane films ke mausiki aur gaane aaj bhi yaad hai isliye ki unmein rich quality aur lyrics tha….Truth conveyed through your voice…indeed an interesting nuance to know…Bangalore is indeed a city with abundant memories for me too Dutt Saab…something I wrote recently about this city….

 Poochte ho tum ke is shehar se mera itna lagaav kyun hai,

Ye khoobsoorat nazaara aur log hain jo kheench laati hai..


Manzar hai yeh jahaan phoolon mein farishte nazar aaye,

Shehar hai ye jahaan shayari, saaz, aur ehsaas mil jaaye...


Poochte ho tum ke is shehar se mera itna lagaav kyun hai,

Bastaa hai rooh mera yahaan jisme mera wajood basa hai!!


I had seen his interview with Simi Garewal too Dutt Saab…what a joyous, amazing, inspirational human being he was indeed.  What an amazing bayaar on your favorite movie and mine too…Guide, a movie to reckon with indeed….

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