The Guru

The Guru (1969)
112 min | Comedy | 10 February 1969 (USA

Britain's top pop artiste, Tom Pickle, travels to Bombay, India, circa 1960s to learn to play the sitar (musical instrument) from renowned maestro Ustad Zafar Khan. Tom is taken to Zafar's home, where he gets to meet his wife and several daughters, and the maestro himself. Zafar never has had a disciple as Tom, and is clearly disappointed with his lack of respect. Nevertheless, he asks him to travel to Banares with him. Also accompanying them is a young Caucasian woman named Jenny, who Zafar has taken a liking to, much to his wife's displeasure, and who is more respectful of him than Tom. In Banaras, they get to meet Zafar's aging Guru, and his mistress, Ghazala, who is expecting a child soon. Zafar hopes that it will be a son. Zafar's Guru is quite disappointed with him for having Tom and Jenny as his disciples. An over-awed and overwrought Jenny decides to take it easy - and it is then she witnesses the murder of a courtesan. Watch as events unfold in this peaceful town of Banaras that will change the lives and thought-processes of Zafar, Tom, and Jenny, forever.

Cast

Rita Tushingham ... Jenny
Michael York ... Tom Pickle
Utpal Dutt ... Ustal Zafar Khan
Madhur Jaffrey ... Begum Sahiba
Barry Foster ... Chris
Aparna Sen ... Ghazala
Zohra Segal ... Mastani
Saeed Jaffrey ... Murad
Nana Palsikar ... The Guru's Guru
Nadira ... Courtesan
Leela Naidu ... Girl at the Party
Usha Katrah ... Lady Reporter
Fred Ohringer ... Howard
Nargis Cowalsji ... Society Hostess
Marcus Murch ... Snide Guest