For a man who worked for more than four decades in Bollywood, Majrooh Sultanpuri’s name isn’t as popular as a Javed Akhtar or Gulzar. However, you will begin to recognise his genius once you go through his most famous songs. Whether it is Nargis crooning ‘Rasika Balma’ in Chori Chori or Dev Anand brooding to Kya Se Kya Ho Gaya in Guide, both iconic songs feature the words of Majrooh sahab.
A brilliant and famous shayar in his own right, he adapted to the changing times. As the times and the sound changed from SD Burman to RD Burman to Kalyanji-Anandji to Anand-Milind to Jatin-Lalit – Majrooh sahab found a way to be contemporary.
Today, on the great man’s 18th death anniversary, it would do us some good to remember the man behind so many of Bollywood’s greatest songs. In an era, where a Salman Khan turns lyricist, the elegance of Majrooh sahab is something we dearly miss.
