Guddi, starring Jaya Bachchan and Dharmendra, is a film that successfully separates reality from fiction. The film’s director, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, isn’t hesitant to hurl truth bombs that are still pertinent today.
It’s been 50 years since Guddi (played by a radiant Jaya Bachchan) arrived on the set of a film to see her gorgeous idol (the He-Man Dharmendra, playing himself). The 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee film, with its message that “not everything that glitters are gold,” is still relevant today for its harsh look at reality after the arc lights are turned out and the red carpets are rolled up.
Guddi is a star-struck young girl who is so enamored by Dharmendra that she turns down Navin’s wedding proposal (Samit Bhanja). She claims she has dedicated her heart and life to the actor, same to how Meera gave up all of her worldly possessions for Giridhar. Her uncle (Utpal Dutt) then intends to expose her to the realities of the glamour industry. Guddi (Jaya) discovers how everything on the screen is a ruse during her several trips to the movie sets. She connects with her reality and the people around her as she separates herself from the realm of make-believe.
What’s fascinating is how the director, via Dharmendra, portrays the reality of Bollywood. Before Guddi visits the sets for the first time, Utpal Dutt speaks with Dharmendra on the importance of everyone on the set of a movie. A writer gives an actor a screenplay, a cameraman makes him seem nice, and a director instructs him on how to perform, but only the actor who is in front of the camera gains recognition and renown. Even in 2021, the scenario is fairly similar, which is unfortunate but true.
The cult of fame has been dented but not destroyed as the concept of celebrity shifts due to social media effects, 360-degree coverage, and the introduction of over-the-top (OTT) content. Clearly, a few aspects in the Hindi film industry haven’t altered in 50 years.
