Sahir Ludhyanvi
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Abdul Hayee (8 March 1921 – 25 October 1980), popularly known by his pen name ( takhallus) Sahir Ludhianvi, was an
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
and
film song A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
lyricist A lyricist is a songwriter who writes lyrics (the spoken words), as opposed to a composer, who writes the song's music which may include but not limited to the melody, harmony, arrangement and accompaniment. Royalties A lyricist's income ...
who wrote primarily in
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...
. His work influenced Indian cinema, in particular
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
films. Sahir won a Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for ''Taj Mahal'' (1963). He won a second Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for his work in ''Kabhie Kabhie'' (1976). He was awarded the
Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...
in 1971.Sahir Ludhianvi's Padma Shri and Filmfare Awards on GoogleBooks website
Accessed 28 January 2022
On 8 March 2013, the ninety-second anniversary of Sahir's birth, a commemorative stamp was issued in his honor.


Life


Early life and education

Sahir was born on 8 March 1921, in a red
sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
haveli A ''haveli'' is a traditional townhouse, mansion, manor house, in the Indian subcontinent, usually one with historical and architectural significance, and located in a town or city. The word ''haveli'' is derived from Arabic ''hawali'', mean ...
in Karimpura,
Ludhiana Ludhiana ( ) is the most populous and the largest Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. The city has an estimated population of 1,618,879 2011 Indian census, 2011 census and distributed over , making Ludhiana the ...
,
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, India, into a
Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...
Gujjar landlord family."Sahir: The poet lives on"
Tribune India (newspaper), Published 24 October 2004, Accessed 14 November 2019
This is the reason why he added the suffix ''Ludhianvi'' after his name. His mother, Sardar Begum, left her husband thus forfeiting any claim to financial assets from the marriage. In 1934, Sahir's father remarried and sued (acrimoniously and unsuccessfully) for custody of his son. In a recent biography titled ''Sahir: A Literary Portrait'' (Oxford University Press) written by US-based author Surinder Deol, the author agrees with the very brief conclusion of Pakistani poet
Ahmad Rahi Ahmad Rahi (12 November 1923 – 2 September 2002) was a Punjabi poet and writer from Pakistan. Early life He was born 12 November 1923 in Amritsar, British India. His real name was Ghulam Ahmad, a name given by his spiritual leader Khorshe ...
, a friend of Sahir over the years, about Sahir's life story in a nutshell, "In his entire life, Sahir loved once, and he nurtured one hate. He loved his mother, and he hated his father." Sardar Begum required protection from Sahir's father and suffered financial deprivation.Verma C. and Abid S
"Main Sahir Hoon"
Star Publications. 2014. (in Hindi).
Sahir's place of birth is marked with a small plaque on the building's arched entrance. Sahir was educated at the Khalsa High School in
Ludhiana Ludhiana ( ) is the most populous and the largest Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Punjab, India, Punjab. The city has an estimated population of 1,618,879 2011 Indian census, 2011 census and distributed over , making Ludhiana the ...
. He then enrolled at the
Government College, Ludhiana Satish Chander Dhawan Government College, formally S.C.D. Government College, Ludhiana, formerly Imperial College, Ludhiana and Government College for Boys, Ludhiana, is an educational institution located in Ludhiana, Punjab, India, Punjab, India ...
. The auditorium there is named after him. As a college student, Sahir was popular for his ''
ghazal The ''ghazal'' ( ar, غَزَل, bn, গজল, Hindi-Urdu: /, fa, غزل, az, qəzəl, tr, gazel, tm, gazal, uz, gʻazal, gu, ગઝલ) is a form of amatory poem or ode, originating in Arabic poetry. A ghazal may be understood as a ...
s'' and '' nazms'' (poetry in Urdu) and empassioned speeches.


Partition

In 1943, Sahir settled in
Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
. There, he completed ''Talkhiyaan'' (Bitterness) (1945), his first published work in
Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''
All India Students Federation The All India Students' Federation (AISF) is the oldest surviving student organisation in India, founded in 1936. Pre-independence AISF was founded on 12 August 1936, with guidance and cooperation from the Indian independence movement. The ...
. Sahir edited Urdu magazines such as ''Adab-e-Lateef'', ''Shahkaar'', ''Prithlari'', and ''Savera''"Biography – Sahir Ludhyanvi."
Urdu Poetry.com website, Accessed 14 November 2019
and became a member of the
Progressive Writers' Association The Progressive Writers' Association or the Progressive Writers' Movement of India or ''Anjuman Tarraqi Pasand Mussanafin-e-Hind'' (( ur, ) or ''Akhil Bhartiya Pragatishil Lekhak Sangh'' (Hindi: अखिल भारतीय प्रगति ...
. However, when he made controversial statements promoting
Communism Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
, a warrant for his arrest was issued by the
Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...
. In 1949, after partition, Sahir fled from
Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
to
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
. After eight weeks, Sahir moved to
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. He later lived in
Andheri Andheri ( n̪d̪ʱeɾiː is a locality in the western part of the city of Mumbai in India. Udayanagari, the name of a hill near the Mahakali caves, inspired the name Andheri. On the former islet of Versova, also known as Vasave, there was ano ...
, a suburb of
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. There, his neighbours included Gulzar, a poet and lyricist and
Krishan Chander Krishan Chander (23 November 1914 – 8 March 1977) was an Indian Urdu and Hindi writer of short stories and novels. Some of his works have also been translated in English. He was a prolific writer, penning over 20 novels, 30 collections o ...
, an Urdu
litterateur An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and who proposes solutions for the normative problems of society. Coming from the world of culture, either as a creator or as ...
. In the 1970s, Sahir built a bungalow which he called ''Parchaiyaan'' (Shadows), after one of his works, and lived there until his death.


Death

On 25 October 1980, at the age of fifty-nine, Sahir died of a sudden cardiac death. He died in the presence of his friend,
Javed Akhtar Javed Akhtar (born 17 January 1945) is an Indian poet, lyricist, screenwriter and political activist. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 200 ...
. He was buried at the
Juhu Juhu (Pronunciation: Help:IPA/Marathi, ͡ʒuɦuː is a posh and upmarket neighbourhood of Mumbai. It is known for the sprawling Juhu Beach. It is surrounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Versova (Mumbai), Versova to the north, Vile Parle to ...
Muslim cemetery. In 2010, his tomb was demolished to make room for new interments.


Career

Sahir's work as a lyricist in the film industry gave him financial stability beyond his earnings as a poet. He made his debut with four songs performed in the film ''Azadi Ki Raah Par'' (1949). One of the songs was ''Badal Rahi Hai Zindagi''. Both the film and its songs went unnoticed. However, after
Naujawan (1951 film) Naujawan () is 1951 Hindi film directed by Mahesh Kaul. It stars Premnath, Nalini Jaywant, Yashodhara Katju, Kamal Mehra, Zeb Qureshi, Cuckoo, S.N. Banerjee. Plot Cast Soundtrack The music was composed by S.D. Burman and Sahir Ludhianvi w ...
, with music by
S.D. Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the Tripura royal family, he started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He later began composing for Hindi movies and became one o ...
, Sahir gained recognition. Sahir's major success was '' Baazi'' (1951). Again, the composer was Burman. Sahir was then considered part of Guru Dutt's team. The last film Sahir made with Burman was ''
Pyaasa ''Pyaasa'' (; ) is a 1957 Indian Hindi drama film directed and produced by Guru Dutt, who stars alongside Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, and Johnny Walker. Set in Calcutta, it focuses on the disillusioned Urdu poet Vijay (Dutt), whose ...
'' (1957). In ''Pyaasa'',
Guru Dutt Vasanth Kumar Shivashankar Padukone (9 July 1925 – 10 October 1964), better known as Guru Dutt, was an Indian film director, producer, actor, choreographer, and writer.Rajadhyaksha, Ashish, and Paul Willemen. 9941998''Encyclopedia of Indian ...
played a poet named ''Vijay''. After ''Pyaasa'' (1957), Sahir and Burman went separate ways due to artistic and contractual differences. Sahir did work with other composers including
Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
, Roshan, Khayyam and Datta Naik. Datta Naik also credited as N. Datta, a Goan, admired Sahir's poetry and their collaboration produced the score for ''Milaap'' (1955), ''Chandrakanta'' (1956), ''Saadhna'' (1958), ''Dhool Ka Phool'' (1959). Sahir also worked with music director Laxmikant–Pyarelal in the films like "Man Ki Aankhe", "Izzat", '' Dastaan'' and Yash Chopra's "Daag" all have fabulous songs. From about 1950 until his death, Sahir collaborated with
Baldev Raj Chopra Baldev Raj Chopra (22 April 1914 – 5 November 2008) was a famous Indian director and producer of Bollywood industry and television series . Best known for directing Hindi films like ''Naya Daur'' (1957), '' Sadhna'' (1958), ''Kanoon'' (1961) ...
(1914 - 2008), a film producer and director. Sahir's last work for Chopra was for ''
Insaaf Ka Tarazu ''Insaf Ka Tarazu'' () is a 1980 Hindi revenge drama film produced and directed by B. R. Chopra, based on the 1976 drama film ''Lipstick (1976 film), Lipstick''. The film stars Zeenat Aman, Raj Babbar, Deepak Parashar, Padmini Kolhapure, Iftekh ...
''.
Yash Chopra Yash Raj Chopra (27 September 1932 21 October 2012) was an Indian people, Indian film director and film producer who worked in Bollywood, Hindi cinema. The founding chairman of the film production and distribution company Yash Raj Films, Chop ...
, both while directing for B.R.films, and later as an independent director and producer, also engaged Sahir as the lyricist for his films, till Sahir's death. In 1958, Sahir wrote the lyrics for Ramesh Saigal's film '' Phir Subah Hogi'', which was based on
Fyodor Dostoevsky Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (, ; rus, Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский, Fyódor Mikháylovich Dostoyévskiy, p=ˈfʲɵdər mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪdʑ dəstɐˈjefskʲɪj, a=ru-Dostoevsky.ogg, links=yes; 11 November 18219 ...
's novel '' Crime and Punishment''. The male lead was played by Raj Kapoor. It was presumed that Shankar–Jaikishan would be the composer but Sahir demanded a composer with a more intimate knowledge of the novel. Khayyam composed the film score. The song ''Woh Subah Kabhi Toh Aayegi'' with its minimal background music remains popular. Khayyam collaborated with Sahir in many films including ''Kabhie Kabhie'' and ''Trishul''. Sahir was a controversial figure in that he was artistically temperamental. He insisted that the film score should be composed for his lyrics and not the other way around. He also insisted on being paid one
rupee Rupee is the common name for the currencies of India, Mauritius, Nepal, Pakistan, Seychelles, and Sri Lanka, and of former currencies of Afghanistan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates (as the Gulf rupee), British East Africa, B ...
more than
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...
and this created a rift between them. Sahir promoted his girlfriend,
Sudha Malhotra Sudha Malhotra is an Indian playback singer. She also acted in some Bollywood films and as a playback singer, worked in popular Bollywood movies in the 1950s and 1960s, like ''Arzoo'', ''Dhool Ka Phool'', ''Ab Dilli Door Nahin'', ''Girl Friend' ...
's singing career. He also insisted that
All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All a ...
credit film song lyricists.


Works


Poetry

Sahir wrote, :"Main pal do pal ka shayar hoon, pal do pal meri kahani hai :pal do pal meri hasti hai, pal do pal meri jawani hai :Mujse pahle kitne shayar aaye, aur kitne aakar chale gaye, :Kuch aahein bharkar laut gaye, kuch nagmein gakar chale gaye, :Woh bhi ek pal ka kissa the, main bhi ek pal ka kissa hoon :Kal tumse juda ho jaaonga, jo aaj tumhara hissa hoon" Sahir was different from his contemporaries in that he did not praise ''Khuda'' (God), ''Husn'' (beauty) or ''Jaam'' (wine). Instead, he wrote bitter yet sensitive lyrics about the declining values of society; the senselessness of war and politics; and the domination of consumerism over love. His love songs, tinged with sorrow, expressed his realisation that there were other, starker concepts more important than love. Sahir might be called the "bard for the underdog". Close to his heart were the farmer crushed by debt, the soldier gone to fight someone else's war, the woman forced to sell her body, the youth frustrated by unemployment and the family living on the street for instance.
Jawaharlal Nehru Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (; ; ; 14 November 1889 – 27 May 1964) was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat— * * * * and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20t ...
, Prime Minister of India said he was moved by Sahir's lyrics in ''Pyaasa''. Vijay, as he is passing through a red light area sings, :"Ye kuche, ye nilaam ghar dilakashi ke, Ye lutate hue kaaravaa zindagi ke, Kahaan hai, kahaan hai muhafiz khudi ke, Jinhe naaz hai hind par vo kahaan hai" Sahir's poetry was influenced by noted Pakistani poet, ''
Faiz Ahmed Faiz Faiz Ahmad ''Faiz'' (13 February 1911 – 20 November 1984; Urdu, Punjabi: فیض احمد فیض) was a Pakistani poet, and author of Urdu and Punjabi literature. Faiz was one of the most celebrated Pakistani Urdu writers of his time. Out ...
''. Like Faiz, Sahir gave Urdu poetry an intellectual element that caught the imagination of the youth of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s and reflected the feelings of the people of that period. He roused people from an independence-induced smugness. He would pick on the self-appointed custodian of religion, the self-serving politician, the exploitative capitalist, and the war-mongering super-powers. Sahir wrote with verve about the arrest of progressive writers in
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
; the launch of the satellite
Sputnik Sputnik 1 (; see § Etymology) was the first artificial Earth satellite. It was launched into an elliptical low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union on 4 October 1957 as part of the Soviet space program. It sent a radio signal back to Earth for t ...
and the discovery of
Ghalib Mirza Beg Asadullah Khan (Urdu, fa, مرزا بیگ اسد اللہ خان; 27 December 1797 – 15 February 1869) also known as Mirza Ghalib (Urdu, fa}) was an Urdu and Persian language, Persian shayar (poet), poet of the 19th century Mughal Em ...
by a government lusting after minority votes. He wrote ''Kahat-e-Bangal'' (''The Famine of Bengal'') at 25 years of age. ''Subah-e-Navroz'' (''Dawn of a New Day''), mocks the way people celebrate while the poor exist in squalor. Of the
Taj mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
, he wrote, :"Mere mehboob kain aur mila kar mujhse, :Bazm-e-shahi mein garibon ka guzar kya manein. :Sabat jin rahon par hai satbat-e-shahike nishaan :Uspe ulfat bhari rahon ka guzar kya mane"- Sahir Ludhianvi asks his lover to meet him anywhere else but at the
Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...
: although the tomb has been a symbol of luxurious monarchy for years, there is no need for beautiful (but not famous) hearts to travel to meet there. Sahir Ludhianvi recited this poetry couplet at his college event, when he was barely 19 years old, and created an uproar in the literary circles: ''Ek Shahensha Ne Daulat Ka Sahara Lekar, Hum Gharibon Ki Mohabbat Ka Udaya Hai Mazaq'' Of his legacy, Sahir writes, :"Kal aur aayenge nagmon ki khilti kaliyan chunne wale, :Mujhse behtar kahne wale, :Tumse behtar sunne wale; :Kal koi unko yaad kare, :Kyun mujhko yaad kare :Mashroof zamana mere liye kyun :Waqt apna barbaad kare?" :"Tomorrow there will be more who will narrate the love poems. May be someone narrating better than me. :May be someone listening better than you. Why should anyone remember me? Why should anyone remember me? :Why should the busy age waste its time for me?"


Books

* Mahmood K. T. (2000) ''Kalām-i Sāḥir Ludhiyānvī.'' A collection of Ludhiavni's poetry with English translation. * Abbas K. A. (1958) ''Shadows Speak: (Parchhalyan).'' 29 pages. * Hassan R. (1977) ''The Bitter Harvest: Selections from Sahir Ludhiavni's Verse.'' 169 pages. * Sucha S. (1989) ''Sorcery (Sahri): poetry.'' * ''Gaata jaye Banjara'' (1992). A collection of film lyrics. * ''Bitterness: Talkhiyan''


Bollywood songs

* "Thandi Hawayein Lehrake Aaye" sung by
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...
, composer
S. D. Burman Sachin Dev Burman (1 October 1906 – 31 October 1975) was an Indian music director and singer. A member of the Tripura royal family, he started his career with Bengali films in 1937. He later began composing for Hindi movies and became one o ...
in ''Naujawan'' (1951). * "Jayen To Jayen Kahan" sung by
Talat Mahmood Talat Mahmood (24 February 1924 – 9 May 1998) was an Indian playback singer who is considered one of the popular male Indian film song and ghazal singers. Although he tried his luck as a film actor, he did not succeed a great deal in actin ...
, composer S. D. Burman in ''Taxi Driver'' (1954). * "Aana Hai To Aa", sung by
Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...
, in ''
Naya Daur ''Naya Daur'' may refer to: * ''Naya Daur'' (1957 film) * ''Naya Daur'' (1978 film) * ''Naya Daur'' (magazine), a literary magazine published by Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Prades ...
'' (1957)
O.P. Nayyar Omkar Prasad Nayyar (16 January 1926 – 28 January 2007) was an Indian film music composer, singer-songwriter, music producer, and musician. He is considered to be one of the most rhythmic and melodious music directors of the Hindi film indus ...
, composer. *"Saathi Haath Badhana" in ''Naya Daur'' (1957), sung by Mohammed Rafi and Asha Bhonsle. * "Jane Kya Tune Kahi" sung by Geeta Dutt, "Jane Woh Kaise" sung by Hemant Kumar and "Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye Toh Kya Hai" sung by
Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...
in ''
Pyaasa ''Pyaasa'' (; ) is a 1957 Indian Hindi drama film directed and produced by Guru Dutt, who stars alongside Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, and Johnny Walker. Set in Calcutta, it focuses on the disillusioned Urdu poet Vijay (Dutt), whose ...
'' (1957) S.D. Burman, composer. *"Aurat Ne Janam Diya Mardon Ko" sung by
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...
, in ''Sadhna'' (1958) Datta Naik, composer. * "Chin-o-Arab Hamara Hindustan Hamara", sung by
Mukesh Mukesh is an epithet for the Hindu god Shiva, and literally means "conqueror of the Muka demon". It also means god of 3 worlds, heaven, hell & earth, which in turn represents Hindu god Shiva. It is commonly used as a male given name in India. Peopl ...
in '' Phir Subah Hogi'' (1959) Khayyam, composer. * "Tu Hindu Banega Na Musalman Banega", sung by
Mohammed Rafi Mohammed Rafi (24 December 1924 – 31 July 1980) was an Indian playback singer and musician. He is considered to have been one of the greatest and most influential singers of the Indian subcontinent. Rafi was notable for his versatility and ...
in '' Dhool Ka Phool'' (1959) Datta Naik, composer. * "Yeh Ishq Ishq Hai", sung by Mohammed Rafi and Manna De in ''
Barsaat Ki Raat ''Barsaat Ki Raat'' () is a 1960 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by P. L. Santoshi and produced by R. Chandra. Starring Madhubala, Bharat Bhushan and Shyama, the film is considered a defining example of romantic musical fil ...
'' (1960) Roshan, composer. * "Na To Karvan Ki Talash Hai", sung by Mohammed Rafi, Manna De, Asha Bhonsle and
Sudha Malhotra Sudha Malhotra is an Indian playback singer. She also acted in some Bollywood films and as a playback singer, worked in popular Bollywood movies in the 1950s and 1960s, like ''Arzoo'', ''Dhool Ka Phool'', ''Ab Dilli Door Nahin'', ''Girl Friend' ...
in ''Barsaat Ki Raat'' (1960) Roshan, composer. * "Allah Tero Naam Ishwar Tero Naam', sung by
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...
in '' Hum Dono'' (1961) Jaidev, composer. * "Main Zindagi Ka Sath Nibhata Chala Gaya", ''Hum Dono'' (1961) sung by Mohammed Rafi, Jaidev composer. * "Kabhi Khud Pe Kabhi Haalat Pe Rona Aaya", ''Hum Dono'' (1961) sung by Mohammed Rafi, Jaidev, composer. * "Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar Ke Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin", ''Hum Dono'' (1961) sung by Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle, Jaidev, composer. * "Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se Ajnabi Ban Jaye Hum Dono', sung by
Mahendra Kapoor Mahendra Kapoor (9 January 1934 – 27 September 2008) was an Indian playback singer. In a long career spanning decades, his repertoire included popular songs such as ''Chalo ekbaar phir se Ajnabi ban jayen hum dono'' ( Gumrah) and ''Neele Gaga ...
in '' Gumrah'' (1963)
Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
, composer. *"Aye Meri Zoharjabin", ''Waqt'' (1965) sung by Manna Dey, Ravi (music director). * "Aagey Bhi Jane Na Tu", film ''Waqt'' (1965) sung by Asha Bhonsle,
Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
, composer. * "Tum Agar Saath Dene Ka Wada Karo", sung by Mahendra Kapoor in ''
Hamraaz ''Hamraaz'' () is a 1967 Indian Bollywood suspense thriller film, produced and directed by B. R. Chopra and written by Akhtar-Ul-Iman. It stars Raaj Kumar, Sunil Dutt, Vimi, Mumtaz in lead roles, with Balraj Sahni, Madan Puri, Jeevan, If ...
'' (1967),
Ravi Ravi may refer to: People * Ravi (name), including a list of people and characters with the name * Ravi (composer) (1926–2012), Indian music director * Ravi (Ivar Johansen) (born 1976), Norwegian musical artist * Ravi (music director) (1926–201 ...
, composer. * "Neele Gagan Ke Tale", ''Hamraaz'' (1967) sung by Mahendra Kapoor, Ravi composer. *"Ye Dil Tum Bin Kahin Lagata Nahin", ''Izzat'' (1968) Lata-Rafi, Laxmikant–Pyarelal. * "Babul Ki Duaen Leti Ja", sung by Muhammed Rafi in ''Neelkamal'' (1968). * "Man Re Tu Kahe Na Dheer Dhare", sung by Mohammed Rafi and "Sansar Se Bhage Phirte Ho, Bhagwan Ko Tum Kya Paoge" sung by
Lata Mangeshkar Lata Mangeshkar () (born as Hema Mangeshkar; 28 September 1929 – 06 February 2022) was an Indian playback singer and occasional music composer. She is widely considered to have been the greatest and most influential singers in India. Her cont ...
in '' Chitralekha'' (1964) Roshan, composer. * "Tora Mann Darpan Kehlaye", sung by Asha Bhosle in '' Kaajal'' (1965) Ravi, composer. * "Ishwar Allah Tere Naam", sung by Mohammed Rafi in '' Naya Raasta'' (1970) Datta Naik, composer. *"Chala Bhi Aa Aja Rasiya", ''Man Ki Aankhe'' (1970) Lata-Rafi, Laxmikant–Pyarelal. *"Na Tu Zameen Ke Liye Na Aasaman Ke Liye", ''Dastaan'' (1972) Mohammad Rafi, Laxmikant–Pyarelal. *"Mere Dil Mein Aaj Kya Hai", ''Daag'' (1973) sung by Kishore Kumar, Laxmikant Pyarelal, composer. * "Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shair Hoon", sung by Mukesh in '' Kabhi Kabhi'' (1976) Khayyam, composer. * "Kabhie Kabhie", sung by Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar in ''Kabhi Kabhi'' (1976), Khayyam, composer.


Biographies

The 1957 Hindi movie,
Pyaasa ''Pyaasa'' (; ) is a 1957 Indian Hindi drama film directed and produced by Guru Dutt, who stars alongside Mala Sinha, Waheeda Rehman, Rehman, and Johnny Walker. Set in Calcutta, it focuses on the disillusioned Urdu poet Vijay (Dutt), whose ...
now considered a cinema classic, is inspired by Sahir's unrequited affection for the Hindi novelist and poet,
Amrita Pritam Amrita Pritam (; 31 August 1919 – 31 October 2005) was an Indian novelist, essayist and poet, who wrote in Punjabi and Hindi. A prominent figure in Punjabi literature, she is the recipient of the 1956 Sahitya Akademi Award. Her body of wo ...
and features several famous songs with lyrics written by him. Sahir's life has been chronicled by Sabir Dutt and by Chander Verma and Dr. Salman Abid in "Main Sahir Hoon" In 2010, Danish Iqbal wrote a stage play entitled, ''Sahir'', about the poet's life. It was successfully directed by Pramila Le Hunt in its Delhi premier. It used song to narrate Sahir's life. ''Sahir Ludhianvi: the People's Poet'' by Akshay Manwani The book is the product of interviews and writings about Sahir given by his friends such as Yash Chopra, Dev Anand, Javed Akhtar, Khayyam,
Sudha Malhotra Sudha Malhotra is an Indian playback singer. She also acted in some Bollywood films and as a playback singer, worked in popular Bollywood movies in the 1950s and 1960s, like ''Arzoo'', ''Dhool Ka Phool'', ''Ab Dilli Door Nahin'', ''Girl Friend' ...
,
Ravi Chopra Ravi Chopra (27 September 1946 – 12 November 2014) was an Indian film and television director, producer and screenwriter. Early life Chopra was the son of producer and director B.R.Chopra and nephew of Yash Chopra. Aditya Chopra and Uday Ch ...
and
Ravi Sharma Ravi Shankar Sharma (3 March 1926 – 7 March 2012), often referred to mononymously as Ravi, was an Indian music director, who had composed music for several Hindi and Malayalam films. After a successful career in Hindi cinema, he took a brea ...
. The book also analyses Sahir's poetry and lyrics in the context of his personal life. Sahir's contribution to the Progressive Writers’ Movement is also discussed."Sahir Ludhiavni: the people's poet."
Flipkart.com
Javed Akhtar Javed Akhtar (born 17 January 1945) is an Indian poet, lyricist, screenwriter and political activist. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 200 ...
, in a
interview
with
Rekhta ''Rekhta'' ( ur, ; hi, रेख़्ता ) was the Hindustani language as its dialectal basis shifted to the Delhi dialect. This style evolved in both the Urdu alphabet, Perso-Arabic and Devanagari scripts and is considered an early for ...
, has talked about how it is a matter of concern that Sahir's Poetry is still as relevant as it was when he wrote it. He, including many other have always considered Sahir more of a poet than a lyricist, though he played both the roles beautifully. A feature film based on his life is rumored to be produced by Red Chillies and starring
Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
. There is a biography written by Samad K. P. A. in
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of 22 scheduled languages of India. Malayalam was des ...

''Sahir: Aksharangalude Abhijhaarakan''


Awards and nominations


See also

*
Bollywood songs Hindi film songs, more formally known as Hindi Geet or filmi songs and informally known as Bollywood music, are songs featured in Hindi films. Derived from the song-and-dance routines common in Indian films, Bollywood songs, along with dance ...
*
Shakeel Badayuni Shakeel Badayuni (3 August 1916 – 20 April 1970) was an Indian Urdu poet, lyricist and songwriter in Hindi / Urdu language films. Early life Shakeel Badayuni was born in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Mohammed Jamaal Ahmed Sokhta Qadir ...
*
Indian Poets Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ludhianvi, Sahir 1921 births 1980 deaths Indian lyricists Urdu-language poets from India Urdu-language poets from Pakistan Writers from Ludhiana Indian Muslims Pakistani emigrants to India Filmfare Awards winners Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education Punjabi people People from Ludhiana 20th-century Indian poets Indian male poets Poets from Punjab, India 20th-century Indian male writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers