Mentor and the disciple: Writer Sathya Saran on her accidental meeting with Guru Dutt and more

How did you come across Abrar Alvi?

It was all by accident. I read an interview of him where he narrated his recollections of the last days of Guru Dutt. At the end of the article, the journalist added that there were many stories Alvi could narrate, but wondered who would have the time to listen to him. I was personally going through a rough patch and it struck me that perhaps spending some time listening to Alvi would be a good way to divert my mind. 

Was it a difficult subject to tackle?

In a way, no. Getting all information from one source is an author’s dream come true. And Alvi was a wonderful storyteller. 

Do you think Guru Dutt was ahead of his times?

Definitely. Alvi told me of his expertise with cameras; that he could take a camera apart and put it back together again, his knowledge of lenses, and his love of experimentation with the visual image. His knowledge of music and dance added the magic to his song picturisation. In the choice of Kagaz ke Phool as a subject, he was ahead of his time. According to Alvi, the film flopped because the public could not understand the angst of a man who was well-off and comfortable, but fretting over creative issues. 

What makes the filmmaker so appealing even today?

The films, of course. But it demands a quieter surrounding and mood. His suicide also adds the irresistible touch of mystique. 

Not many remember Abrar Alvi. Tell us about him.

Alvi’s contribution to Guru Dutt’s films is huge. He wrote most of the screenplays, and the dialogues, he assisted his director closely, and was a perfect sounding board and foil. They were both geniuses, but widely different from each other. And Alvi absorbed a lot of what his mentor knew about directing a film which showed up in his direction of Sahib Biwi aur Ghulam. 

If you could go back and have a chat with Guru Dutt, what would you talk about? 

I would like to ask him his approach to his films; get his version of the process and his take on Alvi. I would also very much want to tell him not to kill himself. I would do my best to make him realise why the world needed him to realise his full potential.

Did Guru Dutt overshadow Alvi?

Completely. They often had heated arguments on the set, but I think the last word would be Guru Dutt’s. On his part, Alvi was quite happy living in Guru Dutt’s shadow. He happily played the moon to his mentor’s sun.