Gulzar Saab, as I know him

It's hard to believe that Gulzar Saab is 91. His wit and poetic perceptions still remain as sharp today as the time when he wrote his first film lyric Mora gora ang lai le for Bimal Roy's Bandini.

- SUBHASH KJHA

It's hard to believe that Gulzar Saab is 91. His wit and poetic perceptions still remain as sharp today as the time when he wrote his first film lyric Mora gora ang lai le for Bimal Roy's Bandini.

It's easy to love the poetry of Gulzar.

I still recall how easy it was to get through to the mythically elusive Gulzar Saab. At that time, I was just another eager beaver with a dream waiting to spill out of my pen. Gulzar Saab had read some of my comments on his imperishable poetry. He knew I was an ardent admirer. We had exchanged perfunctory thoughts on the language of the heart when I had reviewed his superb songs in the non-film album Dil Padosi Hai, where he had collaborated with Asha Bhosle and his favourite music director, R.D. Burman.

I had misconstrued his use of the word joothe (used/soiled) for jhoothe (deceitful).

He explained the difference to me.

To this day, I ask the relevance of the strange, stirring and sensuous words he uses in his songs. I was puzzled by the line