Despite the genrations gap when this movie was released in 1959, and when I grew up to make sense of songs, this haunting melody composed by S D Burman and penned by Kaifi Azmi, always touched my heart and soul, whenever I listened to this song- as a young boy, a teenager and a man.

Guru Dutt had a great sense of music and cinematography to add on to his directorial skills. He was a man clearly ahead of his times. This movie bombed at the box-office. Read somewhere that the first president of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad- chief guest at its premier show at Regal Cinema in Delhi, had to leave mid-way, when the audience started pelting stone at the screen, due to slow pace of the movie. The movie's VCD/DVD generally remains out of stock at any leading music store till date and its songs still are fondly played by lakhs of people, esp of older generation across India and abroad.

Trivia- The cinematographer of Kaagaz Ke Phool was the legendary V.K. Murthy and it has the distinction of being the first Indian film made in wide 75 mm CinemaScope. (less info)