Majrooh Sultanpuri
Encyclopedia
Majrooh Sultanpuri was an Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...

 poet, lyricist and songwriter. He was one of the dominating musical forces in Indian Cinema in the 1950s and early 1960s and was an important figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement
Progressive Writers' Movement
The Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind or Progressive Writers' Movement was a progressive literary movement in the pre-partition British India, consisting of a few different writers groups around the world....

., and is considered one of the finest avant-garde Urdu poets of 20th century literature

In his career spanning six decades, he worked with music directors, from O.P.Nayyar, Usha Khanna, Laxmikant Pyarelal, R.D.Burman, Rajesh Roshan, Anand-Milind and Jatin-Lalit, to Leslie Lezz Lewis and AR Rahman. He won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
The Filmfare Lyricist Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.The awards were first given in 1953, however the Award for the best lyricist was first given in 1958.-Superlatives:...

 in 1965 for "Chahunga Main Tujhe" in film Dosti
Dosti
Dosti is a 1964 Indian Hindi film directed by Satyen Bose and produced by Tarachand Barjatya . The music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal. The film was Sanjay Khan's debut film and also had Sudhir Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Leela Mishra and Leela Chitnis...

, and the highest award in Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...

 for lifetime achievement in 1993.

Early life

Majrooh Sultanpuri was born as Asrar ul Hassan Khan in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...

 in either 1919 or 1920. Since his father was a police sub-inspector, he couldn't afford the expensive English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 education for his son. Majrooh instead completed the seven year course of Dars-e-Nizami in Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...

 and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...

 and went on to take the degree of becoming an Alim
Alim
-Given name:* Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Yemeni politician* Alim Ashirov, Soviet footballer* AFM Alim Chowdhury, Bangladeshi physician*Aleem Dar , Pakistani cricketer* Alim Karkayev, Russian footballer* Mohammed Alim Khan, last emir of the Manghit dynasty...

. He then joined Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....

's Takmeel-ut-Tib College of the Unani (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...

) System of Medicine. He was an established Hakim
Hakim (title)
' and ' are two Arabic titles derived from the same triliteral ḤKM "appoint, choose, judge". Compare the Hebrew title hakham.-Hakīm :...

when he happened to recite one of his ghazal
Ghazal
The ghazal is a poetic form consisting of rhyming couplets and a refrain, with each line sharing the same meter. A ghazal may be understood as a poetic expression of both the pain of loss or separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. The form is ancient, originating in 6th century...

s at a mushaira
Mushaira
Mushaira is a poetic symposium. Its a term in Urdu used to describe an event where poets gather to perform their works. A mushaira is a beloved part of the culture of Pakistan and North India, and it is greatly admired by participants as a forum for free self-expression.-Forms:A mushaira can take...

in Sultanpur. The ghazal became famous with the audience and Majrooh decided to drop his prosperous medical practice and begin writing poetry seriously. Soon he became a fixture at mushaira
Mushaira
Mushaira is a poetic symposium. Its a term in Urdu used to describe an event where poets gather to perform their works. A mushaira is a beloved part of the culture of Pakistan and North India, and it is greatly admired by participants as a forum for free self-expression.-Forms:A mushaira can take...

s
and became great friends with the renowned Urdu poet, Jigar Moradabadi
Jigar Moradabadi
Jigar Moradabadi was the nom de plume of Ali Sikandar , one of the most famous Urdu poets of the 20th century and a celebrated Urdu ghazal writer...

.

Films

In 1945, Majrooh visited Bombay to attend a mushaira at the Saboo Siddique Institute. Here his ghazals and poetry were highly appreciated by the audience. One of the impressed listeners was film producer A.R. Kardar. He contacted Jigar Moradabadi
Jigar Moradabadi
Jigar Moradabadi was the nom de plume of Ali Sikandar , one of the most famous Urdu poets of the 20th century and a celebrated Urdu ghazal writer...

 who helped him to meet Majrooh. However, Majrooh refused to write for films because he didn't think very highly of them. But Jigar Muradabadi persuaded him, saying that films would pay well and would help Majrooh to support his family. Kardar then took him to music composer Naushad
Naushad
Naushad Ali was an Indian musician. He was one of the foremost music directors for Bollywood films, and is particularly known for popularizing the use of classical music in films.His first film as an independent music director was Prem Nagar in 1940...

 who put the young writer to test. He gave Majrooh a tune and asked him to write something in the same metre, and Majrooh wrote Jab Usne Gesu Bikhraye, Badal Aaye Jhoom Ke.... Naushad liked what he wrote and Majrooh was signed on as the lyricist of the film Shah Jehan (1946). The songs of the film became so immensely popular that K.L. Saigal wanted Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya to be played at his funeral. But before he could react to the large-scale appeal created by these lines, he fell ill. The harsh Bombay weather made him leave the city and return to his hometown in the North.

Political leanings

Shah Jehan was followed by S. Fazil's Mehndi, Mehboob's Andaaz (1949), and Shahid Latif's Aarzoo. Just as Majrooh was establishing himself as a lyricist and songwriter of repute, his leftist leanings got him into trouble. The government wasn't amused by his anti-establishment poems and he was jailed in 1949 along with other leftists like Balraj Sahni
Balraj Sahni
Balraj Sahni , born Yudhishthir Sahni , was a famous Hindi film actor. He belonged to a Punjabi Khatri family from Bhera now in Punjab, Pakistan...

. Majrooh was asked to apologise, but he refused and was sentenced to two years in prison. While he was in prison, his eldest daughter was born. During this time his family experienced considerable financial difficulties. Raj Kapoor
Raj Kapoor
Known as Ranbir Raj Kapoor Rāj Kapūr, 14 December 1924 – 2 June 1988), also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of nine Filmfare Awards, while his films Awaara and Boot Polish were nominated for the Palme d'Or at the...

 commissioned a song ("Ek din bike jayega maati ke mol") from Majrooh for which he paid him Rs. 1000.

Majrooh's political beliefs were further manifested when his second daughter married the son of the Urdu writer and socialist Zoe Ansari. Toward the end both Majrooh and Zoe Ansari were disenchanted with the direction socialism had taken in the Soviet Union and China. Their desire to better the lives of the masses found an outlet in their writings.


'Aye moje e bala, un ko bhi zarah, do chaar chapede, hal ke say'
kuch log abhi tak saahil pe toofan ka nazarah kar te hain'

Awards

Majrooh went on to write lyrics for popular films throughout the 1950s. Along with Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmad Faiz was a Pakistani intellectual, poet, and one of the most famous poets of the Urdu language. He was a member of the Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind and an avowed Marxist. In 1962, he was awarded the Lenin Peace Prize by the Soviet Union...

, Majrooh was considered the most notable ghazal writer. Majrooh won his only Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
Filmfare Best Lyricist Award
The Filmfare Lyricist Award is given by the Filmfare magazine as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films.The awards were first given in 1953, however the Award for the best lyricist was first given in 1958.-Superlatives:...

 for the song "Chahunga mein tujhe saanj savere" in Dosti
Dosti
Dosti is a 1964 Indian Hindi film directed by Satyen Bose and produced by Tarachand Barjatya . The music is by Laxmikant Pyarelal. The film was Sanjay Khan's debut film and also had Sudhir Kumar, Sushil Kumar, Leela Mishra and Leela Chitnis...

.
He was also awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema given annually by the Government of India for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. It was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke, considered as the father of Indian cinema.The award for a particular year is...

 in 1993. He was the first lyricist to win the prestigious award named after Dadasaheb Phalke
Dadasaheb Phalke
Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, popularly known as Dadasaheb Phalke was an Indian producer-director-screenwriter, known as the father of Indian cinema...

.

Association with Nasir Hussain

Majrooh and Nasir Hussain
Nasir Hussain
Nasir Husain was an Indian film producer, director and screenwriter.-Early career:Husain first worked with A. R. Kardar when he joined Filmistan as a writer in 1948. The famous films he wrote for Filmistan include Anarkali , Munimjee , and Paying Guest...

 first collaborated on the film Paying Guest
Paying Guest
Paying Guest is a 1957 Bollywood film directed by Subodh Mukherjee. The film stars Dev Anand and Nutan along with Shobha Khote.The soundtrack, composed by Sachin Dev Burman received a degree of popularity and made a lasting impression . The lyrics were written by Majrooh Sultanpuri. Paying Guest...

, which Nasir wrote. After Nasir turned director and later producer they went on to collaborate in several films, all of which had huge hits and are some of Majrooh's best remembered works:
  • Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon
    Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon
    Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon is a 1963 Indian Bollywood film. The film became a superhit at the box office. This was Nasir Hussain's second production, the first being Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai. He also wrote and directed it. It starred Joy Mukherjee and the Nasir Hussain fixture Asha Parekh...

  • Teesri Manzil
    Teesri Manzil
    Teesri Manzil is a Bollywood thriller directed by Vijay Anand and produced by Nasir Hussain. It starred his regular actors Shammi Kapoor and Asha Parekh. Nazima, Premnath, Prem Chopra, Iftekhar, Helen, K. N. Singh and Salim Khan were part of the supporting cast...

  • Baharon Ke Sapne
    Baharon Ke Sapne
    Baharon Ke Sapne is a 1967 Hindi movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. It starred Rajesh Khanna ,and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Premnath , Madan Puri and another Nasir Husain fixture Rajendranath....

  • Pyar Ka Mausam
    Pyar ka Mausam
    Pyar Ka Mausam is a 1969 movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. Hussain wrote, produced, and directed the film. It starred Shashi Kapoor ,and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Bharat Bhushan , Nirupa Roy , Madan Puri and another Nasir Husain fixture Rajendranath. Nasir's nephew...

  • Caravan
    Caravan (1971 film)
    Caravan is a 1971 movie under Nasir Hussain films banner. Nasir Hussain and Sachin Bhowmick wrote the screenplay. Hussain's brother Tahir Hussain is credited as producer. It starred Jeetendra and the Nasir Husain fixture- Asha Parekh. It also had Aruna Irani , Helen and Madan Puri...

  • Yaadon Ki Baraat
    Yaadon Ki Baraat
    The Music of the movie is by the veteran Rahul Dev Burman, and the lyrics are authored by Majrooh Sultanpuri. The Soundtrack, one of the highlights of the movie with unforgettable compositions and extravagant lyrics, is remembered to Date...

  • Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin
    Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin
    Hum Kisi Se Kum Naheen is a 1977 Hindi action film, produced and directed by Nasir Hussain. The film became a "super hit" at the box office, and took the third top spot at the box office in 1977....

  • Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai
  • Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
    Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak
    Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak or QSQT is a 1988 Indian Bollywood film written by Nasir Hussain and directed by his son Mansoor Khan. The film starred Hussain's nephew, Aamir Khan, along with Juhi Chawla in their first major roles. Upon release, the film became a box office hit and shot its leading stars...

  • Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander
  • Akele Hum Akele Tum
    Akele Hum Akele Tum
    Akele Hum Akele Tum is a 1995 Hindi musical drama released in 1995. The film starred Aamir Khan, Manisha Koirala and Master Adil, and was directed by Mansoor Khan. The music is by Anu Malik and the lyrics by the production house favorite Majrooh Sultanpuri. The plot of this film is based on 1979...



Majrooh also was instrumental in introducing R.D. Burman
Rahul Dev Burman
Rahul Dev Burman commonly known as R. D. Burman and nicknamed Pancham da or simply Pancham, was an influential Bollywood music composer. He was the only son of singer and Bollywood music composer Sachin Dev Burman and his wife Meera...

 to Nasir for Teesri Manzil. The trio worked in 7 of the above mentioned films. Burman went on to work in 2 more films subsequent to Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai.

Death

Majrooh Sultanpuri had a severe attack of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...

and died in Bombay on 24 May 2000.

External links

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