“Kuch Rishton Mein Munafaa nahin hota…par Zindagi ko ameer bana dete hai….”
By Firdaus Ali in Toronto
It was an opportunity of a lifetime!
The octogenarian wordsmith was in Toronto. To spin magic, melt hearts and leave you spellbound with his craft.
Gulzar Sa’ab – a legend and doyen of Indian poetry was in Toronto for the launch of ‘Ijaazat – An evening of poetry, ghazals and music.’ The show received its North American premiere at Roy Thomson Theatre, and it was only natural that the theatre’s mezzanine be filled with literati and poetry afficionados. One even flying all the way from Edmonton to meet her favourite shayar in person. To get a glimpse of the man who brews magic with his pen. Where every intricate thought turns into sensual and sensitive couplets, nazms, naghmein, shayari and more.
And in keeping with his reputation, Gulzar Sa’ab walked on the stage dressed in a simple white kurta-pajama with his signature shawl. A few papers in hand and a smile on his face. Nothing else was needed.
Toronto became his stage, and the audience welcomed their favourite shayar with a standing ovation, celebrating and applauding the poet whose pen has kept everyone mesmerized for over six decades. Soulful songs like “Dil Dhoondta hai.” (Mausam) and “Tere bina jiya jaaye na. “(Ghar), played in the background, reliving the magic that is, Gulzar.
And, when the master says in a voice that is as hard as molten lava and as soft as rose petals, “tashreef rakhiye, khub charcha karenge hum aur aap aaj shaam,” your knees buckle in, you obey his soft command and listen with rapt attention to the shayar, as if he is about to unravel magic from his invisible magic box.
Dr. Rakshanda Jalil
The show brought to Toronto by Ajay Jain also saw renowned writer Dr. Rakshanda Jalil, an Indian writer, critic, literary historian and multi-award-winning translator, sharing a cozy tete a tete with the wordsmith and walking audiences through the early life of Sampooran Singh Kalra who was born in Dina, Punjab (now in Pakistan) and his long and glorious journey to becoming Gulzar, the poet of the people. The writer with a soul.
And what makes him Gulzar? “Mein apne andar ke bacche ko kabhi budha nahin hone deta” (I refuse to let the child in me grow old), he says with a lazy drawl.
Dr. Jalil has also been instrumental in translating many of Gulzar’s verses from Urdu to English, one of which speaks of the heart wrenching ordeal of migrant workers during the peak of COVID crisis in India. Gulzar sa’ab’s expression of migrant workers who walked hundreds of miles to their villages with broken bodies but undying spirit, paints a hauntingly beautiful and riveting tribute to the migrant workers and the crisis that they went through during lockdown in India amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Most of Gulzar Sa’ab’s writings revolve around “rishte” (relationships), to which he says: rishte bahut bane, bhichde, chootte lekin kabhi tootein nahin. (Relationships were made, left behind but never broken).
The poet who would be celebrating his 88th birthday next month, has achieved almost everything in the field of words but is still not ready to rest on his innumerable laurels. In an illustrious career, with numerous awards and accolades to his name, Gulzar Sa’ab is truly a literary genius and a name to reckon with both on the Indian and global stage. He is perhaps India’s foremost writers in Urdu and Hindi, having written dialogues, screenplays, lyrics and even directed some of the most riveting films of Hindi cinema.
Power of his pen
t is the power of his pen, however, that continues to keep us mesmerised up to the present day. He believes in representing the underdog, the average person and breathing life into their forgotten and subdued emotions. “A writer is one who shows a mirror to the world. He must represent the social consciousness and struggles of his times; else he will be left alone.”
Gulzar Sa’ab reminisced being extremely influenced by Tagore, whose work he had read as a child. This proved to be a turning point in his life, and he somewhere made the subconscious decision of becoming a writer. After the India-Pakistan partition in 1947, he worked as a painter in an auto body shop. Mixing colours while reading, writing, and attending college where he became part of the Progressive Writers Association (PWA). It was during this time that he took to writing with his pen name ‘Gulzar’ which means ‘garden.’
It was while attending its meetings with his friend, mentor, and iconic Bollywood lyricist Shailendra, that he met Bimal Roy, whose film Bandini (1963) became Gulzar’s first project as a lyricist. After this, he has been associated with several films in various capacities which can only be described as the ones that stir your soul, in one way or another.
The masterful wordsmith has gone on to become an acclaimed poet, lyricist, screenwriter and director and while introducing Gulzar, Jalili notes that he is among the few sensitive writers who can write about seeing the fragrance in his beloved’s eyes and how love is silent and can be felt by the soul – ”humne dekhi hai in aankhon kii mehekti Khushboo…” from the 1969 film Khamoshi.
When asked what shayari/poetry means to him, Gulzar’s poignant but soulful reply is,” Shayari meri mayya hai,” Shayari (poetry) is my mother. The poetry comes from within him, holds and embraces him and fills him with many different emotions. It protects him in the cold and through harried times. “Mein nazm pehn kar baitha hoon. Bina Nazmon ke nanga hoon main andar se…” I am wearing my verses, without them, I am naked.
Birth of verse
And when probed how a new nazm is born, he says, “every time he is hurt by something he sees or hears, it gives birth to a new verse, a new couplet.”
While, writing is his full-time job, he describes his love for writing, saying, ““Madaari hoon main ranjon gham ka. Kabaadi hoon, khaali botlon and dabbon mein nazm aur naghmein bechta hoon, “(I have become a juggler of emotions and sadness. I am a scrap dealer; I sell songs and couplets in empty bottles and boxes).
He explains his evolution from a boy to a man very simply.” Bachpan mein madari Khuda lagta tha mujhe, Bada ho gaya to Khuda ab madari lagta hai mujhe.” (As a child, I thought the juggler was God. Having grown up, I realize the God is the true juggler).
Poet, author, filmmaker and film lyricist, Gulzar Sa’ab is one of the most prominent names in cinema, popular culture, and literature in present-day India. A recipient of the Padma Bhushan and the Sahitya Akademi Award, he has also received the Oscar for the song ‘Jai ho!’ in the Hollywood film Slumdog Millionaire in 2008 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for his contribution to the Indian film industry in 2014.
A well-respected name in poetry circles, he has several non-film short story and poetry collections to his credit. He recently published his translations of Rabindranath Tagore and has written poetry especially for children.
He has also published a number of poetry anthologies namely Janam, Ek Boond Chand, Kuch Aur Nazme and Pukhraj, several collections of short stories, and a biography of Mirza Ghalib titled Mirza Ghalib: A Biographical Scenario.
And, writing to him is a full-time job. When asked if he ever suffers from a writer’s block? He is quick to reply, that there is nothing such as a writer’s block. “If you are unable to write, then pause and reflect. Do not repeat yourself but rejuvenate yourself with new ideas and come back afresh,” he advises to wanna be writers and poets.
Mirza Ghalib a is one of his fondest topics, having created a series for India’s National Television channel in the late eighties starring Naseeruddin Shah as Ghalib. Few songs of Gulzar’s also pay tribute to the legendary Urdu poet.
Mirza Ghalib holds a special place in his heart. The series, which was once to be a film, was based on the infamous Urdu Shayar of all times ‘Checha Ghalib.’ He was thinking of casting Sanjeev Kumar for the role of Ghalib, but he would have made for one plumb Ghalib, says Gulzar in a voice laced with humour.
“I was looking for someone to play the lead role of Ghalib and remember receiving letters from one Naseeruddin Shah then, stating that he was still studying in the National School of Drama and that I should wait to cast him for the role as there was no one better than him to play the role.”
And wait, he did. Naseer not only walked away with the role but also a hefty payment he demanded from the producers for this role. “Ye sab dekh kar lagta tha, ye tevar Ghalib ke hi the…’ says Gulzar Sa’ab of Naseer who did justice to the role of Ghalib. As Gulzar says, the TV series Mirza Ghalib had three main stars: Naseeruddin Shah, Jagjit Singh and of course, poet Mirza Ghalib himself.
Music too holds a special place in his heart. Having worked with many music directors over the years, ranging from yesteryear names like Salil Chowdhury, Sachin Dev Burman, R D Burman, to recent ones like Vishal Bhardwaj and A R Rahman. “Geet kabhi boodhein nahin hote,” says Gulzar Sa’ab of his love for songs. (Songs never become old).
It was film directors Bimal Roy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee that encouraged Gulzar to join the Indian film industry. He started his career as a song writer for Sachin Dev Burman in Bandini (1963) with the song ‘Mora Gora Ang Layle.’ soon followed by dialogues and lyrics for the 1968 film Aashirwad directed and produced by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Gulzar told stories of human relationships entangled in the decay of urbanization. His stories were simple yet complex. Mausam, Aandhi, Machis, Hu Tu to name a few.
Speaking about the late Lata Mangeshkar, who has given voice to many of his songs, Gulzar Sa’ab says,” Lataji is the voice of the century. She has become part of our culture. Her songs ring through every phase of our lives. She can never be replaced.”
And, while Gulzar Sa’ab is the only poet who has written poems on rain, clouds, moon, stars, earth, emotions, relations, Tagore, Ghalib… the list is endless — all we can say is… keep writing, Gulzar Saab. You do not need any ‘ijazat’ to enter and stay in our hearts. You are locked in… forever!
Like you say, “Mein ek mamuli sa khayal hoon…kabhi yaad aaoon to muskura dena.”