A great Urdu poet and a versatile Hindi film lyricist, Majrooh Sultanpuri is being remembered on his 19th death anniversary today.

A great Urdu poet and a versatile Hindi film lyricist, Majrooh Sultanpuri is being remembered on his 19th death anniversary today.

Majrooh Sultanpuri was one of the foremost and progressive poets of Urdu and Hindi literature in the 20th century. His ability to transform the simplest of emotions with the loftiest metaphors and complex idioms made him a challenging read. Yet, as a lyricist, his work dipped into the most simple and elegant analogies to put forth the most beautiful ideas. From the late 1940s, the lyricist worked with composers starting from Naushad through RD Burman to Anand-Milind.

The only lyricist to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award, Majrooh Sultanpuri has left behind a legacy as a songwriter for over 330 films. Which is why even today you can find his timeless songs being reworked into today’s films.