Kaagaz Ke Phool (Paper Flowers)
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Introduced by Lalitha Gopalan, associate professor of Cinema Studies at the University of Texas at Austin and author of the book Kaagaz Ke Phool (Paper Flowers): BFI Film Classics. Buy her book here in person before the show starts!
The first Indian film shot in CinemaScope, Guru Dutt’s masterpiece follows the successful filmmaker Suresh Sinha (played by Dutt) as rumors of his affair with actress Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) lead him to lose his family, descend into alcoholism, and ultimately retreat from the film industry. Initially a critical and commercial failure, the film is now revered for its technical prowess, stunning chiaroscuro images, beautiful songs, and heartbreaking, self-reflexive narrative.
Shown in a digital restoration by the National Film Archive of India.
Cost: free, register in advance recommended.
Director: Guru Dutt. Country: India. Released: 1959. Length: 148 min. Format: DCP, B&W. Language: Hindi with English subtitles.
Kaagaz Still: Courtesy of the National Film Archive of India
Book Cover: Courtesy of the British Film Institute
The first Indian film shot in CinemaScope, Guru Dutt’s masterpiece follows the successful filmmaker Suresh Sinha (played by Dutt) as rumors of his affair with actress Shanti (Waheeda Rehman) lead him to lose his family, descend into alcoholism, and ultimately retreat from the film industry. Initially a critical and commercial failure, the film is now revered for its technical prowess, stunning chiaroscuro images, beautiful songs, and heartbreaking, self-reflexive narrative.
Shown in a digital restoration by the National Film Archive of India.
Cost: free, register in advance recommended.
Director: Guru Dutt. Country: India. Released: 1959. Length: 148 min. Format: DCP, B&W. Language: Hindi with English subtitles.
Kaagaz Still: Courtesy of the National Film Archive of India
Book Cover: Courtesy of the British Film Institute
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Host or PublisherSmithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
