Director Guru Dutt
· Cast Guru Dutt, Waheeda Rehman, Mala Sinha
· Released 22 Feb 1957
India Nett
₹0.8 Cr
After GST
Overseas
₹₹0.2 Cr
International gross
Budget
₹0.3 Cr
Production cost
Boxoffy VerdictAll-Time Blockbuster
Pyaasa is classified as an All-Time Blockbuster — Boxoffy's highest verdict, reserved for films that permanently altered the commercial landscape of Indian cinema. With ₹0.8 Cr India nett against a reported budget of ₹0.3 Cr, representing a 267% return on production cost, it belongs to a small elite of films that transcend their release year and enter the cultural record. An All-Time Blockbuster does not just recoup costs — it redefines what a successful film can be.
Boxoffy Read
Time Out magazine listed Pyaasa among the 100 greatest films ever made — it is the only Hindi film on that list, and it belongs there. Guru Dutt's portrait of a poet rejected by a society that only values him once it thinks he is dead is among the most formally accomplished things Indian cinema produced in the 20th century. S.D. Burman's score and Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics operate at a level of artistic integration that most films never approach.
Financial AnalysisBox Office vs Budget
Pyaasa was reportedly made on a budget of ₹0.3 Cr. Against that investment, the film collected ₹0.8 Cr India nett — a 2.7x multiple on production cost and a 267% return on the reported budget.
Break-even at the Indian box office typically requires approximately 1.5x the production budget once prints, advertising and distribution costs are factored in — placing the break-even threshold for Pyaasa at roughly ₹0 Cr India nett. The film cleared this threshold, resulting in the All-Time Blockbuster verdict.
Pyaasa is classified as a All-Time Blockbuster by Boxoffy. The film collected ₹0.8 Cr India nett against a reported budget of ₹0.3 Cr. The film was commercially profitable.
Pyaasa collected ₹0.8 Cr India nett at the box office. The India nett figure represents collections after GST extraction, as reported by Box Office India and cross-referenced with Sacnilk and Pinkvilla.
Pyaasa released in 1957 and is likely available on major Indian streaming platforms. Check Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, ZEE5 and SonyLIV for current availability, as OTT rights shift periodically.
Pyaasa was directed by Guru Dutt. The 1957 Hindi film earned a All-Time Blockbuster verdict at the Indian box office, collecting ₹0.8 Cr India nett.