Cinema
Baazi
बाज़ी
Guru Dutt · 1951
Synopsis
Madan, from a family once well-off, lives without work in a Bombay slum with his young sister, who is ill with tuberculosis, and earns his living by gambling. A stranger takes him to the Star Hotel, where the mysterious owner of the underground gambling den proposes that he lure rich gamblers there. He first refuses, then meets Rajani, a young woman doctor who treats the poor of the neighbourhood free of charge; to pay for his sister's treatment, he finally accepts the offer, and meets the dancer Leena.
Context
The second production of Dev Anand's Navketan, the film was entrusted to Guru Dutt by virtue of a promise made when the two men were starting out at Prabhat. Balraj Sahni wrote the screenplay and dialogue from a shared story; S. D. Burman composed the music, Sahir Ludhianvi the lyrics. The style borrows from American film noir. The song Tadbir se bigdi hui was a great success.
Who it is for
About two hours twenty minutes, in Hindi, with no French release; a film noir that keeps the sung numbers of popular cinema.
Prizes and reception
Its director's first film and a great box-office success; it made Dev Anand one of the stars of the decade and is considered one of the best Indian films noirs.
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