Pyaasa

For the Indian Hindi-language film, see Pyaasa (2002 film).

Pyaasa
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGuru Dutt
Written byAbrar Alvi
Screenplay byGuru Dutt
Story byGuru Dutt
Produced byGuru Dutt
Starring
CinematographyV. K. Murthy
Edited byY. G. Chawhan
Music byS. D. Burman
Production
company
Distributed byGuru Dutt Films Pvt. Ltd.
Release date
  • 22 February 1957 (1957-02-22)
Running time
153 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguagesHindi
Urdu[2]
Box office₹29 million[3]

Pyaasa (Hindi pronunciation: [pjɑːsɑː]; transl. Thirsty) is a 1957 Indian Hindi drama film directed and produced by Guru Dutt, who stars alongside Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, and Johnny Walker. Set in Calcutta, it focuses on the disillusioned Urdu poet Vijay (Dutt), whose works are underestimated by publishers and panned for writing on social issues rather than romantic topics. The film follows his encounters with the golden-hearted prostitute Gulabo (Waheeda Rehman) and his former girlfriend Meena (Sinha), how the former helps him to get his poetry published, the success of his works, and his romantic relationship with Gulabo.

The role of Vijay was initially offered to Dilip Kumar which he declined owing to the impact of doing intense films on his health. Later, in an interview, he also said that he found the character of Vijay in Pyaasa similar to that of Devdas and admitted Pyaasa was one of three movies he regretted turning down. Guru Dutt, later accepted the role himself and the film went on to become one of the most commercially successful movies of the year.[4][5] Pyaasa is a classic and is considered one of the best films of Indian cinema.[6] It was remade into the Telugu film Mallepoovu (1978).[7]

  1. ^ Rajadhyaksha & Willemen 1998, p. 352.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hindu was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Box Office 1957". Box Office India. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Dilip Kumar as Pyaasa hero is what Guru Dutt wanted". 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  5. ^ "15 lesser-known facts about Dilip Kumar: The man who was Ram Aur Shyam, Devdas and Salim". The Indian Express. 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  6. ^ An, Gautam (27 November 2014). "'Pyaasa' (1957) is an Eternal Classic. Here's Why". The Cinemaholic. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  7. ^ Chowdhary, Y. Sunita (24 June 2012). "Hell of a formula". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.