There is a thin line between poetry and song, and veteran lyrist-filmmaker Gulzar has been able to bridge this gap with love ballads to flirty and sensual songs. In his career spanning over five decades, the wordsmith penned some exquisite compositions about love, heartbreak and life, reflecting the mood and feel of one and all.
Gulzar lines can create magic, his poems touch the deepest chords of the heart. Here are the eight compositions by the National Award-winning writer, director, and lyricist that are timeless and topical and still so poetic:
- Platonic relationship
“Kuch Rishte bahut ruhani hoti hai
Apneman ka shor nahi machaya jata”
Some relationships are beyond the physical entity, the connection of the soul. The moment when your soul connects, you don’t need to explain the relationship with words.
- Happiness- a state of mind
“Thoda hai thode ki zarurat hai, Zindagi phir bhi yahaan Khoobsurat hai.”
Human wants can never be satiated but the moment you accept yourself and your life that is when you will find happiness.
- Pain of heartbreak
“Tere jaane se toh kucch badla nahin.
Raat bhi aayi thi aur chand bhi tha.
Haan magar…neend nahin.”
That heartbreak, that stays forever with you. The line explains the helplessness of the lover where he says- nothing has changed since the day you left me, the night and the moon are still up there except my sleep.
- The Journey that we all take
“Mushafir hun Yaaron
Na ghar hai ya nah thikana
Mujhe chalte jana hai”
The lines remind us that we are a visitor in the journey of life, we don’t have a place of our own and we need to follow the road and cherish our journey.
- Innocent days of love
“Zulf mein phansi hui khol denge baaliyaan.
Kaan khinch jaaye agar, Kha lein meethi gaaliyan.”
First love will always be innocent and beautiful and nothing explains better than these lines where the lover basks in the sweet feel of his beloved’s scolding.
- About life and time
“Aane wala pal jane wala hai.
Ho sake toh isme, Zindagi bita do,
Pal jo yeh jaane wala hai.”
The lines ask the reader to enjoy each and every moment as these are fleeting and would soon pass.
- Reality of life
“Jeene ke liye socha hi nahi. Dard sambhalne honge.
Muskuraaye toh muskuraane ke Karz utarne honge.”
Adulthood and reality hit hard. The lines speak about the harsh reality of life and the pain one has to endure with every smile on the lips.
- Expectations hurt
“Taqleef khud hi kam ho gayi, Jab apno se umeed kam ho gayi.”
This one line abounds with emotions. It talks about pain due to expectations in life.
What makes Gulzar endearing is the emotional depth in his poetry with instances drawn from everyday life. It is immediate, topical and still so poetic at the same time.
Happy 87th birthday to the genius.
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