YesThe name of any lover of Ulzaar Urdu or Hindi poetry – or movies, needs no introduction. Viewers in North America recently had the opportunity to see the famous poet, author and humanitarian live in a series of rare public appearances. For many, seeing Gulzar was theirs for the first time.
One of the most remarkable things about the 87-year-old from Mumbai is his humanism and compassion, and his courageous commitment to his roots in Dina, the village he was forced to leave behind as a teenager. He had fallen in favor of Pakistan. About the border divided in 1947. He was so overwhelmed during his first visit in 2013 that he cut off the rest of his trip to Pakistan after Dina saying that was what he wanted”to sit alone and cry for a moment,
The most recent series of events was called Permission (Permission) After the famous 1987 musical romance film directed by Gulzar. The stage series featuring the maestro was produced by Mumbai-based filmmaker Ajay Jain, a project that took over a year to put together.
It started on 15 July 2022 in Toronto. Gulzar took the stage in his signature white kurta pajama, accompanied by noted Delhi writer, critic and litterateur Rakshanda Jalil, and singers from India Hrishikesh Ranade, Swarada Godbole and Jitendra Abhyanka, who performed at all shows featuring Gulzar’s poetry. for life.
The next show was in New Jersey, and then in Boston. This is where I had the privilege of catching this event organized by Ishani Shah, an Indian-origin philanthropist and promoter of the performing arts.
How pleasant it was to hear Gulzar reciting lines from some of his own poems, marked by his distinctive simplicity and gentleness.
I have moist eyes since evening
today you have less
(My eyes are moist since evening,
Missed your presence again today)
The series was also hosted in New York, San Jose and Austin, Texas, culminating in Dallas last weekend.
Read also: ‘Murari Lal is worried’ – Gulzar says common man worried about lost leadership in latest poem
Salute to the magic of Gulzar
Gulzar’s interactions with Rakshanda Jalil brought to the fore many aspects of his life and works. He mentioned all the people who have touched his life and influenced him the most in his almost 60 year journey in Bollywood. He has worked with actors like Sanjeev Kumar, music composers Salil Choudhary, RD Burman, Vishal Bhardwaj and AR Rahman, singers Jagjit Singh, Bhupinder Singh, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and actors Naseeruddin Shah and Meena Kumari.
Gulzar said, Sanjeev Kumar was a talented stage actor who was keen to play older men for some reason. At 22, he played a 60-year-old man with six children. That’s when Gulzar saw him for the first time. He cast Sanjeev Kumar in the roles of older men in four hit films. introduction, Koshisho, The Storm And weather, Sanjeev eventually requested for a small role, but by then he was too old to play a young hero. Despite Sanjeev’s amazing talent, the younger actresses were not interested in playing opposite him. He always remained Gulzar’s first choice.
Who knew that Lynn, sitting in the auditorium, would bring the next morning’s news Singer Bhupinder Singh passes away,
his evergreen songs Beti Na Bitai Raina, my voice is my identity, and many others were performed live on stage.
Song We have seen the smell of those eyes, Kajra Re, Bidi Jale Re and Grammy Award winner Jai Ho It received tremendous applause especially from the audience. The grand finale had a live telecast of a mix of hit songs based on Gulzar’s lyrics.
Started his writing career with a song from Bimal Roy’s 1963 film BandiniGulzar has come a long way in the last six decades. He wears many hats with ease – poet, lyricist, writer, screenwriter, film director, dialogue writer, producer and more. Also, he has received 36 awards including 22 Filmfare Awards.
Gulzar elaborates on his directorial debut my ownand also talked about his enduring classics of Hindi cinema like Introduction, Try, Thunderstorm, Weather, Silence, Grapes, Permission, Matches, From heart, and others. These are memorable not only for their storytelling, but also for their unforgettable songs.
Read also: ‘Khushboo’ – How Gulzar captures a strong woman who loves but won’t push
plan to retire
One of Gulzar’s oft-repeated philosophical observations was that the present is never complete without reflecting on the past. Not surprisingly, the cinematic device of ‘Flashback’ formed an integral part of his narrative technique. Fragrance, Sudden, Thunderstorm, Seasonal And But,
Nor does he ever reduce the complexities of life to the formula. His films were completely different in the violence of the 70s. As Rakshanda Jalil remarked, Gulzar’s work always has a striking appeal as it is a lyrical, but psychologically adept, examination of human sensibilities.
From his first break as a songwriter BandiniGulzar’s fantasies began to unfold Mora Gora Ang Lai Le, staring at the moon. It grew richer with each passing year and surprisingly, even established artists wanted to join them to increase their visibility.
Gulzar and Rakshanda also spoke at length about the making of Doordarshan’s national TV series mirza ghalibWritten and directed by Gulzar in 1988, with Naseeruddin Shah in the central role of the iconic poet. Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh were integral parts of that production. Gulzar credited the huge success of the series to three people – Naseeruddin Shah, Jagjit Singh and Mirza Ghalib himself.
In the end, Gulzar invited questions from the audience while answering with his distinctive wit and honesty. To a question on when he is planning to retire, Gulzar said it is all about his “thirst”. The day he feels that he is no longer thirsty to make it, he will stay at home.
Regarding his “kaleidoscopic” mentality, he explained that he likes to see the same object, place, person from different angles and positions. The same things look different, as they do through a kaleidoscope.
Read also: Kishore Da, Pancham, Sanjeev Kumar were mad, it’s madness that accompanies genius: Gulzar
‘Eyes don’t need visa’
Gulzar’s poem look i liveSung by Shankar Mahadevan and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, it became the anthem for the peace campaign Aman Ki Asha, launched in 2010. His moving tribute to renowned Pakistani ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan almost at the same time continues to speak for all those who yearn for a visa-free regime in the region:
Eyes don’t get visa, dreams don’t have borders
Band eyes often go to the border to meet,
Watch Mehdi Hassan in me!
(Eyes don’t need visa, dreams have no limits,
With closed eyes I often cross borders to meet
Mehdi hasan)
Gulzar’s poetry continues to attract more attention than his extensive directorial work. But the most remarkable is his relentless thirst and ability to work. A creative fountain like Gulzar cannot slow down. Not unless there is a full moon night in his sight and a kaleidoscope in his mind.
Born in Karachi, Boston-based Siraj Khan is a connoisseur of South Asian film music, and believes in using art and culture to build bridges between people and places. A global finance and auditing specialist by profession, he has written screenplays and directed concerts in the US, UK, South Asia and the United Arab Emirates. Thoughts are personal.
this is a Dream: Syndicated feature on the recent Gulzar series of events in North America.