Remembering Qamar Jalalabadi today on his 21st death anniversary (09/01/2003).

“Ek pardesi mera dil le gaya Jaate jaate mithha Mithha gham de gaya Ek pardesi mera dil le gaya”

Remembering Qamar Jalalabadi today on his 21st death anniversary (09/01/2003). He was an amazing poet and lyricist for Hindi movie songs. Born Om Prakash Bhandari in 1917 in Jalalabad, near Amritsar, he started writing Urdu poetry at just seven years old. Even without support at home, he found encouragement from a traveling poet, Amar, who gave him the pen name Qamar, meaning ‘moon’, and added ‘Jalalabadi’ from his hometown. After finishing school in Amritsar, he wrote for Lahore newspapers like Daily Milap and Daily Pratap. Moving to Pune in the 1940s, he started his film career. His first big hit was in the 1942 movie Zamindar. The song “Duniya me garibonko aaraam nahi milta” became a big hit. He then went to Bombay, writing songs for almost 40 years. Famous singers like Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar sang his songs, and he worked with composers like S.D. Burman. Some of his hits include “sunti nahi duniya kabhi fariyaad kissi ki” and “Dil kis liye rota hai”. Some of his memorable songs from his early include “sunti nahi duniya kabhi fariyaad kissi ki” (Renuka, 1947) and the ghazal “Dil kis liye rota hai…pyar ki duniya me, aisa hi hota hai” (sung by Naseem Banu for the film Mulaquat in 1947). The noted dancer Sitara Devi performed some of his songs in Chand (1944). Chand was one of the earliest of Qamarji’s successful and memorable films. As a lyricist, Qamar Jalalabadi was very versatile. On one hand he wrote mesmeric duets like “sun meri saanwari mujhko kahin tum bhool na jana…” sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Mohd. Rafi (film: Aansoo 1953) and on the other hand he penned comic relief songs like “khush hai zamana aaj pehli tarikh hai” endured with full throttle gusto by Kishore Kumar (film: Pehli Tarikh-1954). This song turned into veritable anthem and was played on Radio Ceylon on the first of every month for decades, and it probably still is. The film Howrah Bridge (1954) skyrocketed his career as lyricist to unpredescented heights. Songs like “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” (Geeta Dutt) and “aaiye meherbaan, baithiye janejaan….” (Asha Bhonsle) became highly popular. In his long career span he worked for several Film Companies like; Prabhat Film Company, Pancholi Pictures, Filmistan Ltd., Famous Pictures, Minerva Movietone, Prakash Pictures, Wadia Films Ltd., Filmkar Ltd., Sippy Films, N.C Sippy Films, Shri Shakti Films, Mitra Productions and many more. He worked with many film companies and was a founder member of the Film Writers Association & IPRS in Mumbai. He also read poetry at mushairas across India. A true legend, his work still inspires many.