Guru

In late 1950s Mumbai a determined young man from a dusty town lands in the city with more ambition than experience. Gurukanth Desai quickly learns how markets hum, how deals are made, and how friendships and rivalries can steer a fortune. He starts with modest ventures, bends rules here and there, and steadily expands into industries, media, and politics. The road to power tightens his personal world as loyalties blur and love enters the mix. The story follows his ascent as a blend of romance and enterprise, painting a portrait of a self made empire builder whose drive reshapes an era. The city itself becomes a character as carnival lights, factories, and tenements frame his choices. Its mood lingers long.

Directed by Mani Ratnam, Guru channels the rise of a Mumbai magnate inspired by Dhirubhai Ambani. The screenplay is a collaboration of Gulzar, N Azhagamperumal, and Vijay Krishna Acharya, and the film released in 2007 to widespread attention and performances.

With a production budget of 4,700,000, Guru earned approximately 31,000,000 worldwide, reflecting solid box office traction for a mid budget Indian drama and underscoring Mani Ratnam's ability to attract both star power and audience curiosity across the nation and beyond.

Guru helped shape the profile of entrepreneurial ambition in Indian cinema. Its blend of romance and business ambition fed conversations about power, wealth, and ethics, and contributed to a wave of biographical dramas that followed. It sparked fashion and business dialogue among audiences and inspired actors to tackle life figures.

Critics welcomed the film for its scale and performances, though some noted its sprawling plot and familiar beats. At its core, Guru explores how drive and loyalty clash with responsibility, and how wealth reshapes personal relationships, while power dynamics reflect broader shifts in post colonial Indian society and economic transformation.