Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Introduction
Very few novels get converted into good movies. Recently, we have seen quite a few successful ones like Harry Potter series, the Lord of the Rings etc., but in the good olden days of Indian cinema very few such movies got the cash counters ringing. It is in this backdrop that Vijay Anand sought to make a film on one of India's best literary works, The Guide by R.K. Narayan.

The Story
The story is about Raju (Dev Anand), a tour Guide. The story is also about Rosie (Waheeda Rehman), who was the daughter of a temple dancer. Rosie's father gets her married to a middle aged archeologist Marco (Kishore Sahu) to give her comforts in life.

As the saying goes, Archeologist's love for their wife increases the older they get as an archeologist is interested in antique things, here too Marco is least interested in his young wife. He is more interested in his excavations. To make matters worse he bans Rosie from dancing because dancing was not considered a ladies pasttime in those days. So as Marco delves deeper into his work, Rosie begins to feel more and more lonely.

On one such excavation trip Marco appoints Raju as his Guide. Raju does the duty of a tour guide and helps Marco and wins his heart. In the meanwhile, Raju also starts to feel for Rosie's loneliness. Rosie's frustration finally boils over and she tries to commit suicide, but Raju saves her. Both then fall into love with each other.

Raju, then urges Rosie to give up Marco and live with him. So Rosie runs away from Marco and has a live in relationship with Raju. The society of India at that time with its strict marital rules, does not accept the relationship and everybody including relatives boycott Raju for this relationship.

Undeterred Raju helps Rosie take her dancing seriously and soon she becomes a rage in the country and becomes one of the greatest dancers around. The more famous she becomes the more richer they become. But again as they start getting richer the distance between the two keeps increasing.

To add to the confusion Marco wants to patch up with Rosie again and to prevent this Raju forges a document. His forgery is caught and he is sent to jail.

Coming out of jail, Raju does not want to return to home and goes and sits in a temple is a garb of a hermit. The people around the village take him for a great sage and start worshipping him. Raju begins to enjoy this new role of his.

But alas his fate again strikes!! The villages are consumed by drought and the people come to Raju for bringing an end to this problem. Raju who is no real priest is now in a soup of either to tell the truth and get killed by the irate crowd or to try something drastic and hope that it rains!!

So what happens to Raju? What about Rosie and Marco? Check out this socio-comic movie for the details.

Critical Viewpoint
R.K. Narayan has made a career of writing satirical novels on the various aspects of Indian life. In that aspect Guide begins the same way and then goes on to explore the nuances of human relationship.

To bring these nuances to the screen and still retain the humour and wits that the novel carries all along was the big challenge for Vijay Anand. He casts two of the best in the business for the lead roles, his brother Dev Anand as Raju and Waheeda Rehman as Rosie.

Dev Anand has given one of his most memorable performances in this movie where he plays an entertaining guide, a soul mate for the troubled Rosie and a Sage who can work miracles. His mannerisms so much akin to Gregory Peck made the ladies heart skip a bit in those days.

Waheeda Rehman has also given her most memorable performance as Rosie. The role was difficult in that it had to potray a rebel who is so independent in thinking and who views relationship so differently. She has pulled it with a lot of class and elan. Her dancing is also top notch and fit for her role. The others in the cast have little scope but have done decent jobs.

Guide was a path breaker for Hindi and Indian cinema. For the first time the very traditional Indian audiences were treated to live in relationships and central characters who had major flaws in their characters and who could be as weak or as human as anybody else. Vijay Anand and Dev Anand should get a pat in the back for backing an unconventionally bold story and playing to such a success.

Music of Guide
Guide was guided by excellent music by S.D. Burman, father of legendary R.D. Burman and a great musician himself. The music of Guide is one of the best if not the best of S.D. Burman's creations and aided by brilliant lyrics from Shailendra became an instant hit with the Indian public and still lingers on as some of the best songs ever.

Aaj phir jeene ki tamanna hai: The lines of the song literally mean "Today I want to live again" and depicts the emotions of a person who has long looked upon life as a drag and suddenly gets a motivation to live and enjoy life again. Sung by Lata Mangeshkar and filmed on Waheeda Rehman this song is still one of best in India.

Gata rahe mera dil: The lines which mean "Let my heart keep singing" depicts the feelings of a person in delirious joy and in love with everything around him. Sung by Kishore Kumar and Lata Mangeshkar and filmed on Dev Anand and Waheeda Rehman, another all time hit song.

Piya tose naina laga re: A beautiful melodious love song of a female proposing her love to her lover. Again the melodious voice of Lata Mangeshkar makes this song another one for the all time great collection.

Katon se keech ke aanchal: Another beautiful song sung by Lata Mangeshkar and filmed on the Waheeda Rehman.

Kya se Kya ho gaya: Mohammed Rafi lends his voice to this sad song that depicts the reaction of a person who has seen everything slip in front of his eyes. Another all time classic.

All in all the best music album by S.D. Burman.

Awards
Guide had difficulties getting distributors to release the film due to such an unconventional storyline. But once it got released it went on to become a mega hit and the awards followed.

Best Actor Award: Dev Anand
Best Actress Award: Waheeda Rehman
Best Director: Vijay Anand.

But, surprisingly and sadly the best music director award did not go to S.D. Burman that year. What a travesty!!

Summary
All said and done, one of the best literary works of India got converted to one of the best movies on relationships in India. The novel was controversial, the movie more so because of its wider reach and implication.

But great adaptation, great direction and great performances leave me no room other than to give this pathbreaking Hindi movie a 5 star rating.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older