Paper Flowers

Why is Guru Dutt hailed as one of the all time best directors in the world? See this film and you'll get an answer. Guru Dutt never got his due from the audience or the critics when he was alive. After he died, he was suddenly hailed as this best thing to have happened to Hindi film industry. And today, he is universally regarded as one of the best Hindi film directors. This film too is resplendent with that same irony, hypocrisy and tragedy. There are films and then there is this. 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' is Guru Dutt's extremely personal and almost poetic take on the trials and tribulations of a life of fame and glamor; and especially the aftermath of it. Guru Dutt plays a successful director Ajay Sinha who is looking for a new face to cast as the leading lady in his next film. In the midst of all this, he has a strained marriage wherein his wife leaves him to live with her parents along with their daughter. On a certain rainy day, he meets a girl (Waheeda Rehman). They meet again in the studio.

Immediately,Guru Dutt realizes that Waheeda's is THE face he had been looking for and promptly casts her in his next film. Eventually he falls in love ith her but she doesn't reciprocate. Meanwhile, he isn't allowed to eet his beloved daughter too through a court order. As a last straw, his next film is a colossal failure and he suddenly finds that the ones who pretended to be his well-wishers and friends now seem to hate and ignore him. Thus Waheeda, his discovery, goes on to become a successful star while he begins his downward spiral into the deep darkness of ignominy. Subsequently and ironically, after many years, he dies on the same director's chair It is not a perfect film by any means. The screenplay is sometimes indulgent and probably isn't as good as say Guru Dutt's 'Pyaasa' (his other classic). Plus, the whole track involving Johnny Walker is somewhat irrelevant to the film and hence could have been shortened. However, it was incidentally, India's first film to be shot in Cinemascope and hence makes good use of technique but essentially KPK remains a very humane film which moves us without being preachy or overtly sentimental. SD Burman's haunting music and Kaifi Azmi's poignant lyrics add to the mood of this film

Ironically, the film was a commercial disaster upon its release (eerily similar to the protagonist Sinha's last film). So, the claims of it being an Autobiographical film also started being made. But, I think it is a case of life imitating art than vice- versa. Having said that it is a fact that Guru Dutt died shortly after making this film and thus KKP remains his last masterpiece and I think its commercial failure can be attributed to one of those rare occasions when the AUDIENCE got it wrong as the film may have been ahead of its time and has since been widely considered to be one of the best and most important films made in India The obvious comparisons with Fellini's 8 ½ are to be expected but to my mind they are unwarranted. Both were different films made for very different audiences. This is a great film in its own right- one of the best Hindi films ever- a bona-fide masterpiece by the prodigiously talented albeit flawed genius called Guru Dutt

Kaagaz Ke Phool Was Directed As Well As Produced By Guru Dutt...Written By Abrar Alvi...This Was First Indian Cinemascope Film.. Story Revolves Around Suresh Sinha A Famous Director....He Is Looking For A Lead Actress For His Current Movie...Meanwhile His Married Life Is Not Going Well...Wife Has Left With The Daughter...He Is Not Allowed To Access His Daughter....One Day He Meets A Lady Shanti...After Few Days He Realize... She Is The One Whom He Was Looking For ...So He Casts Her In His Movie ....Shanti & Sinha Come Close ..They Built A Liking For Each Other....Which Leads To Various Situations Which Changes The Life Of The Director Sinha....

Guru Dutt Was Amazing Director ...But A Fine Actor Too...He Does Well As Director Sinha...Waheeda Rehmaan As Shanti Gives Better Performance.....Johny Walker Is Good ...Baby Naaz Is Fine But The Character Is Not Well Written...Script Of The Movie Is Good ...But It Gives More Importance To Sinha & Shanti Chemistry...

Music Of The Movie Was Composed By S.D.Burman ....It Has The Most Beautiful Composition "Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen Sitam" By Geeta Dutt...One Of The Best Song By Her...We Have "Dekhi Zamane Ki Yaari" By Rafi Is Again A Classic ...Altogether Music Is Good...

Everything Was Fine...But Movie Was Such A Disaster At The Box Office...That Guru Dutt Decided Never To Direct A Movie ...Hence It Was The Last Movie Directed By Guru Dutt...People Never Understood The Concept...So It Was On The Cards....Now The Movie Is Considered A Classic ...One Of The Best Work By Guru Dutt & His Team....

Overall A Excellent Movie ....Must Watch For Averyone...:)

This movie sums up the genius of Guru Dutt. A reclusive and introvert man portrayed in the movie was Dutt himself. Too bad the movie went over the heads of Audience in the 50s, however, its charisma has given it the status of a cult classic. Waheeda Rahman was beautiful as ever and acted much better than she did in Pyaasa. I rate this movie better than Pyaasa personally. Kaifi Azmi's lyrics are at their best with "Waqt ne kiya" song topping everything out! I think the beginning is extremely maudlin and same for the ending. He enters the studio as an old and broken man, only to be jeered at by his ex colleagues. A must watch with outstanding Music!!!!

"Kaagaz ke Phool" (Paper Flowers) is an agonizing, self-reflexive look at a filmmaker who, because of martial, societal and economic pressures dissolves into alchoholism. It's a common theme among Indian movies, but in this film, there's autobiography to back it up. From what I understand, the course of this film paralells Guru Dutt's life who died by his own hand.

Geeta Gutt and Mohammad Rafi sing on the soundtrack penned by S.D. Burman, which is wonderful as can be expected considering the people involved (and, if anyone has a lead on where I can find it on lp or cd, be in touch!) The movie is beautifully shot, and the play of light on Guru Dutt's face (he acts in the lead role, as well as directing) as he enters an alchoholic stupor will bring a grown man to tears (I've seen it happen.)

There's more misery and abjection here this side of Fassbinder or Jerry Lewis, so this is perfect for a cold, rainy, lonely evening.

Dutt's 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' (Paper Flower) very much reflects his own life story. It can be described as poetry on canvas as it's beautiful, lyrical, agonizing, heartbreaking and a treat to watch. The legendary Guru Dutt pretty much lived the life of the famous painters whose works gained appreciation only after their tragic departure. Dutt's other masterpiece, 'Pyaasa' parallels this. Sadly, 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' was a commercial failure after its release. Ironically this is also shown in the film as Sinha's last film is a commercial disaster. Both 'Pyaasa' and 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' somewhat parallel this genius's life.

The cinematography has always been a highlight of Dutt's films. The use of lighting is very good as it emphasizes the somberness. The light beaming on the screen during the premier of Sinha's 'Devdas' and the spotlight on the main characters during the interval song are examples of the skillful use of light. The overlapping images, the close-ups, and the long-shots all work effectively.

Among the songs, it is the unforgettable 'Waqt Ne Kiya', sung by the late Geeta Dutt, that stands out. It's both shot beautifully and the lyrics are magic as it expresses the silent emotions conveyed between the two protagonists. 'Dekhi Zamaane Ki Yaari' is also a good track. The rest of the songs range from okay to adequate. The Johnny Lever track could have easily been left out. The character itself was not really necessary.

The relationship between Sinha and his estranged wife seems a little hazy. Perhaps it was a good idea not too put too much focus on them as the film was mainly about Suresh and Shanti's relationship. The characters of Mrs. Sinha and her parents are very caricaturish.

The chemistry between the enigmatic Guru Dutt and the luminous Waheeda Rehman is electric. They convey so much without saying anything. As Sinha says, 'We have always understood each other'.

While 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' has its flaws (which I think are very few), it is essentially a beautiful powerful classic. The storytelling is simple without being too emotionally manipulative or preachy. 'Kaagaz Ke Phool' is a gift to cinema.