Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Guru

  • 1969
  • G
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
5.3/10
193
YOUR RATING
The Guru (1969)
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.
Play trailer2:42
1 Video
13 Photos
ComedyMusic

Tom Pickle, Britain's top pop artiste, travels to Bombay, India, in the 1960s to learn to play the sitar (musical instrument) from renowned maestro Ustad Zafar Khan. Tom is taken to Zafar's ... Read allTom Pickle, Britain's top pop artiste, travels to Bombay, India, in the 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.Tom Pickle, Britain's top pop artiste, travels to Bombay, India, in the 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.

  • Director
    • James Ivory
  • Writers
    • Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
    • James Ivory
  • Stars
    • Rita Tushingham
    • Michael York
    • Utpal Dutt
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.3/10
    193
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • James Ivory
    • Writers
      • Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
      • James Ivory
    • Stars
      • Rita Tushingham
      • Michael York
      • Utpal Dutt
    • 8User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Guru (1969) Trailer
    Trailer 2:42
    The Guru (1969) Trailer

    Photos12

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 6
    View Poster

    Top Cast23

    Rita Tushingham
    Rita Tushingham
    • Jenny
    Michael York
    Michael York
    • Tom Pickle
    Utpal Dutt
    Utpal Dutt
    • Ustal Zafar Khan
    Madhur Jaffrey
    Madhur Jaffrey
    • Begum Sahiba
    Barry Foster
    Barry Foster
    • Chris
    Aparna Sen
    Aparna Sen
    • Ghazala
    Zohra Sehgal
    Zohra Sehgal
    • Mastani
    • (as Zohra Segal)
    Saeed Jaffrey
    Saeed Jaffrey
    • Murad
    Nana Palsikar
    Nana Palsikar
    • The Guru's Guru
    Nadira
    Nadira
    • Courtesan
    Leela Naidu
    Leela Naidu
    • Girl at the Party
    Usha Katrah
    • Lady Reporter
    Fred Ohringer
    • Howard
    Nargis Cowalsji
    • Society Hostess
    Marcus Murch
    • Snide Guest
    Dorothy Strelsin
    • Tourist
    Ismail Merchant
    Ismail Merchant
    • Master Of Ceremonies
    Rafi Ameer
    • Arnold D'Mello
    • Director
      • James Ivory
    • Writers
      • Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
      • James Ivory
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews8

    5.3193
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    More like this

    Shakespeare-Wallah
    6.8
    Shakespeare-Wallah
    The Householder
    6.8
    The Householder
    Bombay Talkie
    5.6
    Bombay Talkie
    The Wild Party
    5.3
    The Wild Party
    Heat and Dust
    6.4
    Heat and Dust
    Savages
    5.5
    Savages
    A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
    6.8
    A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries
    A Cooler Climate
    6.3
    A Cooler Climate
    Roseland
    6.0
    Roseland
    The Europeans
    6.1
    The Europeans
    Slaves of New York
    5.6
    Slaves of New York
    Quartet
    6.2
    Quartet

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Prince and Apollonia Kotero in Purple Rain (1984)
    Music

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      One of eight productions that Indian actor Saeed Jaffrey made with Merchant Ivory Productions. The films include The Guru (1969), The Delhi Way (1964), Heat and Dust (1983), The Deceivers (1988), The Sword and the Flute (1959), The Courtesans of Bombay (1983), The Creation of Woman (1961), and Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (1978).
    • Connections
      Featured in The Wandering Company (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Tom's Boat Song
      By Imrat Khan (as Ustad Imrat Hussein Khan), Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (as R. Prawer Jhabvala)

      Performed by Michael York (uncredited)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    • Release date
      • February 10, 1969 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • India
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Merchant Ivory Productions (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El gurú
    • Filming locations
      • Benares, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
    • Production companies
      • 20th Century Fox
      • Arcadia Films
      • Merchant Ivory Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 52m(112 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1
      • 1.66 : 1
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.