Gulzar Sahib on Is lyricism dead?
Times Literary Festival.. as I have already told you.. brought an opportunity to meet your literary idols. Amongst all there was only one I wanted to meet.. the Guru of lyrics.. Gulzar.. The subject of discussion was 'Is lyricism Dead' also attended by Swanand Kirkire and Madan Gopal Singh.
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Gulzar said that saying lyricism is dead is similar to when people said that computer will kill reading of books. I don't see it dead, I see it change... things change with life.. 'alfaaz' (words) change with life, so lyrics will also change, songs will also change. Say if you are living on 20th floor of a building.. can you sing 'Tu Tulsi Mere Aangan Ki' now where is the Aangan (porch or veranda) in today's times in a city like Mumbai. He explained 'Shabdon ke mayne badal gaye hain'.. where he quoted a few youngsters who came and asked him on why did he use 'Loo' in the line 'Tera aana bhi Garmiyon ki loo hai' (Kajrare). He explained the difference in old and today's films is that old films were simple, characters were simple, stories were simple.. but now films are complex, characters are complex, and music is also complex... hence song and lyrics have to change along with this.. as per the situation and the requirements of the scene.
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| From L to R - Gulzar, Madan Gopal, Mahmood Farooqui (moderator) and Swanand |
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| A legend |
Swanand - lyricist, singer and dialogue writer said he learnt poetry by reading the great lyricists Sahir, Majrooh and Gulzar Sahib. He talked about how medium also determines the type of song.. like now song is a 'Dekhne ki cheez' a visual treat and of course depends on the type of movie.
Madan Gopal Singh is a singer and lyricist of sufi genre. He quoted Gulzar's song 'Mora Gaura Rang lei le'. This was a revolution as in Sufi & Bhakti movement women generally say 'Rang de' but in this song a woman was giving her color.
Swanand sang his all time classic song 'Bawra mann dekhne chala ek sapna' beautifully and Madan Singh sang a Sufi song. But the highlight of the evening was Gulzar Sahib's poetry... a take on how we spend more time on computers than reading books.. but can it ever replace books...
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| For keepsake... |
"Kitabein jhankti hain
bandh almari ke sheeshon se
badi hasrat se takti hain
mahinon ab mulakatein nahin hoti
jo shamein unki soubat main kata karti thee
ab aksar guzar jati hain computer ke pardon par
Badi bechain rehti hain kitabein
unhe ab neend main chalne ki aadat ho gayi hai
jo kadrein woh sunati thee
ke jinke sar kabhi marte nahin the
jo rishte woh sunati thi
woh saare udhadhe udhadhe hain
koi safa palat ta hoon to ek siski nikalti hai
kai lafzon ke maane gir pade hain
bina paton ke sookhe tund lagte hain wo sab alfaz, jin par ab koi maane nahin ugte
zabaan par zayka aata tha jo safa palatne ka
ab ungli click karne se
"He explained the difference in old and today's films is that old films were simple, characters were simple, stories were simple.." - You really think so? Music, simple? You think just because contemporary music is electronic, it makes it complex? Indian classical is one of the most complicated forms of music.
ReplyDelete"He talked about how medium also determines the type of song.. like now song is a 'Dekhne ki cheez' a visual treat and of course depends on the type of movie." - It seems so because movies target masses who might be just superficially interested in music/songs.
I beg to disagree with their comments and find them equivocal and not for serious music/poetry enthusiasts.
Just out of curiosity, have you read Ghalib, Faiz or Firaq?
Oh man, just love Gulzar saahab's poetry. This guy is phenomenal in the manner in which he is able to convey his thoughts. Ek toh his thoughts are so awesome and then to have the knack to be able to put them across so poignantly. Hats off to him!
ReplyDeleteI know I aam terribly late in replying.. but I have been off blogging for some time.. and now am picking up pieces from where I left..
ReplyDelete@ Shekhar - Gulzar Saab is someone I adore and idolise.. every word or lyric written by him is pure magic and he makes me realise the beauty of life thru his songs...
@ Satyan - With all due respect to your thoughts I have not read Ghalib, Faiz or Firaq. But when Gulzar Saab speaks I listen and anyone who had heard his poetry and songs should too. When he said simple he didn't mean ordinary - he meant that characters were simpler and nowadays they are more complex. He gave some examples like in movies like 'Satya' how do you depict complex mindset of the killers - songs like 'Goli Maar Bheje main - ki bheja shor karta hai' come closest to showing the disturbed minds.. I wish I could share the video recording of this literary discussion. I have it but it is too heavy to upload. It will help you to understand the context of the discussion. No words of mine can actually narrate the depth of Gulzar Saab's words.