The legendary scrip-writer of Bollywood; Image Source- Upperstall 

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Like every other dreamer, Abrar Alvi also dreamt of making a name in Bollywood. As a passionate writer, Alvi was looking for a chance to prove his talent as a film writer. After some small gigs here and there, an opportunity knocked on Alvi's door.

While dropping his cousin Yashwant on the sets of *Baaz*, Alvi befriended the assistant director of the film, Raj Khosla. The two would often engage in lively discussions, given their love for cinema. On one fine day when Khosla needed some help with the dialogues, Alvi wholeheartedly pitched his ideas. Unbeknownst to them both, Guru Dutt was observing and listening to their conversation the whole time. Impressed by Alvi's style, Guru Dutt then offered Alvi his first film, *Aar Paar.*

This *luck by chance* incident paved the way for the Dutt-Alvi duo, who managed to make blockbusters day and night. After the commercial success of *Aar Paar,* Alvi became a permanent member of Guru Dutt's team, becoming an invaluable asset to the B-town altogether.

> Alvi was far known for the revolution in screen-writing and dialogues. From artificial, over-dramatic scripts to simple, down to earth dialogues, Alvi changed the face of Hindi Cinema.
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After the back to back success of *Pyaasa and Mr. and Mrs 55*, *Kagaz Ke Phool* pinched a deep hole in Guru Dutt's pocket. Not being able to recover from the slump of the flop, Guru Dutt trusted his confidante, Alvi, to lead the next film, *Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam*.

Forming a deep bond with Guru Dutt over the years, Alvi poured all his heart into writing and renovating the final script of *Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam*, a story inspired by Bimal Mitra's novel. With an exciting mix of feudalism, colonialism, patriarchy and a failed marriage, *Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam* became the talk of the time, garnering critical acclaim. Alvi's efforts paid off when the film bagged the president's silver medal while chancing India's official entry to the Oscars.

When one might think everything is going smooth, the anticipation of things going wrong comes along and often turns into reality. Even though *Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam* brought immense success to the duo, it also wedged a controversy between the two friends.

> The rumours around the directorial crown of the film continue to be a hot topic. Some only acknowledge Dutt as the film's sole owner whereas, others sympathise with Alvi's sleepless nights that shaped the film into what it is known for.
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Many critics believe that Guru Dutt's larger than life persona shadowed the efforts of his team members. This so happens to be the case with Alvi too. He was never awarded due recognition for his efforts in previous films, which eventually led to dis-crediting his best performance in *Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam*.

Film studies and cinema enthusiasts continue to dig such hidden gems for us to know and learn more about them. Perhaps this is the best way to carry the legacy of those behind the big screens. Reminiscing and re-writing them in common memory is our way to immortalise Abrar Alvi and many more.

The cliche says the golden touch refines everything. While it looks as simple as a click of fingers, adorning something with experience and thoughtfulness is not so easy. Meet the golden touch of Hindi Cinema, who revolutionised the idea of cinema. Are you ready to discover the secrets behind the big screen?