The Magic and Beauty of 'Guide' (1965)
It has been quite late, but finally I've got a break from my educational pressures and internship work. So, let's discuss now about a topic that I've been longing to discuss for a very long time. Let's discuss 'Guide'.
'Guide' (1965) is a film that is in the top position of my all-time favourite movies list. I watched this movie for the first time in 2021, almost 56 years after its initial release. Then afterwards, several rewatches have made me fall in love with this movie more and more each time. So here in this blog, I have chosen my favourite movie 'Guide' to be its subject matter, and I am going to share some interesting trivia and my core feeling about this movie with you:-
Do you know that at first, 'Guide' was not supposed to be made in Hindi! Yes, you have read it right. When Dev Anand first read the novel 'The Guide' (1958) by R.K. Narayan, he was certain that this story was going to be his first Indo-American collab that would raise his fame to Hollywood. About the book, Anand says in his autobiography 'Romancing with Life' (2007): “I read it at one go… I thought it had a good story, and the character of Raju, the guide, was extraordinary". Then in the Berlin Film Festival, where Anand's film 'Hum Dono' (1961) was screened in 1962, he approached director Tad Danielewski to direct the the adaptation of R.K. Narayan's novel along with his writer friend Pearl S. Buck under the joint production of Danielewski's 'Stratton Productions' and Anand's 'Navketan Films'. Then Anand thought of a Hindi version of the same film produced solely by his production. So he approached his elder brother, Chetan Anand, to direct it. When it came to buying the rights of the novel, Anand approached the author R.K. Narayan with this line, “We could shake hands on a project that can conquer Hollywood,” Anand recalls in his autobiography.
After finalising the directors, the main concern was to finalise the lead actress opposite Dev Anand. While Danielewski's first choice was Leela Naidu for the English version, for the Hindi one, elder Anand's first preference was Priya Rajvansh, with whom he used to work in all of his films then. But in Dev Anand's head, from the very first moment he read the novel, it was Waheeda Rehman as Rosie that was established without a doubt. Then he convinced both directors to cast Rehman as Rosie because of her flawless and smooth dancing ability, which is a key factor to Rosie's character. However, even after the start of the shoot, several arguments and debates arose between Anand and both directors. Because of that, Anand had to make the decision not to shoot both versions simultaneously, but to finish the English version first. In this scope, Chetan Anand backed out of the project to direct his Sino-Indian war film 'Haqeeqat' (1964). After this, Dev Anand approached his friend Raj Khosla to direct the Hindi version of 'Guide', but during 'CID' (1956) and 'Solva Saal' (1958), Raj Khosla had some issues with Wahida Rehman, especially regarding the costume choices made by the latter. And because Anand had to have Rehman in the film because of her sheer dancing prowess, he let Raj Khosla go out of the project. Then, finally, Dev Anand brought his younger brother Vijay Anand (Goldie) on board to direct the Hindi version. Eventually, the younger Anand was also not so certain of Waheeda Rehman; instead, he spoke very highly of Vyjayanthimala to be his Rosie, because he thought that the lead actress in this story, besides her dancing ability, needed to be a gangling one who could convey a palette of emotions from dignity, rebellion, regret to salvation. This is where Vijay Anand felt that Vyjanthimala scored over Waheeda. But at last Dev Anand succeeded in convincing his younger sibling that Rehman would be the best choice for the role of Rosie and saved the Hindi version of 'Guide' from another director's backfire.
After coming on board as director Goldie Anand rewrote a large portion of the script for the Hindi version as he thought that to get connected with the masses it is important to change many elements in the script according to the Indian sensibilities and the norms of Hindi cinema (the same reason Waheeda Rehman denying a kissing scene in the English version). Maybe this is the reason why the English version faced a lot of criticism from both Indian and foreign critics and viewers along with R.K. Narayan's famous remark about the film in 'Life' Magazine as "The Misguided Guide" and lost from everyone's heart and memory just after its release but the Hindi version has passed the test of time with distinction and has emerged as one of the greatest Indian cinematic achievements.
Another small anecdote which I would like like to share before moving to convey my feeling about the movie that at first the Anand Brothers chose Hasrat Jaipuri as the lyricist of the film but when he came up with the song title 'Din Dhal Jaaye' which they thought as somewhat unlikeable and thus Jaipuri was requested to drop it but he refused and made an exit from the film. Then they approached Shailendra as the lyricist, and he came up with the mukhda of 'Gaata Rahe Mera Dil', which the Anand brothers liked very much and signed him as the lyricist for 'Guide' (with a very high remuneration, which he asked for, being their second choice). But as a lyricist, Shailendra also kept that song title 'Din Dhal Jaaye' and made it into a full-length song, which eventually is one of the most prolific sad songs of Hindi cinema ever.
Now let's come to the movie. Okay, I've to clear it that as I am a huge and blind fan of this movie, this is not going to be some kind of review of the film, but a nostalgic revisit and my love letter to one of the finest classics that Indian cinema has ever made:
As a devoted admirer of Dev Anand and a huge fan of Waheeda Rehman, I believe this pair is one of the most lovable on the silver screen of Hindi cinema. Be it 'CID', 'Solva Saal', 'Kala Bazar' (1960), or 'Guide', in every movie, their pair has something unique to offer us. And in this particular movie, I think the chemistry between them has achieved the highest level of nourishment and divinity. Be it the first act of the movie where Raju shows his infatuation and affection towards Rosie or the second act of the movie where they go fully immersed in each other's love and then problems arise that start to break their relationship which since this point was thought to be a 'match made in heaven' or the third act where Raju attains spiritual divinity and Rosie comes to understand about the holy love Raju has for her, Anand and Rehman bring forth every minute emotion of their complex characteristics perfectly. This proves that Anand and Rehman were destined to play Raju and Rosie in 'Guide' and were destined to give us a romantic pair that Hindi film lovers have to remember forever with their utmost adoration.
After discussing the divine pair of Anand and Rehman, I think the next element contributing to this film's humongous success is its music. The music here is given by Sachin Dev Burman with lyrics written by Shailendra, and singers like Kishore Kumar, Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, and Manna Dey lent their voices for the songs along with Sachin 'Karta' himself. The movie has 10 songs, and these songs serve this movie to enhance its storytelling, making the duo of Sachin Dev Burman and Dev Anand one of the most iconic actor-music director duos of Hindi cinema.
Pic Courtesy: Shemaroo
Pic Courtesy: Hindustan Times
'Guide' doesn’t just have a "great" soundtrack - it has a musical soul. Every song feels like it belongs not just to the story of the film, but to the listener's own life. Whether it's freedom, love, loss, or longing - S.D. Burman and team managed to transform it into timeless melodies. You don’t just listen to the album. You live through it.
Pic Courtesy: Express Elevator to Hell
Finally, let's discuss the bold and striking themes of 'Guide'. At its core, it isn’t just a love story or a tale of personal struggle - it’s a story of transformation. Of breaking free. Of becoming who you're truly meant to be, even if the journey is messy, misunderstood, or lonely.
The film starts out feeling like it's about a man helping a woman chase her dreams, but slowly and subtly, it flips. It becomes about both of them guiding each other and, eventually, themselves. Rosie finds her voice, quite literally, through dance. Raju, meanwhile, stumbles, falls, and ends up on a path that’s as spiritual as it is existential.
In 'Guide', Life is complex. Love isn’t perfect. Ambition comes with consequences. Faith is questioned. Redemption doesn’t arrive in a grand chariot - it comes in silence, in slow realisations, in letting go, and by bringing happiness to others' faces.
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Pic Courtesy: Pinterest |
To end this down the memory lane and a retrospective revisit of my most favourite film, 'Guide', I would like to say that it is one of those rare films that doesn’t just tell a story - it asks something of you. It made me reflect on freedom, love, purpose, and how life is unpredictable. The way it weaves music into deep, personal transformation is something I’ve rarely seen done so gracefully. It’s not just about Raju and Rosie - it’s about all of us, trying to find out our path through choices, mistakes, and moments of clarity. For me, 'Guide' isn’t just a movie; it’s an intricate piece of art that lingers, stays, questions, and quietly changes you.
Pic Courtesy: CineMaterial
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