Majrooh Sultanpuri was an Indian Urdu poet and lyricist in the Hindi film industry. He wrote Hindustani lyrics for numerous Hindi film soundtracks. He is even considered one of the finest avant-garde Urdu poets of 20th-century literature.
Born to a police constable whose roots were in the Sultanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, was known to the world as ‘Maj-rooh’ — his pen name, meaning ‘wounded soul’ — and who rose to become a celebrated colossus.
Majrooh had studied medicine, but when one of his ghazals became a hit with the audience, he stopped practising medicine and began writing poetry seriously.
The legendary lyricist penned hit evergreen songs like, 'Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si', 'Ek Din Bik Jaayega Mati Ke Mol', 'Meri Bheegi Bheegi Si', 'O Mere Dil ke chain', 'Kitna Pyaar wada hai', 'Babuji dheere chalna' and 'Kya Hua Tera Vada'.
The 90s hit songs like, 'Aaj main upar aasman neeche' from the movie Khamoshi, and 'Papa Kehte Hain Bada Naam Karega,' from Jo Jeeta Woh Sikadar were also penned by Sultanpuri.
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. Not only that, but he also received the highest award in Indian cinema, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for lifetime achievement, in 1993.
Sultanpuri, who was known for his leftist leanings, was asked to apologise for an anti-Nehru poem, but he refused, following which he was jailed for two years along with other celebrities of the time, like actor Balraj Sahni.
Aman ka jhandaa is dharti pe
kisne kaha lahrane na paaye
ye bhi koi Hitler ka hai chela,
maar le sathi, jaane na paaye!
Commonwealth ka das hai Nehru
maar le sathi jaane na paae!
In 1980, he was given the Ghalib Award for his literary accomplishments. Two other major awards he cherished were the Madhya Pradesh government’s Iqbal Samman Award in 1992— again, he was the first winner among film writers — for Urdu creative writing and, from Maharashtra, his 'karmabhoomi,' the Sant Dnyaneshwar Award for his contribution to the arts.
He passed away on May 24, 2000, in Mumbai, at the age of 80. Majrooh had been suffering from lung disease for some time and had a severe attack of pneumonia, which led to his death.
