Gulzar's Birthday Today

Gulzar has been a prolific artist in Hindi films ever since he hit the bull's eye with the song Mora gora rang laile, mohe shaam rang dede (take my fair skin colour and give me a dark hue...opposite of the Fair & Lovely theme). He has come a long way, and many awards later, continues to write.

Pleasant, touching and meaningful lyrics are his forte, and his films always left a mark where it mattered- in your heart. One of my favourite Gulzar songs is from Parichay- Musafir hoon yaaron, na ghar hai na thikaana. Another perennial favourite is Aanewala pal jaanewala hai from Golmaal.

Some of his gems are Hawaon pe likh do hawaon ke naam-Do Dooni Chaar, Hazaar raahen mudke dekhi, kahin se koi sadaa na aai-Thodi si Bewafai, Woh shaam kuch ajeeb thi- Khamoshi, Thoda hai thode ki zaroorat hai - Khatta Meetha, Naam gum jaayega-Kinara, Dil dhoondta hai phir wahi phursat ke raat din, a haunting song of nostalgia from Mausam, Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa nahin (Aandhi, brilliant music by RD Burman and rendition by Lata and Kishore Kumar), Hasne ki chaah ne kitna mujhe rulaya hai - sung by Manna Dey in Aavishkar, Aapki aankhon men kuch mehke hue se khwaab hain..-Ghar, Mera kuch samaan tumhaare paas pada hai (Ijaazat).

Just in case you thought he was too serious, he made Angoor, one of the funniest Hindi movies superbly acted out by Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Varma, both in double roles, inspired by a Shakespeare classic.

I celebrated his birthday by eating Tunde kabab (famous for the Lucknow nawab) with a friend at Sheraton in Saket. Topped up with a mutton biryani. 

4 comments:

smita said...

hazaar rahe mud ke dekhi ..is one of my favourites too..amazing lyrics!

Diamond Head said...

Thanks to your encyclopeadic memory you reminded me of the famous 'comedy of errors'. Angoor was indeed one of my faves. Did not know Gulzar had that funny bone.

Rajendra said...

Yes, Smita, amazing is the right word.

I must confess the encyclopaedia is rusting..so I cheat by googling my doubts to the latest oracle on the planet. But cheating is limited to about 25%.

Diamond Head said...

Even Fareed Zakharia is allowed one or two 'slips'.. tow hum jaiso ko 'gully' bhi allowed ho?

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