Majrooh Sultanpuri

Asrar ul Hassan Khan (1 October 1919 − 24 May 2000), better known as Majrooh Sultanpuri, was an Indian Urdu poet and lyricist in India's Hindi language film industry. He wrote Hindustani lyrics for numerous Hindi film soundtracks.

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

In his career spanning six decades, he worked with many music directors. He won the Filmfare Best Lyricist Award in 1965 for " Chahunga Main Tujhe" in the film ''Dosti'', and the highest award in Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement in 1993. In the 1980s and 1990s, most of his work was with Anand–Milind, their most notable collaborations being '' Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'', ''Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka'', ''Love'', '' Kurbaan'' and '' Dahek''.

He also wrote timeless classics with Jatin-Lalit for films like ''Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander'' (including the song “Pehla Nasha”) and their debut film '' Yaara Dildara'' (including the song “Bin Tere Sanam”), which are both often heard to this day on the Indian musical airwaves.

Early life

Majrooh Sultanpuri was born as Asrar ul Hassan Khan in a Rajput Muslim family, in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where his father was posted in the Police Department in 1919/1920. His father, though, a police officer, was not too keen on his son receiving English education and Majrooh was therefore sent for traditional 'Madrasa education' which led to his obtaining the qualification first of Dars-e-Nizami – a seven-year course which concentrated on religious affairs along with proficiency in Arabic and Persian- and then the certificate of '' 'Alim''. He thereafter joined Lucknow's Takmeel-ut-Tib College of Unani medicine (Greek System of Medicine). He was a struggling '' Hakim'' when he happened to recite one of his ghazals at a ''mushaira'' in Sultanpur. The ghazal was a hit with the audience and Majrooh decided to drop his fledgling medical practice and began writing poetry seriously. Soon he was a 'regular' at ''mushairas'' and a "shagird" i.e. disciple of the then top name in Urdu Mushairas viz Jigar Moradabadi.Majrooh Sultanpuri Profile
upperstall.com website, Retrieved 11 May 2018 While Majrooh is popular as a film lyricist and is widely known in that capacity, be it known that he also created one of the best-known verses of Urdu poetry:

"Main akela hee chala tha janibe manzil magar,
log saath aate gaye aur carvan banta gaya!"
(I set off alone towards the destination but
people joined in and soon it became a caravan!)

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