If I were to make a list of movies I would want to watch moments before I die, it would be The Seventh Seal, Waking Life, Wild Strawberries, Groundhog Day, Pyaasa and a few others. But one movie which I would pick above all great ones I have mentioned, is Guide by Vijay Anand. It is hard to put into words what this movie means to me.
For starters, it reminds me of my grandmother and the expression on her, every time she saw the film. Sometimes when you watch a movie again and again, eventually the emotional connect gets somewhat diluted but not this one. Based on the book by R.K. Narayan, Guide treaded into areas considered taboo for Indian society let alone films whether it is the "extra marital affairs" or "living in relationship". But the greatness of the movies lies in the fact that the brilliant script and the honesty of the performances never distracted the audience from the "crux" of the film. Easily Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman's best performances who handle a delicate subject with maturity and create the "arc" of the character through the film that actors so crave for. It was a once in lifetime role and they made it their own.
The plot revolves around Raju makes a living by acting as a guide for tourists on one hand, and a con-man on another. He meets with Rosie Marco during one of his tours, and is attracted to her. He finds out that Rosie is unhappily married, would like to separate from her spouse, and take up acting and dancing. With Raju's encouragement, Rosie succeeds and both become rich beyond their imagination. Raju's lifestyle becomes easy, and he succumbs to gambling, and drinking in a big way. He forges a signature, is caught, arrested, tried in court, found guilty and imprisoned. Rosie will now have nothing to do with him. After Raju completes his prison sentence, he is released and travels far and wide in an attempt to meet Rosie and also to try and avoid returning to the city. He is mistaken for a Saint, and asked to preside over a temple in a region that is stricken by severe drought. Raju must offer prayers for rain and appease the people, or else they will expose him for fooling them. The question remains will he succeed in conning devotees that have come far and wide to watch him perform a miracle?
What makes the film stand the test of time, is the truthful writing of the characters. Instead of reducing them to caricatures and making the film simplistic, they are shows as human being. Flawed, ambitious, capable of love or hatred, jealousy, greed and ultimately redemption. And how can I complete review on Guide without mentioning the music by S.D.Burman, truly one of the all time greats. But the champion of the film is arguably Vijay Anand. Till date I reckon he is technically one of the finest Indian directors. Unfortunately, we did not see a lot of him behind the camera and too much in front of the camera for my liking.
A masterpiece of the highest order which not only abides by the "bollywood" format, but asks some pertinent questions about presence of God, nature of the man, existentialism.
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