To Gulzar Saab, with lots of love
What's the story
Sampoorn Singh Kalra or Gulzar turns 83 today. It's almost redundant to debate on the place that he holds in literature and in our hearts.
We, as mere admirers, can only pay homage to a person, who has been leaving imprints on our souls since forever, with his words. Words fail to fathom the master of words.
This is out of sheer love.
Gulzar
A generation to the other
My father kept humming a few lines, which got stuck with me at the very impressionable age of thirteen - a song, which Gulzar Saab had penned for the movie, Masoom, "Huzoor is kadar bhi na itra ke chaliye, Khule aam aanchal na lehra ke chaliye."
This is the beauty of Gulzar, the deepest of emotions said with utmost ease.
Songs
That nuanced blend of words
Gulzar, over the years, has never faltered. His songs were not kept aside as classics or nostalgia novelties. While not discounting on grace, his words still resonate with the youth.
He conjures images that are rustic, yet poignant. A blend of English and Hindi gives you, "Aankhein bhi kamal karti hain...Personal se sawal karti hain, Palko ko uthati bhi nahi...parde ka khayal karti hain."
Movie
Transcending beyond definitions
Gulzar Saab loves to contradict himself. In the same movie, his songs stand in stark contrast to each other.
You have, "Aaja aaja dil nichode, Raat ki mataki tode, Koi good luck nikaale, Aaj gullak toh phode" in Kaminey and then you get "Jiska bhi chehra chheela, andar se aur nikla, masoom sa kabootar, nacha to mor nikla," in the same movie.
Love
Love as he saw it
Gulzar Saab never shied away from experimenting with the forms and nuances of lyrics.
"Beqaif hain bahara, bechain jaane yaara, Bulbulon ko abhi intezar karne do," in Saath Khoon Maaf to "Na boloon main to kaleja phoonke, Jo bol doon toh zubaan jale hai," in Dedh Ishqiya, both talked about love, but with very different perspectives.
It's playful and causes angst but is beautiful.
Legend
Lots of love from us
Gulzar Saab is one of the very few living legends that we are left with. His admirers span three generations and are still counting.
We have been blessed with a wordsmith, whose words will stay with us, nudging us as a friend every time, when we won't have our own, to express emotions to someone else. For that, we are grateful.