MUMBAI: Om Books International, in association with Hyphen Films, has released Nasreen Munni Kabir’s Dialogue of Pyaasa, Guru Dutt‘s Immortal Classic.

The book costs Rs 450 and is accompanied by a DVD of Pyaasa.

The book was released by Karan Johar in the presence of the late Guru Dutt‘s son Arun Dutt, sister Lalitha Lajmi and Ajay Mago, Publisher, Om Books International.

The dialogue book consists of the film‘s dialogue by Abrar Alvi and songs/poems by Sahir Ludhianvi. These are presented in Hindi, Urdu and English illustrated with photographs of Dutt and his films. It starts with an extensive commentary by Nasreen Munni Kabir.

Speaking at the book launch, Kabir commented, “The intention here is to bring together in a single publication the complete dialogue and songs, so as to fully appreciate their extraordinary depth, and in the commentary and introduction, to provide a fresh in-depth look at Pyaasa by pulling together detailed reference material, personal views, anecdotal insights, film analysis and history which would otherwise be lost.”

Mago said, “I have grown up in a household where Guru Dutt and his films were a frequent topic of discussion amongst family members who were avid cinema buffs. So my childhood years were peppered with lively debates on Kaagaz ke Phool, Sahib, Biwi aur Ghulam, Baaz, and of course Pyaasa. It was only recently that I rediscovered the charm and sheer poetry of Guru Dutt‘s Pyaasa, with its unforgettable songs by Sahir. It is, therefore, an honour for Om Books International to publish The Dialogue of Pyaasa: Guru Dutt‘s Immortal Classic, in association with Hyphen Films. This book also comes with a free DVD of the film, Pyaasa, and I hope the readers shall enjoy both.”