There are lyricists, and then there is Gulzar. A man who doesn’t just write songs, but also emotions. His words don’t just rhyme, they live, breathe, and sit with you long after the music has stopped.
But who really is Gulzar? His real name is Sampooran Singh Kalra, and his story is as poetic as the songs he gave us.
Early Life: From Dina to India
Gulzar was born on 18 August 1934 in a small town called Dina in Jhelum district, now in Pakistan. Back then, he was just Sampooran Singh Kalra, the son of Makhan Singh Kalra and Sujan Kaur.
Like millions of others, his life took a dramatic turn during Partition in 1947, when his family had to migrate to India. The pain of displacement, the memories left behind, and the sense of longing, all of these experiences seeped into his poetry later in life.
In Bombay (now Mumbai), Gulzar lived a modest life. To make ends meet, he worked in a garage, painting cars and mixing colours. But while his hands were busy with brushes, his heart was busy with words. Poetry was not a hobby for him; it was survival.
The Birth of “Gulzar”
Why did Sampooran Singh Kalra become “Gulzar”?
The answer is beautifully simple. When he started writing, he realised his real name was too long to sign under his poems. So he chose a pen name: Gulzar.
In Urdu, “Gulzar” means a blooming garden. And indeed, his words became a garden where emotions bloomed, love, pain, nostalgia, and hope.
Breaking Into Bollywood: The First Song
Gulzar’s big break came with filmmaker Bimal Roy and composer S.D. Burman. In 1963, he wrote his first song, “Mora Gora Ang Layle” for the film Bandini. Sung by Lata Mangeshkar, the song was a classic blend of innocence and romance.
That one song announced a new voice in Bollywood. And from then on, there was no looking back.
Gulzar the Lyricist: Words That Touch the Soul
Over the decades, Gulzar has written songs that are etched into Indian cinema’s soul. His genius lies in simplicity, ordinary words arranged in extraordinary ways.
- “Tujhse Naraaz Nahin Zindagi” (Masoom) – a conversation with life itself.
- “Dil Dhoondta Hai” (Mausam) – a longing for lazy afternoons of childhood.
- “Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi Shikwa To Nahin” (Aandhi) – a song about love that exists even in silence.
- “Chaiyya Chaiyya” (Dil Se) – a joyous anthem that had the world dancing on a moving train.
From the tender lullabies in Guddi to the modern beats of Slumdog Millionaire, Gulzar proved that emotions don’t belong to one era. They belong to all of us.
Gulzar the Filmmaker: Stories With Heart
Not just a lyricist, Gulzar also became a brilliant filmmaker. His films are known for their subtlety, realism, and emotional depth.
- Koshish (1972): A powerful story about a deaf and mute couple, starring Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bhaduri. It was a film ahead of its time, talking about inclusivity and love beyond words.
- Aandhi (1975): A film inspired by political figures, it explored the complexities of personal and professional life.
- Angoor (1982): A hilarious comedy of errors, proving Gulzar’s versatility.
- Ijaazat (1987): A sensitive portrayal of relationships and lost love, with the unforgettable song “Mera Kuch Saamaan Tumhare Paas Pada Hai”.
Each film carried his signature: understated storytelling, poetic dialogue, and deep human emotions.
Gulzar the Poet: Beyond Films
What makes Gulzar timeless is that he is not bound by cinema. His poems, short stories, and writings have touched people across generations.
His poetry often plays with metaphors and everyday images. A raindrop, a window, a shadow, ordinary things become extraordinary when described by him.
For example, in one of his famous couplets, he writes:
“Raat yun dil mein teri khoyi hui yaad aayi,
Jaise veerane mein chupke se bahaar aa jaaye.”
(Last night your forgotten memory slipped into my heart,
Like spring silently entering a barren land.)
Simple, yet profound. That’s Gulzar.
Global Recognition
While India has showered him with love and awards, National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, Sahitya Akademi Award, Padma Bhushan (2004), the world too has recognised his brilliance.
In 2009, Gulzar won an Oscar and a Grammy Award for the song “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire), composed by A.R. Rahman.
Yet, despite global acclaim, he remains grounded. Always in his white kurta, always carrying a notebook, always lost in words.
The Secret of Gulzar’s Magic
Why do Gulzar’s words touch us so deeply? Maybe because he doesn’t write “songs.” He writes life.
His verses are not about grand metaphors alone, they are about little things. A lost letter. A silence between two people. A childhood afternoon. A train journey.
He captures emotions that we all feel but don’t know how to express. And that’s why we often say, “This Gulzar song feels like it was written for me.”
Legacy That Lives On
Today, Gulzar is much more than a lyricist or filmmaker. He is a cultural icon, a bridge between old India and new India, between Urdu poetry and Hindi cinema, between art and everyday life.
Even at 90, he continues to write, publish books, and inspire new generations of poets, writers, and dreamers.
As he once beautifully put it:
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought,
and the thought has found words.”
And Gulzar has given us words for emotions we didn’t even know we had.
Gulzar is not just a lyricist, poet, or filmmaker, he is an emotion. His words are the soundtrack of our lives, accompanying us in moments of love, heartbreak, nostalgia, and hope.
He turned the ordinary into extraordinary, the everyday into eternal. And maybe that’s why, decades later, we still hum his songs, read his poems, and feel like he’s writing about us.
Because in truth, he is.
Also Read: How Chhota Bheem’s Tuntun Pays Tribute to a Forgotten Bollywood Legend
FAQs About Gulzar
Q1. What is Gulzar’s real name?
Gulzar’s real name is Sampooran Singh Kalra.
Q2. Why did he choose the name “Gulzar”?
He adopted the pen name “Gulzar,” meaning a blooming garden in Urdu, as his real name was too long for his poems.
Q3. Which was Gulzar’s first Bollywood song?
His first song was “Mora Gora Ang Layle” from the film Bandini (1963).
Q4. Has Gulzar won international awards?
Yes. He won an Oscar and a Grammy for “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire, 2009).
