Hindi film ‘‘Guide’’ (1965) can be hailed as the first major, effective collaboration between an Indian writer writing in English and Hindi film industry. It is based on the novel by RK Narayan that won the prestigious Sahitya Academy Award in 1961 and achieved tremendous popularity. In many ways, it can be said that it is with the success of the film ‘‘Guide’’ that Hindi cinema saw a substantial increase in adaptations of books for the big screen. For example: Basu Bhattacharya film ‘Teesri Kasam’ (1966) was written by famous Hindi writer Phanishwar Nath Renu. 

 

 

‘‘Guide’’ turned out to be an instant success as it has all the successful ingredients of a hit film such as melodrama, beautiful locales, catchy philosophical songs and charming actors. In this film, lead  actors Dev Anand and Wahida Rehman are ably supported by character artists such as Kishore Sahu, Leela Chitnis and Gajanan Jagirdar. Guide’s relevance as a serious film can be understood purely in the context of it being one of Hindi cinema’s supreme example of a poignant film that showed secularism in full force with a Hindu tourist guide Raju, two Christians; a dancer Rosie and an archaeologist Marco and a Muslim taxi driver Gafoor. This is the true essence of India that was popular even at time of this film of this film’s release in 1965 and continues to uphold secular values even in 2023; both on the screen as well as in the real lives of the people. 

 

As ‘‘Guide’’ turned out to be a popular, bestselling novel, two different films were shot based on it. Its English language version didn’t succeed in getting viewers’ attention in India even after having names of Nobel laureate Pearl S Buck and director Ted Danielewski tied to the project. Guide’s Hindi version directed by Vijay Anand was an instant success. 

 

In many ways, ‘‘Guide’’ emerged as a modern film that was absolutely ahead of the times in which it was set. Nobody in 1965 could have imagined to see a Hindi film with usual songs and dance that would manage to talk about serious topics such as the love life of a courtesan’s daughter and adultery. This film shows how a strong willed woman like Rosie is determined to bring about necessary changes in her mundane existence. The portrayal of adultery remains one of the most challenging themes of cinema. It is nice to note that it has been handled in a very poised, subtle manner by the writer RK Narayan and director Vijay Anand. In modern times, live-in relationship in India is accepted without any fuss by society. However, when RK Narayan was writing his book 70 years ago, it was absolutely hard to imagine that an ordinary couple like Raju and Rosie could manage to live in a house without having tied the knot.   

 

  

Religion is considered to be one the major elements of spiritual solace in India. There are plenty of sequences in ‘‘Guide’’ that highlight how religion plays a major role in the lives of ordinary people with different connotations in rural areas and urban milieu. In one of the funny scenes of the film, one can see how by dint of his fluent English Raju as a holy man defeats two Sanskrit speaking Hindu priests in a verbal duel. There is another lugubrious scene that shows how Raju’s fasting for the rain is transformed into a spectacle by people from cities. It shows two foreign journalists asking Raju about the fasting and how will it help in getting the rains? To conclude, Vijay Anand’s film ‘Guide’ depicts the strength of Hindu religion as it enables even an ordinary man to become a saint in order to work for the well-being and prosperity of commonplace villagers. It is an assault on greedy godmen who exploit ordinary people for their selfish gains and self-promotion.

    

© Lalit Rao (FIPRESCI)