THE CLOSEST SUCCESSOR OF GURU DUTT - AAMIR KHAN

I was just reading newspaper and wondered how the media is now constantly using 'Mr Perfectionist' nickname for Aamir Khan. Though the adjective is quite heavy in itself, and should not be use for just anyone. But then I tried to study Aamir, and then started comparing the traits of his with Guru Dutt.

I personally belong to this modern era and somehow lacks total character study of Guru Dutt, I know Guru from his movies, and through various written material we have courtesy his friends & colleagues, Like Dev Anand, Abrar Alvi & VK Murthy to name the few. Though still that info can not be compared to today's twitter-friendly & FaceBook-Driven actors and superstars.

I always wanted to have the more detailed study of Guru's thought process, his ideologies and his point of view about the world around him. That has played an important part in his cinematic outburst like Kaagaz ke Phool & Pyaasa. Clearly, he was the original Mr Perfectionist of Indian cinema without doubt. His way of treating Film-making as an absolute is quite well-known. His issues and rifts over the minute subtle artworks of his cinema has often led many legendary artists to avoid Guru Dutt. He had that heat of Iron, that uncompromising attitude which made him produce and direct many classic stories. Now let's connect the dots of Aamir & Guru.

Aamir favorite life-changing movie is Guru Dutt-starrer and Directed movie PYAASA (1957), he has often quoted him to be great inspiration in his career. Aamir Khan, though has directed only one film till now and that's Taare Zameen Par, but it was worth an effort. Even Aamir has given several co-actors and directors a hard time while filming of his movies due to his extra-specific scene demands and retakes-till-perfect behaviours. Also, many times he has been criticized by his Directors and producers that he always change his mindset and demands re-shooting of any sequence he thinks was not up-to-the-mark as per his vision. Recent feud between Reema Kagti & Aamir over his upcoming flick Talaash is also one example. Guru was also very specific about his sequences and treatment, that also gave his cameraman VK Murthy a hard time working over and over again for the perfect scene. It happened in KAAGAZ KE PHOOL trademark light-beam shot, which has became world-famous, and Pyaasa's last auditorium scene for which Guru Dutt took over 100 retakes. He always was unsatisfied with his final product, his intent always remains EK AUR SHOT, EK AUR....but this unsatisfaction was not just with his actors and actresses, but with himself too, his scene was never up-to-the-mark according to him.

He was so involved in the technical aspects of the movie that he used to guide his team how he has imagined the shot. At first his too many retakes thing was misjudged by the industry people who termed him as a novice Director who don't know the craft. But later everybody started respecting Guru. Thankfully, he was blessed with cinematographer like VK Murthy. Even Dada Saheb Phalke-winner VK Murthy thinks, that Aamir is best suited for the autobiographical movie on Guru Dutt which Anurag Kashyap & Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra were planning. According to Arun Dutt, Guru Dutt's son, Aamir has been approached for the role and he has asked for the script. Infact Aamir also did one photoshoot posing as Guru Dutt with Katreena posing as Waheeda in a trademark poster-picture of Pyaasa.

So if the film on Guru Dutt's Life actually becomes a reality, It will be interesting to watch Aamir preparation for the role. Though these characteristics traits and similarities are enough to state that Aamir Khan is more closest Film personality to Guru Dutt, Infact one newspaper even quoted him to be the incarnation of Guru Dutt. That's a bit too far. I think Aamir has a lot to prove in order to justify that phenomenon. But still he is lucky to be compared with the timeless genius Guru Dutt.

PYAASA - Story by Shadows, Silhouettes & Serene Shayari !!!

  

  Since 1957, Lot's has been said and analyzed about Pyaasa. It is world renowned classic which has found space in the most classically-learned, elites and reputed shelves. And there are many views and ways through which we can see inside the veins of Pyaasa. Today I'm just focusing on its art of camerawork, screenplay and lyricism.

    Talking about Camerawork, its the most unique form of camerawork I've ever seen in my life. Guru Dutt had the ability to build the ordinary sequences into completely larger-then-life molds of picturesque scene. Who can forget the epic climax scene of Jesus-like posture in auditorium. It will always be remembered as the God of all shots in the history of Indian cinema. No wonders it took numerous retakes for Guru Dutt to make it right. He'd a great eye for detail, and his colleagues like V.K Murthy, working with 75 mm lens always gave him the shots he wanted, no matter how difficult the implementation occurs.

Whether it's Guru famous extreme close-up scenes, or the beautiful use of Lighting all around the sets, through which he can create the web of shadows & silhouettes, a silent talking cinema in itself, literally no dialogue were required at that moment. But still the equation gets completed when the scene gets the throttle of immensely deep & inquisitive poetry by Sahir Ludhianvi. Its the epitome of lyricism. And what you get in front of you is the real Film-making manual by Guru Dutt. Ya Buddy, that's how you should make the movies. Learn it from here !

I remember one very interesting, stimulating and goose-bumpy scene where Vijay, the protagnist is deeply sad to hear the demise of her mother, and find himself insulted by brothers in the alms of his friends at brothel nudging him to gulp the alcohol, which he reluctantly drank in one go, justifying it with Sahir Poetry,

Gham Is Qadar Badhe ke Mai ghabra ke pee gaya...

Is Dil ki bebasi pe taras kha ke pee gaya

Thukra raha tha mujhko badi der se jahan...

Lo aaj is jahan ko thukra ke pee gaya

                       

And then he confront a brutal reality in front of him. A tired helpless mother ignoring her wailing baby, a prostitute dancing to the tunes of his friends and other lusty guests. Gosh, I've never saw tears falling on the camera lens so beautifully, actually it never happened before or after Pyaasa according to my knowledge. Tears are not just falling on camera lens showing Vijay pain, but were also falling on his glass of alcohol. And after suffering from the guilt of being witness to this cruelty, he finally left from the place and walked open in dimly-lit brothel street with his yet another critiqued notion about Hind, the capitalistic independent India of 1957 where love is on sale. These are my favorite verse of all,

Yeh Kuche Yeh Nilaam ghar dilkashi ke..

Yeh lut te hue karvaan zindagi ke..

Kahaan hai Kahaan hai muhafiz khudi ke..

Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Woh Kahaan hai..

This song has such a scary impact on you, it really shows the mirror to the hypocrite society in its own way. The lighting, windows and street corners are so beautifully captured to describe the lyrics in visuals. Its a remarkable job done by V.K Murthy, the Cameraman. In his own words, he marked that even though technically KAAGAZ KE PHOOL is his greatest work, But PYAASA as a film was more complete and varied experience. It had so much to express under the purview of Art.

These close-up shots, blurred visions, teary camera lens, shadows & silhouettes & lyrics together formed such a marvelous and epic combination which this world will never forget, At least the art fraternity will never forget that cinematic magic. Kudos to V.K Murthy, Kudos to Sahir Ludhianvi, Kudos to Sir Guru Dutt !!

Without such artistic perfection, YEH DUNIYA AGAR MIL BHI JAAYE TO KYA HAI !! CLASS !