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Top 10 Amazing Facts about Gulzar

Indian lyricist and film director Gulzar at the launch of the album Chand Parosa Hai in 2008 photo by Bollywood Hungama –

Poet of extraordinary finesse, an accomplished filmmaker and an ace father, Gulzar needs no introduction known for writing stories weaved with sensibilities and emotions. From dialogues that would stay forever in our minds, films that set a benchmark in direction and screenplay, to award-winning song lyrics for India, this man is truly all-rounded and an individual who raced far ahead of his times.

Born on 18 August 1934 in Dina, Punjab, British India now Pakistan, Known professionally as Gulzar. He is an Indian Poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter and film director known for his works in Hindi cinema.

Looking back at this prolific lyricist and film director鈥檚 journey so far, here are 10 amazing facts about Gulzar.

1. Gulzar is his artistic name

Gulzar at the Bangalore Literature Festival 2013 September photo by Primejyothi –

Even though he is known for his pen name, Gulzar, his real name is Sampooran Singh Kalra. He adopted the pen name 鈥淕ulzar Deenvi鈥� However, he changed it to simply鈥� Gulzar鈥� which he officially took as his professional name.

2. He was rebuked for being a writer

Suman Pokhrel with Gulzar photo by Suman –

Initially, his father and brother did not approve of his writing. He was consistently rebuked for wasting his time in writing. The Gulzar family wanted him to take a regular job as they felt that a writer couldn鈥檛 earn enough to sustain himself.

However, he was adamant about his choice of becoming a writer adopting the pen name Gulzar Deenvi and later shortening it to Gulzar. He put up a tough fight to be what he is today.

3. He used to work in a garage

Photo by Sten Rademaker on

In his young days before claiming acclaim for his unmatched talent, Gulzar came to Bombay (now Mumbai) to make something of himself, Just like his father wanted. He got his first job at Vichare motors, a garage in Bellasis Road where he used to work.

His main work involved touching up cars that were involved in accidents. He used to touch up the bumps and scratches on accident-damaged cars. He developed a knack for matching the paint to the original colour of the car.

One of the positives of his work was that it gave him more time to read, write and attend college.  After struggling for a while, he finally got his big break with the film Bandini in 1963 as a lyricist.

4. He was unable to attend his father鈥檚 funeral

Hemen Gupta (1914-1967) and Bimal Roy (1909-1966) during the filming of Kabuliwala in 1957 –

He has revealed the details about his father鈥檚 death in the book, Housefull: The Golden Years of Bollywood. When Gulzar was working alongside Bimal Roy in Bombay (present-day Mumbai), his father passed away in Delhi. He was informed about it five days later.

His brother went to Delhi by flight but since Gulzar couldn鈥檛 afford the ticket, he took the train. The train took more than 24 hours to reach and by the time Gulzar reached home, his father had already been laid to rest.

Five years later, when his closest companion Bimal Roy passed away, he cremated his father alongside him.

5. Gulzar loves Bengal and its culture

Rakhee Gulzar at Neena Singh’s art exhibition Photo by Bollywood Hungama –

It is reported that Gulzar loves Bengal and its culture. His love of Bengal is reflected in how he was influenced by Tagore鈥檚 works, loved working on Bengali literary pieces, and was an assistant to Bimal Roy.

He has always been fond of Bengali culture which he was influenced by Bimal Roy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. He considers them as his gurus.

He often jokes that to proclaim his love for the Bengalis, he even married one. He married the famous actress, Rakhee although they later separated.

6. He is fond of reading

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Gulzar was always fond of reading from a young age. He started with detective novels. In an interview, he narrated that one day the shack from where he would borrow books gave him a book titled 鈥淭he Gardener鈥� by Rabindranath Tagore and the impact of the book on him was such that he decided to become a writer.

After reading The Gardener he developed a penchant for a different kind of writing.

7. Gulzar is well versed in sign language

In 1973, for his movie, Koshish which narrated the story of a deaf and dumb couple, he learned sign language so that he could connect to their emotions correctly. Since then he has been working for the deaf and dumb children

8. He dropped movie directing for writing

Gulzar with daughter Meghna Gulzar at the launch of Dr Shrilata Trasi & Dr Shefali Nerurkar’s clinic La Piel photo by Bollywood Hungama –

After his film 鈥淗u Tu Tu鈥� failed at the box office, he went into a major depression. His daughter (Meghan Gulzar) helped him through this phase. The unfair treatment of the film by the producers is one of the reasons why he dropped directing movies.

Another big reason is his never-ending love for writing. He has never wanted his writing to take a backseat while he鈥檚 busy directing films. After the critics of his film 鈥淗u Tu Tu,鈥� he channelized the same energy for books which he recognizes as his true passion.

9. Gulzar published his first novel at 84

At 84 years old, Gulzar published his first novel 鈥淭wo鈥� and made us all believe that age is truly just a number. The book is a documentation of his harrowing experience of witnessing the India-Pakistan partition as a child.

Although he writes in Urdu and Hindustani, he translated the copy from Hindi to English to make it more accessible to the younger generation.

10. Gulzar won a Grammy

The veteran film lyricist, director, screenwriter, producer and poet, Shri Gulzar with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2013, presented by the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, at the 61st National Film Awards Function, in New Delhi on May 03, 2014. photo by GODL-India –

Gulzar has a Grammy Award. He won a Grammy award for Best Song Written for a motion picture for the song 鈥淛ai Ho鈥�. In addition to winning the Grammys, Gulzar also won the Academy award.

He was awarded the Indian Sahitya Akademi Award 鈥� Hindi in 2002, The Padma Bhushan in 2004, the third-highest civilian award in India and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013, the highest award in Indian Cinema.

Gulzar is one of the most celebrated lyricists of this generation given what he has been able to accomplish throughout his time in the craft. His contribution to Hindi films is second to none and the veteran refuses to slow down, staying abreast with the current times, infusing his words with today鈥檚 present-day flavours without compromising on their appeal.