Gulzar Sahab

Sunday was one of the most rewarding evening I have had in many years. As part of the Prithvi Theater festival they had invited Gulzar Sahab to recite some of him poems followed by dramatisation of some of his short stories Kharaashein.

He was born Sampooran Singh in Dina village, Jhelum District on 18th August, 1936. After partition he immigrated to Delhi and began life as a car mechanic in a garage. Rest as they say is history. Whatever can be achieved in a lifetime he has already done in the thirty five years in the Indian film industry. His poetry has been composed as some of the most poignant songs. He was the one who wrote the still heart rending piece "Babu Moshay, ham sab upar-wale ke hath ki Kathputlian hain..." and then the tape runs out in Anand. He directed the landmark political satire Andhi in 1975.

His versatility is really amazing. Can you imagine the deeply emotional song 'Mera kuchh saman' from the film Ijazat and the chart topping Chhaiya-chhaiya, Kajrare, Beedi all came from the same stylus. Public applause as well as critical appreciation have all come his way in good measure. To me he is the epitome of a genius.

Sunday evening was fortuitous. Got to hear some brilliant stuff from him directly. Some of the narrative that refuses to leave me is, 'In winters the lazy fog arrives and settles on tree tops and then refuses to leave for hours' The sheer ebb and flow of imagery was an experience in itself. Then there was one on how the reading habit ignored,

'The books in my glass-encased shelf
peer out at me in expectation' ...

' the knowledge you will continue to get
from the computer but
where will you get to taste the paper
when you lick your finger to turn the page,
where will get those dried flowers
kept there years ago'.

Immensely profound!

We went on to see the play. The short stories entwined with poetry was extremely well done. The story of Darshan Singh during the riots of partition, adaptation of Gulzar's famous Ravi Paar was the highlight of the show. Performances of all the actors were superlative too.

Guys, go out and buy his works and experience a life time of joy.