We all know Abrar Alvi as the friend and confidante of Gurudutt, but he was much more than that. A brilliant writer and director, Alvi deserves more praise and an honest evaluation for his contribution to one of Hindi cinema’s greatest epics, “Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam.”
Early Life
Abrar Alvi, born on July 1, 1927, in Ayodhya, India, was a distinguished screenwriter, director, and occasional actor. Due to his father’s work, he spent his growing-up years in Maharashtra, especially Nagpur, where he got most of his education. While in Nagpur, he worked as an amateur writer and actor on the radio. Alvi was also active in theatre, writing many plays and acting in them.
It was during this period that Alvi’s personal life took a romantic turn. He met a medical student from Lucknow, and despite her father’s disapproval, a sweet college romance blossomed. Alvi’s penchant for writing found a new muse in this relationship, as he penned long, romantic letters that delighted his paramour and became the talk of his college hostel. This experience not only nurtured his creative spirit but also laid the groundwork for his future in storytelling.
Early Career
In 1951, Alvi moved to Bombay to look for a break. In Bombay, he joined the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and worked on many plays. He also wrote and directed a few radio plays. It was the time when he started living with his cousin, “Irshad Hussain.” With the help of his cousin he became the assistant director of CL Deer on his film Bahu Beti (1953).
His cousin, an actor who goes by the screen name Yashwant was working on the film “Baaz,” directed by Gurudutt. While visiting the set, he met the assistant director of the film, Raj Khosla, who became one of his good friends.
One day, while Khosla was discussing a dialogue with Alvi, and asked for his opinion. Alvi answered that he couldn’t truly judge a line without knowing the background, characters, and situation. Interestingly, Gurudutt overheard the discussion. Impressed by his attitude and his educational background, Gurudutt asked Alvi to write dialogue for his next film, “Aar Paar (1954),” marking the beginning of a historic partnership with Guru Dutt.
Ustad Rashid Khan – The Maestro
The next venture was “Mr. and Mrs. ’55 (1955),” starring Madhubala and Guru Dutt. The film was based on the play “Modern Marriage,” written by Alvi when he was in college. The film was a big success, which established Alvi as a force to be reckoned with. Interestingly, Alvi was not credited for his story in the film.
Alvi then wrote dialogues for “Pyaasa (1957),” for which he did extensive research work. The character “Gulabo,” played by Waheeda Rahman, was based on a real girl who became a sex worker after she ran away with her lover, leaving his father, who was a Gujarati priest and a reputed person. Alvi cleverly adapted her personality, traits, and mannerisms into the character. But curiously, he was again credited as the dialogue writer. Pyaasa’ was included in Time magazine’s All-Time 100 Movies list, curated by critics Richard Corliss and Richard Schickel.
He wrote the screenplay and dialogue for “Kagaz ke Phool (1959),” which famously turned out to be a “box office bomb,” but over time became a cult classic. His next was “Chaudhavin Ka Chand (1960),” which was one of the most successful films of Gurudutt’s career. The film is remembered for its writing, performances, music. It is also also had one of most nuanced portrayal of upper-class Muslim households of that era.
Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam
Gurudutt decided not to direct a film after the failure of “Kaghaz ke Phool” and gave the reins to the next project to Alvi. The film was based on Bimal Mitra’s Bengali novel Saheb Bibi Golam (1953) and starred Meena Kumar, Gurudutt, Rehaman, and Waheeda Rahman. “Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962)” turned out to be a monumental film both at the box office and in the history of Indian cinema.
The film is a poem on celluloid, a sad song that will always be remembered for its cinematic brilliance and emotional richness. The film received immense critical acclaim and went on to win a number of awards, including the President’s Silver Medal and the Filmfare Award for Best Film, Best Director for Abrar Alvi, and Best Actress for Meena Kumari.
But it was not all without controversy. Because of the similar style to Gurudutt’s earlier films, people accused Gurudutt of ghost-directing the film and discredited Alvi completely. This controversy led to a decline in his directorial opportunities, but Alvi continued to leave his mark on the industry through his writing.
After Guru Dutt
He never directed an independent film again. But after the untimely demise of Guru Dutt, completed the work on Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966).” Guru Dutt was producing the film with Shahid Lateef as director. Later Shahid Lateef, left the project due to creative differences. Gurudutt decided to direct it but passed away before completing it. Alvi completed it with Dharmendra, but Shahid Lateef gets direction credits due to the contractual obligations. Due to his work on the film, Alvi had to leave two important writing projects: Sharendra’s “Teesri Kasam” and Lekh Tandan’s “Jhuk Gaya Asman.”
Other notable works of Alvi include Professor (1962), Suraj (1966), Chhotisi Mulaqat (1967), Sunghursh (1968), Saathi (1968), Manoranjan (1974), Laila Majnu (1976), Bairaag (1976), Sabse Bada Rupaiya (1976), Hamare Tumhare (1979), Biwi-O-Biwi: The Fun-Film (1981), Khuda Kasam (1981), Patthar Dil (1985), and Kasam Suhaag Ki (1989). His last screenplay for “Guddu (1995),” starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala.
Legacy
Alvi’s love for literature and poetry seeped into his screenplays, enriching the dialogues and narratives with a literary finesse that became his trademark. This blend of personal passion and professional prowess made Alvi’s work resonate with authenticity and emotional depth.
Abrar Alvi passed away on November 18, 2009. His writing was characterized by its depth and realism, bringing a new dimension to Hindi cinema’s storytelling. He brought a level of respect and recognition to the craft of screenwriting, inspiring generations of writers, including the legendary duo Salim-Javed.
Abrar Alvi on IMDB
