Hindustan Times
Gulzar or Javed Akhtar?
Undoubtedly, the two most celebrated contemporary lyricists in Bollywood are Gulzar and Javed Akhtar. But though each one has written many wonderful songs, who’s the better / greater of the two? It’s not a particularly new or original question, and yes, I know comparisons are odious, but nevertheless, if I had to choose, I would opt for Gulzar. Any day. The thoughts and sentiments behind his lyrics, the imagery, the emotions they can stir up in you, his versatility – he is truly impressive. Even a random pick of his songs brings out his genius. His career as a lyricist sweeps across decades: the first song of his career was the lovely Mora gora ang lei le, from Bandini (1963) and he’s still writing songs, including folksy, erotic numbers like Beedi jalaile from Omkara (2006). A random selection of just five songs that I love totally (of course there are many many many more, if I had to draw up a list of every single Gulzar song that I like, this blog would run into several pages):
Aandhi: Tere bina zindagi se koi shikva toh nahin / Tera bina zindagi bhi lekin zindagi nahin (could anyone have put it better?)
Kabuliwala: Ae mere pyare watan ae mere bichchde chaman tujh pe dil qurbaan (one of the most moving songs you will ever hear; also, Manna Dey at his best)
Anubhav: Mujhe jaan na kaho meri jaan. (Can there be a more sensuous description of a kiss than this: Honth jhuke jab hontho par, saans uljhi ho saanson mein? And then: Do judwa hothon ki baat kaho aankhon se, meri jaan. Geeta Dutt’s sultry voice did full justice to the lyrics)
Gharaonda: Ek akela is shahar mein, raat mein aur dopahar mein /Aabodana dhoondta hai, aashiana dhoondta hai (The next stanza describes the protagonist’s emptiness and angst so hauntingly: Din khalee khalee bartan hai aur raat hai jaise andha kuan /In sunee andheri aankhon se aansun ki jagah aata hai dhuan /Jeene ki vajah toh koi nahin marne ka bahana dhoondta hai. Sung very well by Bhupinder – pity we heard so little of him, he had such a distinctive, heavy voice and sang some great songs).
Parichay: Musafir hoon yaaron na ghar hai na thikana / Mujhe chalte jaana hai bas chalte jaana hai (The lines never go away, they lodge themselves in your mind and heart and just stay there)
I also love Gulzar’s newer songs — including his erotic-raunchy songs like Kajrare (Bunty Aur Babli) and Namak or Beedi (Omkara). I know there are some carpers who say that Gulzar repeats words in his songs (chaand / dhoop chhaon / lamha / waqt etc) but I think that’s petty nit-picking of the worst kind. Every poet has a certain style and if certain words / expressions recur over a career spanning 4 decades, big deal.
Javed Akhtar. I like the title song of Kal Ho Naa Ho, sung absolutely awesomely by Sonu Nigam. I love the simple, effective and evocative lyrics: Har pal yahan / Jee bhar jeeyo / Jo hai samaa / Kal ho naa ho. I also like Yeh kahaan aa gaye hum yunhi saath chalte chalte from Silsila and Chaand tare from Yes Boss. I love the songs from Saath Saath (Tumko dekha to yeh khayal aaya, Yeh tera ghar yeh mera ghar). Javed’s award-winning lyrics include songs such as Sandese aate hain from Border and Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga from 1942 A Love Story. But can Javed match up to Gulzar? I don’t think so. (To be fair, Gulzar has been writing for much longer than Javed has). I’m also a bit flummoxed by some of Javed’s newer songs — such as his songs for Rock On (Pichhale saat dinon mein etc). They lyrics are a bit, well, strange. Maybe he was trying out a new idiom suitable for a rock song (in this particular film, that is), but it didn’t work for me. By the way, there’s a reason for this blog: I’m currently creating playlists on my iPod and am constantly surprised by the number of mind-blowing songs written by Gulzar. Am now creating a Gulzar-only list.
P.S. When you actually listen to a song (as opposed to something that’s playing in the background), you realize how important lyrics are. They can transport you to another world, another dimension.
(14 votes, average: 4.79 out of 5)
Loading ...Posted by Poonam Saxena on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Filed under Bollywood · Tagged Bollywood, gulzar, Gulzar song, javed akhtar, music
Hi there,
I looked over your blog and it looks really good. Do you ever do link exchanges on your blog roll? If you do, I’d like to exchange links with you.
Let me know if you’re interested.
Thanks..
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i have to agree with everything you say. gulzar is something else. his synesthesia. is almost keatsian.
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I agree. Somehow, Javed Akhtar seems to get these flashes of brilliance between some pretty pedestrian stuff, while Gulzar keeps churning out brilliance with the occasional slip of average work, which are pretty rare in his case anyway. On the other hand, Javer Akhtar is the media’s delight with an opinion on everything, and his very visibility and the high-profile of shabana azmi mean he keeps hopgging the limelight at all those sundry award functions. Gulzar, meanwhile, keeps himself to his work, is happy and satisfied with his privacy and his life with Rakhee and does not really care about awards as long as his work is appreciated. What better example than the fact that while the whole of Bollywood tried to cash in on ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, the man who wrote those songs — Jai Ho, O Saaya or the very raunchy ringa ringa — was not even part of the film team at the Oscars and he never uttered a word of criticism. If the same had happened to Javed Akhtar, he would have made a hue and cry about being ignored and how his being a Muslim was a reason etc etc blah blah blah…
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meena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 9:28 am
UG that is Gulzar’s greatness. I guess his die hard fans are the only one who know that he won one of India’s first Oscar. There is no way Rehman’s contribution in “Jaya Ho” could be bigger than Gulzar. Each and every word of that song speaks loudly of Gulzar and yet Rehman did not even mentioon Gulzar’s name while acceptimng the award nor in any subsequent interviews. I love Rehman’s music but this incident made him a very small person in my eyes.
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 10:19 am
That is so true, UG. I’m always a little surprised how little Gulzar projects himself in the media. He just does his work quietly and even when his songs rock the nation and become anthem-like (Kajarare, Beedi), even when he wins a major international award — even then, we hardly see/hear anything of him in the media. A pity, don’t you think? Javed is certainly more media savvy
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perwez Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
Poonam,
Amazed to know that u r matching ur tongue in a fruitless issue. Beyond doubt that Gulzar is a brilliant lyricist, I love his lyrics and even few songs find in tandem to my life. As well Jawed is too a good lyrics writer and nation loves his song and some even have achived the zenith. To place Gulzar at top doesn’t mean that to show Jave at grey light. Both have achived their niche in the bollywood. Bringing muslim issue in this angle show the corrupt mentality of people and their biased nature who see everything in coounal spectale. So bog javed down should not buy the humiliation in any manner.
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tolkin Reply:
November 19th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
I am an america, who has been involved with Indians all my life. I think Javed Akhtar has braught this on himself, he pretends to be atheist, and vehemently insults thoughts/sages/belief of one community alone….you can guess which one…no fair game there.
He is an intellectual, but a dishonest one and certainly a petty one. He is really a self glorified mediocrity. I am surprised many are slow to see thru him.
can u plz share the playlist the next time???
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Will do, Shrill. Still putting it together! And am loving it…
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Javed writes in away dats easy to understand unlike gulzar whose most of the songs mere palle nahi padati but they do have a deeper meaning.The way gulzar uses common lingo in his songs its mindblowing,prasoon comes closer to him, javed never uses dem.Take the case of Sapne me milti hai(Satya),the way gulzar compares a guy follwing a girl wid a n empty rickshaw running after a passenger is brilliant.So,it has to be Gulzar.Jai ho.
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any day gulzaar, if some one put a gun on my head and ask to tell i will still say gulzar. first of all he had a style which no body in the film industry lyrics had got,u just listen a song and will tell its”gulzaar”
he wrote in 60″humne dekhi hai in aankho ki mehakti khoosbu” and today he can still write “naino ki mat suniyo re”, who can write a gem”jungle jungle baat chali hai” or “chor aaye hum wo dooniya”? javed akhtar was never a good poet or lyrics writer (he was a good script writer though), just he came in every show,news, award function, thats why we are comparing him with gulzaar saaheb.
look at the kaminey song” kabhi jindagi se manga pinjare main chaand laao,kabhi laalten leke kaha isse aasma main taango”, what a master ,javed akhtar is in’t a patch on him.
one of my fav gulzaar line was” MEHBOOB KA BHUDDAPA LAJJAT DILA RAHA HAI, ANGOOR KA MAJA AB KISMISH MAIN AA RAHA HAI !”
P.S. mam the song you have mention is in’t showing,is this hindi font or what
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 10:23 am
The songs aren’t showing? That’s strange.. and no, they’re not in Devanagiri. Will check with the website people
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gulzar and javed akhtar…aah very tough choice…as far as poetic adeptness is concerned i wud say gulzar..on bollywood quotient..javed akhtar…
overalll..its gulzar i guess…very difficult choice though..
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Poonam,
Here is my take :
When the centeneary of Indian cinema was being celebrated, sometime in the nineties - two film personalities were honoured as the all time “genius”. Remember in a span of 100 years, only two people were so choosen - Raj Kapoor and Kishore Kumar.
They were so choosen because they had mastery over more than one field in this difficult art. And they could compete with the best in more than one creative form.
Thus Raj Kapoor was a brilliant director, great producer and a great comic actor. Similarly Kishore Kumar was a singer beyond compare and of course brillinat comic actor, writer, producer, director, etc. etc.
Now individually, one might argue, for example that Bimal Roy wasa better director than Raj Kapoor. Or Rafi was better singer than Kishore Kumar. That is, specialists in their vocation might be better than these geniusesses - but then remember, these two could compare with pure specialists in different cocations and yet could come out trumps over most of them.
But I think most would agree that these two were indeed genius material, unmatched in their verstality by anyone else in annals of Indian Cinema.
Let me add the name of Javed Akhtar to this list. His screenplay in the seventies ( of course in partnership with Salim ) created a hero which has not been bettered since. Some of the stories will I think not be bettered in another 50 years ( Deewar, Trishul, and of course Sholay).
Javed Akhtar then of course has been this brilliant lyricist too. Where again, he might be bettered by Gulzar, but surely the sheer verstality of Javed Akhtar is better.
Although I would hesitate to put Javed Akhtar firmly in the league of those two. Let it be like this - in 100 + years of Indian Cinema, there have been only 2.5 geniusesses - the 0.5 being Javed Akhtar.
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Javed Akhtar as a scriptwriter was outstanding and will go down in cinema history as the man (or one of the two men) who, with their scripts, changed move-making trends for an entire generation.
But I was talking purely in terms of lyrics. (Also, if you’re looking at versatility, let’s not forget that Gulzar has made some wonderful films).
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anurag Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
oh man,how can you forget that dialoge of classic “anand” and”anari” was written by gulzaar, and films he directed angoor,andhi, ghar, izzazat, maachis,hututu, and if this is not versatility then my dear friend tell me what is? is this judging the stupid singing show or judging dancing show(can javed akhtar really dance lol), if some one doesn’t come on media too often and lets speak their work thats i call genius.
calling javed akhtar genius is insult to genius it self
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javed akhtar has flashes of brilliance, but beween those he sticks to stuff which catches on quick, is a hit till the movie releases and then ta-ta bye-bye …. Gulzar, i feel is just more poetic and his romantic songs tend to be very sensual. there is some sort of a ‘junoon’ in his love songs that lend them a very rustic, a very earthy quality
JA, i listen to when driving or just hum along while cleaning the house but when gulzar is playing, i want to sit down and listen. i want to let my imagination run wild and don’t want to concentrate on mundane stuff.
Though more visible than gulzar, JA’s best work is behind him…… btw, did anyone besides me feel that “rock on” had horrible music and lyrics ….. horrible as in atrocious …. horrible as in what was ‘rock-y’ about it …. horrible as in lets string some words together and make it appear cool and new age …… ……. Gulzar anyday
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 10:30 am
That is so true, Neha. When a Gulzar songs is playing, you want to LISTEN to it because the words are so beautiful and they transport you to another place altogether (I didn’t like the lyrics of the Rock On songs either)
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anurag Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
by the way if we write the greatest music composer and lyrics combo its hand down rd burman and gulzaar. no one can match their combination.
just listen to their combination some of their obscure works also were great, any body had listen the song of jeeva “roj roj aankho tale”
“jabse tumhare naam ki msri honth laga li hai,mitha sa dard hai aur mithi si tanhai hai
or
“aanko pe tumne kuch aisi julf gira di hai,bechare se kuch khwabo ki neend uda di hai”
thats gulzaar
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
And today it’s Vishal Bhardwaj and Gulzar, Anurag. What a combo that is!
anurag Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
yes mam, what a deadly combo,in fact gulzaar had said that after pancham he get his rapport with vishal bhardwaz ,infact he launches him in film industry,it was i think “jungle jungle baat chali hai”
one of the gretest quality of gulzaar is that the word he uses
who can use “lihaaf,ghilaaf” or “hari hari kaayi”, or jhola “likhat,rapat na khata”
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Let us put it this way. Gulazar has been competing with old timers like Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Shakeel Badayuni, Mazrooh Sultanpuri, Anand Bakshi, Indeevar et al on one side and new comers like Prasoon Joshi, Sameer, Swanand Kirkire (Piyu Bole..Parinita) on the other side. Javed is his only true competetor of his era. Most of the time however best lyrics are not really the best lyrics. ‘Jai Ho’ is one such example !
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There ismno comparison between Gulzar and Javed Akhtar. Compare Javed’s ek do teen with Gulzar’s ‘chaiyyan chaiyyan” his songs in Machis, Aandhi Mausam are all time greats. He turns simple sounds “chappa chappa charkha chale” “Chaiyan chiyan” these are sounds that have been converted into words..who can do tghis but Gulzar.
As said by many Javed has moments of brilliance but on the average they are not as consistently good as Gulzar. Javed writes to make money Gulzar puts his soul into what he writes.
Perhaps Akhilesh does not remember that Gulzar also has made some very memorable films.
I in fact feel that Javed Akhtar gave a very nasty turn to films. Don, Zanjir etc are all very violent films. Javed wants to make money and he does anything to make that money. He knows trash sells. Gulzar is an artist. Javed is by no means an artist..he may make more money. be seen everywhere but that is good marketing. The proof is his and his wife’s visit Pramod Mahajan in the hospital despite being idealogically enemies. But it was prudent and street smartness to do so. Good marketeer but not a good artist.
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Do share your complete Gulzar playlist once its done. Even if it runs into several pages!
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I totally agree with you..lyrics are very imp..one can relate to words that have beautiful meaning concealed in them…a flair of great urdu and a good poetic flow is what makes Gulzar who he is ….one of a kind.
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Javed Akhtar is a genius. His lyrics for ‘Pal Pal hai bhari’ and Yeh Taara’ from swades, and songs from Lagaan r pure gems and the music so beautifully composed by AR.
How can u ever compare between these masters - Gulzar and Javed. Is it as simple as who is better !!! there can only be favorites no winners. by asking people to take sides between these two u r making ordinary mortals judge these masters which i think is stupid.
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I would say hands down to gulzar! he is a clear winner..cant even compare javed to him!
Gulzar ia a veteran and his lyrics completely command ur attention!
even when i was a reckless college kid…completely living on a diet of U2, mettalica, aerosmith, Guns n Roses…It was Marasim..which got me completely totally hooked on to it..
for the 1st time..in a hindi album..i actually opened the cassette cover and read all the lyrics of each n every song in it…that too many many times..i got so addicted to this album..that and esp the starting dialogues which gulzar orates…..they have immense simplicity and still great depth..and when i came to know that its gulzar who has written “jungle jungle baat chali hai”…it showed his complete versatitlity!
also..m a huge fan of the songs of the parallel cinema ..of the era of shabana azmi/farookh sheikh/amol palekar…and those lovely songs of saath-saath/gharonda/masoom(who can forget Tujhse Naraz nahi zindagi…Huzur Is Kadar…Do Naina Aur Ek Kahani)…in each of these movies, each song is a masterpiece in itself..sung by great singers as well.
Coming to javed akhtar…he is more of a commercial cinema type writer..i dunno any other way i can describe this..even his so called great songs…they dont really move me! as much as they r made out to be! he is quite good..but not of the level of gulzar..his lyrics are more simplistic and casual..whereas gulzar uses a metaphors / parallel comparisons / indirect implications to drive a thought across..and this engages the listener to listen carefully
but i would like to differ with u as far as Rock On is concerned..
I think javed’s lyrics in rock on..were bang on! pichle saat dino mein…has v good lyrics..it has the essence of rock music..which requires a different bent of mind to understand…and he has done full justice to it! this kinda music / lyrics will not appeal to majority of indian crowd..so no offence on that..as for me..i was happy to finally listen to some decent soft rock belted out in hindi cinema..
PS: and digressing from the topic..the rock star feel n music that v r forced to watch in promos of london dreams is so fake..i can tell frm the promos itself n ajay devgn/salman khan as rockstars..jst dont fit the bill…pls some1 tell these old uncles to retire or at least re package themselves and not think of themselves as 20/30 smthngs!!
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I think you’ve put it very well, Chinz. Gulzar is much more than a lyricist — he’s a great poet. Javed is just not in that league.
You genuinely liked Meri laundry ka ek bill, ek aadhi padhi novel (by the way, does Farhan say say ‘novil’ or does he say ‘novel’?) And then Ek ladki ka phone number, mere kaam ka ek paper/ mere taash se heart ka king, mere ek chandi ka ring??? I love rock music too, but these lyrics just seemed strange to me… In fact, I like the songs from Rock On but I don’t like the lyrics.
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anurag Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
if gulzaar saheb had wrote the lyrics of “rock on” i am damn sure he had made it so engazing or so classy that you can fall in love. in “satya” he wrote the song for tapori” goli maar bheje main” who other than gulzaar had written it.
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anurag Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
rock on was overrated it was mix of dil chata hai and jhankar beats
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Chinz Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Meri laundry ka ek bill, ek aadhi padhi “novil”(yeah he said novil !) , Ek ladki ka phone number, mere kaam ka ek paper/ mere taash se heart ka king, mere ek chandi ka ring..pichle saat dino meine yeh sab khoya..kabhi khudh par hasa mein kabhi roya…
when u put it down on paper like this..hahaha…i know it sounds very weird…but overall the song fitted fine for me..and i somehow liked the quirkiness n attitude which farhan showed in singing it out..
as for his pronounciation..honestly..i cudnt understand many things he sung initially…
he says ‘One day Match..’ in the song..and for a long time..i kept hearing ‘andhe machis’..n was wondering what it was abt !!
Overall..I will jst say the javed akhtar has got a huge body work work..he has written umpteen songs..but we wont remember half of the things he has penned after that hit song fades out..
but gulzar is gulzar n no one can write like him..he stays with u..and yeah..i agree with anurag that had it been gulzar writing lyrics for rock on..it would have been an altgether different league!
javed akhtar is what he is coz he delivers hits for commercial cinema and knows the tricks of commercial cinema of staying in news/limelight..and judging reality shows at times n managing to get noticed ..after all..how many other lyricists have we ever seen or recognise their faces so instantly? at least i dont!
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Hi Poonam,
I totally agree with you. gulzar cannot be compared!!!
Please share ur gulzar playlist!!! it will be intereting to check, which ones i missed!!!!
when i first heared “jai ho”. i did not know whothe writer was but when i heared “zari wale neele aasman ke tale”. bingo!!! it can only be gulzar!!!! he has such lovely way with words..
his song for movie filhal are very good, especially the title song “yeh lamha filhal jee lene do” — “jo bhi jiya hai dil se jiya hai, yeh lamha filhal jee lene doo” , amazing lyrics!!!
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Aye Mere Pyaare Watan isn’t by Gulzar!
Its a creation of Prem Dhawan.
Gulzar Saab wrote only one song for Kabuliwala and thats Ganga Aaye Kahaan Se…
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At the very root is the way Gulzar sa’ab and Akhtar Sa’ab relate to language at the personal level.
Gulzar sa’ab is an imagist - he creates a canvas of images, some readily understood, others not so easy to decipher. For example, in Namkeen, the song ‘Phir Se Aaiyo Badaraa Bidesee’ has incomprehensible lyrics - that somehow fit the deranged mind of the charater played by Shabana. It is a haunting melody. But incomprehensible nonetheless (Even Pancham was left wondering in one of his taped conversation about this!). Words, in Gulzar sa’ab’s world are not the central element, it is how they fit into the imagery that is being created that matters. Which is why when the image demands a fantastic word, he supplies it; if it demands an english word, so be it! We have not had too many imagist poets in bollywood.
Akhtar sa’ab is a traditionalist in that sense - he is a wordsmith. And believes in weaving words that create a ’samaa’, the primacy is on words and on the inter-play. The focus is also on being correct- very seldom will you see Akstar sa’ab choosing what would be called a ‘halka’ word when a robust one exists. Nor would you see too many admixes - if written in Urdu, then it would be completely in Urdu; if in Bhojpuri, then totally so. And in the proper meter and cadence.
You can’t imagine Akhtar sa’ab writing ‘Mera Kuch Saaman’ (Ijaazat). Nor can you see Gulzar sa’ab improve upon the exquisiteness and perfection in, ‘puravaa bhi gayegi, masti bhi chhaayegi
mil ke pukaaro to, phulon vaali jo rut hai, aayegii’. The meter is perfect, the words are just so. The silence between ‘rut hai’ and ‘ayegi’ is mindblowing. It is a song enhanced by the words the poet has fashioned.
The point one is making - just enjoy and cherish the two while they dream up this fare for us. For Lord knows, we have a fairly bare cupboard….where is the need to compare them?
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Partho Reply:
October 20th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
And BTW, personally, I love Gulzar sa’ab’s lyrics and his films. Who could have made two ‘actors’ like Hema and Jitendra do what they did in Khushboo? Can you think of any other example? I can’t.
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Javed Akhtar progressed from being a screenplay / dialogue writer to a lyricist. His father (Akhtar ul Iman) was a major urdu poet and lyricist of course, but for Javed writing lyrics came as a second choice in his life’s literary journey.
Gulzar started as a lyricist and then went on to screenplay and direction. But, as an Urdu poet, his sensitivity and sensibility lent itself on to other fields too.
So - the starting point in the careers of both these gents mark out the difference in their lyrics too. Gulzar simply is a natural poet whereas Javed took up poetry later on and worked laboriously to hone up the rough spots.
However, Urdu literature is the winner here - for both the lyricists think and write in Urdu - that is why their songs convey sensitivity, sensibility and sensuality so fluently.
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In line with what most of the people have said, some time back, I had read in one of the interviewers of Farhan Akhtar, that he would any day go for the script writer Javed Akhtar than a lyricist Javed Akthtar! That’s sums up the case I believe.
If I am asked to pick two all time great lyricists of Indian cinema, I would go for Sahir Ludhianvi (brilliant poetry) and Gulzar (out of the world imagination).
Regards,
Amrut
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Can there be a more romantic and sensuous decription of a woman than- “Teri Kamar Ke Bal Pe Nadi Muda Karti Thi, Hansi Teri Sun Sun Ke Fasal Pakaa Karti Thi, Jahan Teri Aedi Se Dhoop Uda Karti Thi…….”
How come U guys forgot the song - ” mera kuch saaman tumharey paas pada hai….. ”
I too agree with U Chintz- Gulzaar is a poet while Javed akhtar is a lyricist- hence the difference I guess.
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Only gulzar sahab can create a aids awareness song with such beautiful words……….u have discussed his all qualities except one……….he can give life to any word………e.g. “DHADAK DHADAK” from “bunty bubly”……….only gulzar sahab can do it………..and the magical monoluges he has given that are amazing…………no one can match his standard………salute to great gulzar sahab
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Hi Poonam,
My husband and I have often discussed and compared the lyrics of the two.
Personally, I think Javed may be a popular lyricist, but Gulzaar’s stature as a poet is unequivocal. After all, who can deny that lines like Ekso sola chaand ki raaten, ek tumhare kandhe ka til, bheegi mehendi ki khushboo, jhut-mut ke shikve kuch (from Izaazat) are anything but poetry.
All the songs mentioned by you are great. My personal favourites is, of course, Izaazat and others like Masoom, Lekin, etc.
Gulzaar’s also written some amazing songs for kids. We have all grown up humming chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai and lakdi ki kaathi. Now, my daughter (who’s not even 3 ) sings lakdi ki .. Unforgettables indeed.
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Neither is a great poet. They may be good or great lyricists and there can be no doubt about it. However, tukbandi in movie doesn’t enhance their poetic stature.
Javed Akhtar’s poetry is just ordinary. Gulzar is a shade above and some of his nazms can be put along side eminent poets. However, they are ‘great’ poets only if you consider Bollywood lyrics as the benchmark.
They ae neither match for Faiz, Sardar Jafri, even Majrooh, or Muktibodh and other literary giants in poetry. Bollywood success may bring spotlight on them but Shakil Badauni or Shailendra can never be part of literary lore.
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vinod Reply:
October 21st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Hi, this is Vinod Sharma. Had always wondered why Gulzar never sang. Watch some of his interviews or the voice over he has done in the serial on Mirza Ghalib, and you’d know he has a great voice.
My favourite Gulzar lines are in the film Maachis (Chood aaye hum, woh galiyan) and Rudali’s yara sili, sili birha ke raat ka jalna and dil run jhun karey, ghabraaye….
His unique sense of imagery comes out so refreshingly in jungle jungle shor macha hai, chaddi pahanke phool khila hai.
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Amit Julka Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:43 pm
ah…our paths cross again indiscribe…..and yeah….u can’t compare bollywood lyricists to poets like faiz because they have to cater to some common sensibilities.It’s like Zauq and Ghalib.Since Zauq had to cater to the King,his poetry ultimately suffered while Ghalib was able to write independently…
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Gulzar is Mr. Perfectionist when it comes to lyrics. Although they both have their own style but gulzar’s unusual creativity make him Superior , His songs in Macchis ” Chappa Chappa Charka Chale ‘ are amazing . Mogli song, Lakdi ki kadthi are favourite songs of children and only Gulzar can write such a lyrics.
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The topic picked is very nice, and in fact was tempting enough to pull me through the website finally to the blog, but the meat is slightly on the skinny side. Something like, making a playlist of Gulzar and Javed Akhtar would have been more to the point and true to the content. Was anticipating more in depth view on points like the subtle meaning in Gulzar’s Meri nanhin si Nazm of ” Pukhraj” where one looks at the new and the novel with a new view and somewhere it hints at the peace and happiness that could evolve if one could look up at the newer things in the world with love and affection without being judgemental about it. There is a life changing perspective in the words that flow from his pen, must say, having done my graduation fifteen years back, it is words as such changed the way I would view people say, in BPO, facing their own trials and tribulations. Or for that matter, what could compare to the sense of giving all of your own self in someone else’s being as written in ” Kab se baitha hua hoon main, Jaanam/ Kore kaagaj pe likh ke naam tera/ Bas tera naam hi Mukammal hai/ Is se behtar bhi Nazm kya hogi.” It is so enriching to read gulzaar, film lyrics being only one small aspect of his writing and thoughts. It is scary at the same time, to think after Gulzaar who. Javed Akhtar is too commercialized except for few brilliant verses like ” Gin Gin ke sikke haath mera Khurdura Hua/ Jaati rahi ye lams ki narmi bura hua” and Prasoon Joshi, is too busy in using heavy words with light thoughts. At least, in days of Mazrooh and Kaifi and Sahir and Sardar Jaafri and Bashi Badr, there were people to entrust future to. Just hope media could do something like what Laughter challenge did to comedy or Boogie Woogie did to dance.
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Thank you for your lovely post, Saket. i am not a connoisseur of poetry by any stretch of imagination, but I react to songs — rather, lyrics in this case — with my mind and heart, emotions and senses. (In any case, is there any other way?!) That’s why I love Gulzar’s poetry
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Sample this beauty from Gulzar’s pen
K. Kay:
Chhod Aaye Hum, Woh Galiyaan
Chhod Aaye Hum…Woh Galiyaan
Chorus:
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
Hariharan:
Jahan Tere Pairon Ke Kawal Gira Karte The
Hanse To Do Gaalon Mein Bhanwar Pada Karte The
Suresh Wadkar:
Jahan Tere Pairon Ke Kawal Gira Karte The
Hanse To Do Gaalon Mein Bhanwar Pada Karte The
Hariharan:
Aye, Teri Kamar Ke Bal Pe Nadi Muda Karti Thi
Suresh Wadkar:
Hansi Teri Sun Sun Ke Fasal Pakaa Karti Thi
Chorus:
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
Hariharan:
O, Jahan Teri Aedi Se Dhoop Uda Karti Thi
Suna Hai Us Chaukhat Pe Abh Shaam Raha Karti Hai
Suresh Wadkar:
O, Jahan Teri Aedi Se Dhoop Uda Karti Thi
Suna Hai Us Chaukhat Pe Abh Shaam Raha Karti Hai
Hariharan:
Latoon Se Uljhi Lipti Ek Raat Hua Karti Thi
Suresh Wadkar:
O, Kabhi Kabhi Takiyee Pe Woh Bhi Mila Karti Hai
Chorus:
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
Vinod Sehgal:
Dil Dard Ka Tukda Hai
Patthar Ki Gali Si Hai
Ek Andha Kua Hai
Ya Ek Band Gali Si Hai
Suresh Wadkar:
Ek Chhota Sa Lamha Hai
Jo Khatm Nahin Hota
Main Lakh Jalataa Hoon
Ye Bhasm Nahin Hota
Ye Bhasm Nahin Hota
Chorus:
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
K. Kay:
Woh Galiyaan
Chorus:
Chhod Aaye Hum Woh Galiyaan
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
What a song, Vinod! Thanks for sharing the complete lyrics
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Poonam,
This article of your’s made a very interesting reading.I love the works of both the lyricists.But Gulzar has a very distinct quality about himself.The songs that he composed were lilting that touched the core of your heart.Those heart wrenching lyrics made you ask for more.The lyrics which you’ve mentioned are also my personal favourites.Yes,they certainly transported you to another world.
But it would be wrong to compare Javed Akhtar with Gulzar.Both are unique in their own place.
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Gulzar’s cinematic tribute to the most modern of Poets, Mirza Ghalib of the 19th Century, telecasted by Doordarshan in the late 80s, is a major teleplay by the poet/writer/director. With his deep understanding of Urdu’s nuances and a keen eye of a director, Gulzar was able to bring out the pathos of the character while conveying the high lyricism of the subject. The abstract of Ghazal took a formal shape through his lense. This, in my view, is the highest point of Gulzar’s creativity whereby he could show-case his literary as well as cinematic genius. “Mirza Ghalib” of Gulzar is a collector’s item indeed.
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gulzar suffers with ghalib-fetish, while javed akhtar is originally original, who set trends in commercial cinema lyrics writing and his horizon is larger than that of gulzar. movie-goers can imbibe javed’s songs easily, they are easy to understand, deep and quality.
sorry poonam!
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poonam saxena Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
But Shyamal, Gulzar works commercially too! That’s why he’s so special
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Hi,
Even i will pick Gulzar. But it does not take anything away from the work done by Javed Akhtar but Gulzar is in his own league.
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Gulzar is the greatest; period! There is no one currently who can match him, for he comes from the Bimal Roy school of cinema. Anyways, one could go on and on about how he evokes emotions, and how captivating his poetry is; listen to Satrangi Re from Dil Se to realize how he takes erotic thoughts to the level of Sufism, making the listener shiver.
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For that matter, he is an equally accomplished story writer as he was a story teller and a poet!
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A very good blog Ms. Poonam about two stalwarts in conceptual writing from Indian Cinema.
As said by Charles Peguy “A word is not the same with one writer as with another. One tears it from his guts. The other pulls it out of his overcoat pocket.”
In conceptual writing the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. This kind of writing is not theoretical or illustrative of theories; it is intuitive, it is involved with all types of mental processes. And if you see the works of Mr. Gulzar as a lyricists, director, script writer he far more outsells the penmanship of Akhtar Saab.
For a conceptual writer the ultimate truth is to communicate the message to its audience and it should be done in such a way that there is a residual impact on the target group. Successful ideas generally have the appearance of simplicity because they seem inevitable. And such kind of traces one finds in Gulzar’s work.
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Perhaps hardly anyone would agree, I even find Gulzar a better screenwriter than Javed Akhtar. What defines his screenwriting / films is the way the builds and creates a character. Creating internal conflicts requires subliminal effort and Gulzar works at another plane. Akhtar worked great with Salim to create the angry-man and yet…the ‘drama’ is ‘melo’. You just have to watch Parichay or Aandhi or Maachis to discover the humanity of this man.
Plus there is something magical about his partnerships - with R.D. and Vishal Bhardwaj.
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Rohit Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
I agree totally with you…I really wish he would make movies nowadays!!!! Its a pity; however, his teaming up with Gulzar and Vishal Bharadwaj is magical to say the least. His greatest strength is the fact that you feel like a neutral observer along with him as he explores emotions and characters from a distant ‘lens’.
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Sunil Tyagi Reply:
October 26th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
There is a stunning piece of action + dialogue in Maachis:
The grandfather of the protagonist drives his fiance home on a tractor since it’s late evening and a girl traveling by herself is not safe. He makes a comment with sadness, something like, “Kisne nazar lagadi mere Punjab ko.”
In one piece of simple (’realistic’) action he sets the whole theme of the film and through the mannerism of this old man. This is screenwriting and filming at its most powerful.
Of course he has set it up in previous scenes so that such a normal scene affects you in a sublime manner. I come from North and boy…one could relate so strongly with the situation.
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Rohit Reply:
October 27th, 2009 at 10:46 am
There was another mindblowing scene that highlighted the frustration of Sikhs, when Om Puri replies on being asked about his family “Aadhe 1947 ne kha liye, aadhe 1984 kha gaya!” That scene moved me to tears!
In today’s times poetry in films is alive because of these two gentlemen and yes how can you forget Prasoon Joshi,I think they all are doing a good a job,Gulzar and Prasoon are more imaginative, poetic and out of the box writers Javed on other hand a very hard working no nonsense song writer in fact he is more straight forward and logical hen them his songs are like mathematical equations which have a result in the end and its up to your choice what you like,i personally like Gulzar and Prasoon.
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Javed Akhtar is intellgent but Gulzar Saahab is Genius. He has proved it through his lyrics, direction, dialogues, screen plays, scripts. Whatever Javed Akhtar writes,(lyrics) it’s simple. But Gulzar Saahab writes very unusual, beyond imagination. Once a time Javed Akhtar tried to write unusual, but it was ridiculous. Remember “ Katthai Aankho wali ik Ladaki. Javed Akhtar also wrote scripts, dialogues but not alone, with Saleem. They always wrote Formula Film scripts. In most of their movie there were Good & bad characters Revenge, Fights, poor vs.rich. Police, smugglers. If we notice ,we can see that emergency period played a great role in the success of Saleem-Javed as well as of Amitabh Bachchan. After emergency, his some screen play were successful but after 78-79 , there was not any big hit. Saleem & Javed chose their path separately.
Gulzar Saahab never wrote tradition formula film scripts. He was never dependant on Big Names or Stars. In his almost every movie u will find that protagonist character(leading role) were played by Female artists. I think this the reason that he has a large number of female fans . His first movie as a director was ‘Mere Apane’ In first movie he proved his talent. Gulzar Saahab wrote some very nice songs for children as Saare Ke Saare ga ma ko lekar, Lakadi Ki Kathi, Jungle-Jungle Baat Chali Hai( Mogali). I don’t think that Javed can write songs for children. So I will say Gulzar Saahab is the BEST.
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