The cult films of Guru Dutt uncover the depths of the filmmaker`s personality and crystallize his aspirations, his phobias and his conceptions of cinema and life, revealing an irrepressible death wish. The despair and pessimism of P.C. Barua`s Devdas continues in his films.

Pyaasa (1957), in which he himself played the role with Mala Sinha, a popular and talented star hailing from Nepal and born in Kolkata, was a brilliant success which brought him in the limelight. This film also revealed to India one of its dazzling actresses, Waheeda Rehman. He introduced her in an earlier film, CID. Waheeda Rehman had the finesse to play any character with élan. so whether it was the role of a femme fatale or a prostitute, she portrayed it in a tragic and romantic manner. Her portrayals were quite different from the conventions of Indian cinema of those days.

Pyaasa was an enormous success even among those Indian cinema lovers who were the most ardent fans of Bollywood musical films. This superb romantic melodrama has as its central theme the unquenchable thirst of the artiste, the lover wanting to be loved and recognised in an insensitive world ruled by money and power struggles. The music of S. D. Burman and the splendid Urdu ghazals written Sahir Ludhianvi are perfectly integrated by Guru Dutt with the plot and action of the film.

His next film, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) presented a well-developed reflection on the place of the artist in society. It was a further step towards pessimism, even nihilism and more autobiographical and premonitory than ever. This fascinating hymn to cinema is also a caution against its corrupting and artificial power which can only give rise to the blooming of the ephemeral `paper flowers.` it is the story of Suresh, once filmmaker, who had become a dropout after failures and returns one evening into the deserted studio which was a witness to his fame. The lead roles were played by Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman.

In this film everything is autobiographical. Rarely has an autobiography by a filmmaker has been portrayed on the screen in a manner so intense. The film was a total commercial failure for the public seemed to put off by the character of a director and probably even more so by too somber and lonely anti-hero. It was probably for the first time in the history of Indian cinema or at least Bollywood that the concept of anti-hero and tragedy were introduced in the mainstream.

1n 1960 he produced Chaudhvin ka Chand in which he played the lead role with his favorite co-stars, Waheeda Rehman and Johnny Walker. By the artifice of a love triangle intrigue, it is a film devoted to the decadence of the traditional art of living at the time of the Muslim nawabs of Lucknow. The city was one of the shining cultural centers of that time and it was famous for its poetry, its musicians and its danseuses and courtesans. The film contains some beautiful songs written by Saghir Usmani and music by Shakeel Badaiyuni.

Another gem of Indian cinema is Sahib, Bibi aur Ghulam (1962). It was produced by Guru Dutt and in a way it reflects his love for the Bengali culture as the film was adapted from Bimal Mitra`s novel by the same name. The task of direction was entrusted to his colleague, scriptwriter and friend, Abrar Alvi. As is usual for Guru Dutt films it once again brought together some of the biggest names of the Hindi film industry, Meena Kumari, Rehman, Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman. Three films, besides Chaudhavin ka Chand, were three sinking projection of a suffering anti-hero, each time portrayed by guru Dutt. In 1963 and 64, he played the leading role in the films of five other colleagues. After four attempts at suicide, Guru Dutt, was granted his death wish at the age of 39.