1965 · Film
Guide
Vijay Anand's Hindi romantic drama, based on R. K. Narayan's novel, about a tour guide named Raju and Rosie, the neglected wife of an archaeologist.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Guide is free to watch in India on YouTube.
- Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
The story begins as Raju walks out of jail, then turns back to his past. Raju was a charming freelance guide who earned his living showing tourists around historic sites. When Marco, a wealthy, ageing archaeologist, arrives to study caves outside the city, he hires Raju and brings along his young wife, Rosie. Marco is absorbed in his research and neglects her. Rosie, the daughter of a courtesan, has given up dancing because Marco disapproves. As Raju shows her around, he admires her talent and spirit, and the bond between them begins to change all three lives.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
Made for viewers who enjoy grown-up romantic dramas with celebrated songs and a spiritual turn. The Hindi version is long, close to three hours, and touches on a suicide attempt, a broken marriage and fraud, so it suits teens and adults more than young children.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Guide is based on R. K. Narayan's 1958 novel The Guide. Dev Anand produced it as a bilingual: a Hindi version directed by his brother Vijay Anand, and a 120-minute English version, The Guide, written by Pearl S. Buck and directed by Tad Danielewski. Narayan disliked the adaptation and called the English version "The Misguided Guide" in a review for Life.
The Hindi version was a major box-office success. It was India's official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 38th Academy Awards but was not nominated. At the Filmfare Awards it won seven awards from nine nominations and became the first film to win all four major categories: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Actress. S. D. Burman composed the songs, with lyrics by Shailendra, including "Aaj Phir Jeene Ki Tamanna Hai" and "Gaata Rahe Mera Dil". The film was screened again at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Romantic drama
- Runtime
- 183 min
- Director
- Vijay Anand
- Cast
- Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Leela Chitnis, Kishore Sahu, Gajanan Jagirdar
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Guide in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Guide is free to watch in India on YouTube.
- Is Guide in Hindi?
- Yes. Guide is a Hindi-language film.
- How long is Guide?
- Guide runs for 3 hours 3 minutes (183 minutes).