Sampooran Singh Kalra also known as Gulzar Sahab respected by many and loved by every single Indian Soul. And now that I am sitting at my desk writing these words, I feel anxious and trembling like hell. Whether I will do justice to that legend who crafted Indian cinema, music, and literature in many ways by writing this tribute article.
As long as I can remember there has been a part of Gulzar in my life. Whether it was that soul-touching song ‘Is mod se jate hain’ from the movie ‘Aandhi’ that my mother adored or that very particular movie called ‘Koshish’ that my father forced me to watch and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. There was Gulzar everywhere.
But then one might think that he was just an old timer for old people and old movies. But one can really understand Gulzar only when one dives deep into his filmography and writings. Movies like 'Ijaazat' are still being romanticized by many and 'Maachis' is considered to be one of the path-breaking movies of Indian cinema for the story is centered around a very sensitive and influential topic.
Other than that, where is Gulzar? We all remember that legendary song where Aish fired the stage with Abhishek and Big B? yes, I am talking about 'Kajra Re' song. And it was also written by Gulzar Sahab and was inspired by a folk song from the Braj region. On the other hand, when we see Vishal Bhardwaj’s work, there is a name which is very common and that is Gulzar. Yes, the connection between these two goes way back when Vishal Bhardwaj debuted in the last directorial of Gulzar Sahab ‘Maachis’ alongside Chandrachur and K. K (in Hindi) for acting and music respectively. And after that, we feel the lines, we feel the touch of Gulzar in movies like 'Maqbool', 'Omkara', 'Haider', '7 Khoon Maaf', and many more.
But then one might ask, other than a great writer and director what is Gulzar? And when someone asks me that, I'd like to say that Gulzar is that very essence we all carry within ourselves, when we fall in love, when we see something wrong and our soul tries to go rebel, when there is a blue sky and we want to fly. There has been Gulzar in it, there will always be Gulzar in it. In every beautiful thing, there will be him.
~ Subhodeep Chakraborty
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