A wounded soul’s musical tale
‘Main akela hee chala tha janibe manzil magar, log saath aate gaye aur carvan banta gaya’, this famous couplet by poet and lyrist, Majrooh Sultanpuri is beyond comparison. The Urdu poet weighted every emotion beautifully through his words.
Journey into poetry A Hakeem by learning and profession, Sultanpuri’s heart was always more leaning towards ghazals hence he gave up his career in Unani medicine for poetry and recited them at mushairas. It was at one such event his talent was recognized and brought to the world of cinema as a lyricist. However, Sultanpuri always took his role as a lyrist secondary to his passion for classical Urdu poetry. So much so that it took his ustad Jigar Moradabadi to persuade him to write for films bestowing Bollywood with some of the finest songs, hummed even today with the same emotion.
The beginning of his filmy career Upon meeting with music composer Naushad who asked him to write on a tune he had composed, Sultanpuri wrote Jab Usne Gesu Bikhraye, Badal Aaye Jhoom Ke.... which Naushad liked and signed him as the lyricist of the 1946 film Shah Jehan giving the soul-wrenching song Jab dil he tut gaya, that K.L. Saigal wanted this song to be played at his funeral. To then writing all the songs, like Yeh Hai Bombay Meri Jaan and Leke Pehla Pehla Pyaar, for 1956 Dev Anand film CID.
Moreover, it was his outlook on the evolving humankind in India after Independence that found an outlet in his writing. Making him an important figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement and considered the finest Urdu poet of 20th-century literature. He even went to jail for his anti-establishment ideologies and from there wrote, Duniya banana wale kya tere man mein samai, kahe ko duniya banayi for which Raj Kapoor paid him 1000 rupees. Later antaras were written by Hasrat Jaipuri for the film Teesri Kasam.
Keeping true to the craft with the ability to write songs pertaining to any situation or composition, Sultanpuri mesmerized music directors of the 40s throughout the 90s. From writing all the songs for Miss Coca Cola in 24 hours to frothy numbers like Babuji dheere chalna and Kabhi aar kabhi paar, his words remain unforgettable. Even songs like Bin Tere Sanam, Papa Kehte Hain, and Pehla Nasha to name a few.
Sultanpuri won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for the song Chahunga Mein Tujhe Saanj Savere, and also received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, becoming the first lyricist to win this award.
