Pyaasa

Pyaasa

Year: 1957

Runtime: 146 mins

Language: Hindi

DramaRomance

Vijay, a struggling poet, longs for true love while fighting to have his verses published. With the support of two women who become his confidantes, his literary aspirations are finally realized, but the success forces him to confront harsh truths and reassess his worldview.

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Timeline & Setting – Pyaasa (1957)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Pyaasa (1957). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Calcutta

Calcutta serves as the urban backdrop for Vijay's poetic ambitions and the clash between art and commerce. The crowded streets and publishing scene mirror a society grappling with unemployment and poverty. The city’s cultural milieu amplifies the tension between idealism and material success.

🏙️ City 🎭 Culture 💼 Economy

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:58

Main Characters – Pyaasa (1957)

Meet the key characters of Pyaasa (1957), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Vijay (Guru Dutt)

An idealistic Urdu poet whose work tackles unemployment and poverty but is dismissed by publishers. He endures mockery from his brothers and society, and his belief in his art is tested by betrayal and a train incident that leads others to think he is dead.

🎭 Poet 💡 Idealist 💔 Disillusioned

Gulabo (Waheeda Rehman)

A prostitute who admires Vijay's poetry and falls in love with him. She helps catalyze his posthumous fame by convincing Ghosh to publish his poems, challenging the boundaries between love, art, and exploitation.

💃 Prostitute 💘 Love interest 🎨 Muse

Meena (Mala Sinha)

Vijay's former girlfriend who marries a wealthy publisher for financial security. She plays a pivotal role in the power dynamics around Vijay's work and is used to spy on him.

💼 Social climb 💸 Wealth 💔 Betrayal

Abdul Sattar (Johnny Walker)

Vijay's loyal friend who assists him and helps orchestrate his escape from the asylum. He remains a steadfast ally amid the chaos of Vijay's fame pursuit.

🤝 Loyal 🫂 Friend 🗝️ Ally

Mr. Ghosh (Rehman)

A wealthy publisher who profits from Vijay's posthumous fame and manipulates the poet's fate for financial gain. He embodies the mercenary side of the publishing world.

💼 Publisher 🤑 Opportunist 💎 Hypocrisy

Shyam (Shyam Kapoor)

Vijay's close friend who, along with Ghosh, refuses to acknowledge him when he returns. His stance reflects the pressures of friendship and material interest.

🤝 Friend 🕴️ Skeptic 🧩 Loyalty

Vijay's Brother (Mehmood)

One of Vijay's brothers who disapproves of his vocation and is bribed by Ghosh to disown him. This betrayal underscores the themes of family and expediency.

👦 Brother 💬 Mockery 🤝 Betrayal

Vijay's Mother (Leela Mishra)

A maternal figure in the extended family who participates in the household's disapproval and moral pressure, reinforcing the societal critique embedded in the story.

👩‍👦 Family 🏠 Pressure 🗣️ Guidance

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:58

Major Themes – Pyaasa (1957)

Explore the central themes of Pyaasa (1957), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎭 Identity

Vijay's struggle to be recognized as the true voice behind his poems drives the plot. He faces rejection and mislabeling, culminating in a symbolic renunciation of his own identity. The story probes how society defines worth and posterity through recognition rather than truth.

💰 Greed

Publishers and intermediaries seek profit from Vijay's work after his supposed death. Ghosh exploits the posthumous fame to enrich himself, while friends and family are bribed to deny the poet's life.

🕯️ Hypocrisy

The memorialization of a 'deceased' poet exposes a society hungry for prestige and capital, not truth. When Vijay returns alive, those around him cling to convenience rather than authenticity.

🎨 Art

The film juxtaposes poetry's intrinsic value with its commodification. Vijay's verses gain mass appeal only as commercial fiction, challenging the ideal of art for art's sake while testing the poet's integrity.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:58

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about disillusioned artists like Pyaasa

Stories of creators who find that success comes at the cost of their artistic soul.Explore movies like Pyaasa, where the protagonist's artistic triumph leads to a painful disillusionment. If you were moved by Vijay's rejection of hollow fame, you'll appreciate these powerful stories of creators grappling with the cost of success and searching for authentic meaning beyond the spotlight.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with an artist's passionate but unrecognized work, leading to a period of intense poverty and struggle. A pivotal event—often involving exploitation or a misunderstanding—propels them to fame. The climax revolves around the artist's realization of the hypocrisy and materialism of the world celebrating them, culminating in a conscious choice to renounce the trappings of success for a more authentic, if simpler, existence.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by a profound exploration of artistic integrity versus societal validation. They share a heavy emotional weight, a melancholic tone, and a focus on the internal crisis that arises when external goals are achieved but prove spiritually empty. The pacing is often steady, allowing for deep introspection.

Gritty social realism dramas like Pyaasa

Raw, emotional journeys through poverty and societal injustice.Discover movies similar to Pyaasa that blend intense personal drama with sharp social commentary. If you appreciated the film's gritty portrayal of poverty and the emotional toll of societal hypocrisy, these powerful stories of heartbreak and social inequality will resonate with you.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative is centered on a sympathetic protagonist enduring hardship within an oppressive or indifferent society. The plot is less about grand events and more about a series of accumulating injustices and emotional blows that highlight systemic failures. The journey is one of survival and moral endurance, often leading to a conclusion that is more about a change in perspective or a small personal victory than a solution to the larger societal problems.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared commitment to a melancholic, realistic tone and their focus on the heavy emotional impact of social structures on the individual. They combine a steady, immersive pacing with high emotional intensity to create a powerfully moving and thought-provoking viewing experience.

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Pyaasa Summary

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Pyaasa Timeline

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Pyaasa Timeline

Pyaasa Spoiler-Free Summary

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Pyaasa Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Pyaasa

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