Pyaasa

Few films can move you like Guru Dutt's Pyaasa. Each time I've watched it, it becomes more profound, more poetic, more relevant. It's like deep diving into the darker layers of the human soul and realizing that the pollution is so pervasive under the shimmering false surface. That people who see this with clarity have little or no respite in their lives. The story revolves around a poet struggling to get his work published. His suffering is universal and the viewer can experience that as they watch him on screen. The heart rending "jaane woh kaise log the jinke.." probably offers the highest quality in songwriting in Hindi cinema. Guru Dutt's genius, both as director and actor, is unmistakable. Waheeda Rehman and Johnny Walker are delightful in their memorable roles. This is a must watch film for many more reasons than I can enumerate.