Karan Unveils 'Pyaasa' Pages; Swats Down Genius' Remake 

By MovieTalkies.com, 03 February 2011 He's responsible for some of the biggest cinematic experiences of our times, but Karan Johar feels that his colleagues and he are "too commercial" and "focussed on the dynamics of the movie industry", unlike ace director Guru Dutt, who was "an endorsement of passion". Johar was present at the book launch of 'The Dialogue of Pyaasa, Guru Dutt's Immortal Classic' and expressed how "honoured and privileged" he was to be a part of Guru Dutt's journey. Penned by Nasreen Munni Kabir and published by Om Books International, the book contains the memorable dialogues and timeless songs of Guru Dutt's classical masterpiece. Looking dapper in an all black ensemble, Karan unveiled the book and spoke to the media about how Dutt has a special place in his heart. He said, "I grew up on Bimal Roy, vintage Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt. My mother used to like listening to Guru Dutt's music and that's what drew me towards his movies. At a young age, it left an indelible mark in my headspace and even today, some of those visual and images keep coming back to me." K Jo confided that he hadn't been able to emulate any of those images in any of his films. He said, "I don't think my cinema even holds a candle to what this genius has achieved. For me, his cinema is beyond words, and I feel little even talking about him. Filmmakers today lack passion, vision!" Even though Johar himself has jumped on the remaking bandwagon, he feels that Dutt's masterpiece should just be left alone. He said, "If you even attempt to touch some films, it would be an insult to them. 'Pyaasa' is one such film. No one should touch it. Why should we tamper with genius?" Touché to that, we say.