Abrar Alvi - Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam Controversy

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam Controversy

Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam was important for Guru Dutt. Post the box-office disaster of Kaagaz Ke Phool, he lost almost 17 lacs on the movie which was a big amount then. Guru Dutt needed a success to put him back on map. The film went on to become a major box office success of the year. The film also won the President's Silver Medal and the 'Film of the Year' Award from the Bengal Film Journalist Association. The film was also screened at the Berlin Film Festival in June 1963 and was India's official entry to the Oscars that year.

The controversy about who actually directed Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam has increased over the years. Since the film is characteristic of Guru Dutt's feel and style, it is difficult to think that he did not direct the film. However Guru Dutt never denied Abrar Alvi's role in the film nor did he make any counter claims when Alvi won the Filmfare Award for Best Director for the film. Abrar Alvi has stated that Guru Dutt did direct the songs in the film, but not the film in its entirety. The editor of the Film Y.G. Chawan however says that for the film it was Abrar who sat with him. To quote him... Abrar worked so hard on that film but he never got any credit. People say it was produced by Guru Dutt so it had to be Guru Dutt's film.