Rahe Na Rahe Hum...

Poets like Majrooh Sultanpuri pass this way just once. Farhana Farook takes you through the life and times of Hindi cinema’s most prolific lyricist

(OCTOBER 1, 1919 − MAY 24, 2000)

- Farhana Farook

Hamaare baad ab mehfil mein afsaane bayaan honge, bahaare hum ko dhoondhegi, na jaane hum kahaan honge…

The lyrics, about looking back and moving forward, written by Majrooh Sultanpuri for Baghi (1953), sum up the poet’s wistfulness. Someone who fought hard not to let reality obscure his romanticism. Someone who understood that while infinitude is an ideal, everything eventually blurs given the transience of time.

Asrar ul Hasan Khan took on the name ‘Majrooh’ – meaning wounded – as his penname and almost lived it. An important figure in the Progressive Writers’ Movement, he was wounded by the post Independence let down. He was wounded by the fact that he wasn’t given his due as a poet-lyricist considering he was the most prolific and enduring amongst his peers. He remained wounded by personal tragedies and never being able to relinquish his responsibilities as a provider…

As part of the formidable quartet of lyricists, Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni and Shailendra between 1950-60, Majrooh’s career, spanned five decades and around 300 films. From K.L. Saigal to Shah Rukh Khan, his words assumed the lexis of every generation. They could convey the sensuality of a mujra, the seduction of a cabaret. They could spawn dreams and stir passion. They could evoke love and soften rejection. Majrooh simply didn’t allow age to crease his heart and art. What better proof of his immutability than the fact that Monica O my darling… continues to top the party-hopper’s podcast five decades after it was written…

PRODIGIOUS POET