Guru Dutt’s Kaagaz ke Phool (1959) may well be Indian cinema’s most famous flop, but subsequent revisionist verdicts have anointed it a classic. Besides archiving the screenplay of this classic, this book also incorporates insightful interviews of the leading lady Waheeda Rehman, assistant director Shyam Kapoor, friend Dev Anand and brother-cum-colleague Devi Dutt. Iconic cinematographer V.K. Murthy reveals how he crafted the chiaroscurist lighting that has long fascinated cineastes. In an essay, authors Dinesh Raheja and Jitendra Kothari deliberate on how the film’s fate ironically reflects Dutt’s ever-evolving relationship with fame.
Kaagaz ke Phool: The Original Screenplay; Dinesh Raheja & Jitendra Kothari, Om Books, Rs.595.
