His 1959 "Kaagaz Ke Phool" was an intense disappointment. He had invested a great deal of love, money, and energy in this film, which was a self-absorbed tale of a famous director (played by Guru Dutt) who falls in love with an actress (played by Waheeda Rehman, Dutt's real-life love interest). "Kaagaz Ke Phool" failed at the box office and Dutt was devastated. All subsequent films from his studio were, thereafter, officially headed by other directors since Dutt felt that his name was anathema to the box office.