Decoding Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959)

As I watched Guru Dutt’s 1959 cult classic, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, I wondered how beautifully filmmakers and cinematographers of the day used the limitations of lack of colours, to their advantage. Before colours entered our cinemas, black & white films with primitive technology and an expensive film-reel, required tactful mastery. ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, first Indian movie to use the wide-screen Cinemascope technology, also explored a few untouched and unfamiliar shooting techniques which enhanced the viewing experience. Directed by Guru Dutt with V.K Murthy at the helm of the camera, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ was a brave attempt in Indian cinema – both in terms of the camerawork and the story. One of the most captivating features of the cinematography is the brilliant use of lights and shadows.

Any reference to the stunningly shot Kaagaz Ke Phool is incomplete without a reference to the iconic song, ‘Waqt ne kiya kya Haseen Sitam’. Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) and Suresh Sinha (Guru Dutt) long for each other, but under societal pressure and to keep her word given to Suresh’s daughter, Pammi, Shanti part ways with Suresh. This song is a painful yet poignant expression of their inability to unite. The camera superimposes Shanti and Suresh, symbolizing their souls uniting even as their mortal bodies remain apart. This legendary song pretty much sums up the melancholic mood that the movie is set in. Right from the beginning, we are introduced to a sombre movie director, Suresh Sinha, renowned in the film circles but detested by his estranged wife’s rich parents, who see film direction as a profession lacking dignity. Unperturbed, he continues making films rather mechanically, as his only grouse is being separated from his beloved daughter, Pammi. The writer, Abrar Alvi, does not create a flamboyant film director, but gives us a typical Guru Dutt character, who seems similar to Guru Dutt’s Vijay in Pyaasa. The character is dipped in pain and agony, which simmers over the slow pace of the film. Shanti, a commoner, accidentally meets Suresh on a rainy night and over a series of unexpected events, turns into his muse and the next leading sensation.

Shanti becomes a ray of hope for a shattered Suresh. A complicated relationship begins where Shanti reveres Suresh out of love and respect, but is reported in the news as an affair. Just as things begin to look better for Suresh, his daughter Pammi insults Shanti and makes her quit her life under the arc-lights. The blow does not keep Suresh afloat anymore. He takes to alcohol, ends his career and loses his fortunes. Interestingly, the movie did spill over to real life a few years later – I intend to refer to the alleged Guru Dutt - Waheeda Rehman affair and his subsequent downfall. Even as a desperate Shanti tries to pull Suresh out of his doom, it is too late. He is consumed by anger, pain and ego which makes him say, “Sab kuch khone ke baad, sirf ek cheez bachi hai mere paas...Meri Khuddari”.

Having discovered the genius of Guru Dutt only recently, I can safely say he was one of the finest actors I have ever seen. He communicates with his eyes, which engulf the viewers in pain and agony. It is a pity that his talent died young with his untimely death. Complimenting his expressive eyes with her doe-eyes, Waheeda Rehman looks young and pretty, playing his muse both on-and-off screen. One of the best scenes where her acting prowess is in display, is when she accidentally comes into the frame and is cast as Paro in Devdas. She is effortlessly natural! Among the supporting cast, Johnny Walker gets a couple of moments, while the rest only support without much to be written about. They are not at fault though, because they are completely over-shadowed by the brilliant, Guru Dutt.

The movie was a commercial failure in 1959 and drove Guru Dutt to the verge of bankruptcy. But, it is considered as one of the finest films made in that era and finds a place in Time magazine’s 100 best films of all-times. Made in 1959, the brilliant camerawork, art-direction, acting skills and Geeta Dutt’s painful rendition of ‘Waqt ne Kiya’ deserve all the accolades! 60 years later, it may feel slow and dated, but if you are a connoisseur of Indian cinema, ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ is highly recommended!