I have probably seen Guide more than 35 times. My favourite film, I keep going back to it time and again and discover a new facet to it every time. The movie is about a guide Raju (played by Dev Anand), who falls for the married Rosie (Waheeda Rehman). Rosie is the daughter of a courtesan and has had to give up her passion for dancing as it is unacceptable to her husband. Raju helps her become a star. He then commits a crime for which he is jailed, before landing up in a village where he’s mistaken to be a godman.

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My favourite scene in the movie is one after the song ‘Kya se kya ho gaya’. Raju has just been convicted of forgery and is sentenced to two years in jail. Rosie comes to meet him in prison. That entire sequence is heart-wrenching, especially the manner in which Rosie and Raju exchange dialogues, standing on either side of the bars in prison.

Raju makes her realise that whatever crime he committed was driven by his love for her. He says that he did not do it for the money, but because he did not want her to go back to her husband Marco again. The dialogue that is etched in my memory is when Raju says to her, “Socha tha koi samjhe na samjhe, Rosie zaroor samjhegi, par samajh bhi dekho kitni nasamajh nikli.” The dialogue conveyed so much so beautifully, especially Raju’s inner turmoil.

Around two years ago, a radio station had organised the screening of the film and I saw the movie with Dev saab. Not only were there elderly people in their ’60s and ’70s, but also scores of youngsters. The whole theatre was packed and everybody was euphoric in the end. People kept mouthing the dialogues before the characters said them on screen. Thinking about that experience gives me goosebumps. 

The movie became a cult of sorts and impacted me greatly. Even after 46 years of its release, Guide remains a textbook in filmmaking for me. The theme of the film was way ahead of its time. I keep exploring the film and try to imbibe what I can as a filmmaker.

Madhur Bhandarkar, director of the upcoming Heroine, talks about his favourite scene in a film.Madhur Bhandarkar spoke to Shikha Kumar.