A timely Guru Dutt revival in Florence River to River

Let me introduce myself as a founder-cheerleader for Selvaggia Velo’s commendable Indian film festival held in Florence, which so imaginatively links the rivers Arno with the Ganges.
I feel privileged to be a part of this link by giving my personal view on the Tribute it is paying to the late Guru Dutt, the remarkably gifted director who died so young at the height of his creativity, and even more tragically, was not recognized for his immense worth during his short, productive lifetime. It seems that 2009 is the year when Dutt’s films are traveling the world.
Guru Dutt started his film career as a choreographer in films, first in Kolkata and later in Pune and Mumbai.

Within four years and just past 25 years of age, he became a sought after director and lead actor. Although Dutt followed the principles of mainstream filmmaking, he brought to it his own sombre, brooding concern over contemporary issues, such as the many divides between the rich and poor, the status of women, and even the injustice under colonialism. Dutt instilled an energy, individuality and a visual empathy in his films that were perhaps ahead of his time. His cameraman V.K. Murthy was known for his heightened approach to black and white cinematography. His music scores lifted the emotional pitch of his films. His way of blending the background score and the lyrics and melody of songs with the narrative as it unfolds had a signature of its own. Dutt’s songs are known and loved to this day. He had an uncanny ear for the exceptional composer, choosing names in music and poetry who became legendary.
His longstanding association with O P Nayyar is an example. The three films being screened at River to River. Florence Indian Film Festival are representative of Dutt’s personal vision and verve. Aar Paar - This or that (1954), Mr. and Mrs. 55 (1955), and the film he so dearly prized that failed at the box-office, now seen as a masterpiece, the unforgettable Kaagaz ke Phool (Paper Flowers, 1959).


Uma da Cunha
Film critic and festival programmer