Aaj se main shabnam ke badley angaarey barsaaoonga
(From today, my art will strive to break the chains
From today, I will rain embers instead of dew drops)
March 8, 2021, will mark Ludhianvi’s centenary year. Be it the songs of
Pyaasa,
Hum Dono or
Chitralekha, Ludhianvi never held back. He attacked the aristocratic elite for exploiting the marginalised, oppressed classes. He turned on the custodians of religion when they threatened to tear asunder communal harmony by peddling hate.
Think of his immortal lines for the song in Yash Chopra’s
Dhool Ka Phool, where he begins on a sarcastic note – “jis ilm ne insaanon ko taqseem kiya hai, uss ilm ka tujh par koi ilzaam nahin hai”. His wrath towards hate-mongers at the end of the song is unmistakable:
A Rebel With a Cause: Sahir Ludhianvi’s Treasured Legacy
While he critiqued the nation and was cynical of politics, he never lost faith in the collective power of people.
Comments
Film lyricists have generally been, and still are, second class citizens in the film music pecking order. Everyone knows the names of singers, most know the music directors, but most lyricists, save a few, remain in the shadows. The awe and respect are missing.
There have been a few though who have walked shoulder to shoulder with music directors like Shailendra. But there has only been one who was ranked above them all.