Gulzar : A lyricist par excellence but a failed director?

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altgr

@altgr

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Posted: 6 years ago

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Gulzar: A poet and lyricist par excellence but a FAILED director

ByAli Peter John

Nov 7, 2018 - 7:49 am IST

Gulzar (Sampurnanand Singh) has walked away with thirteen Filmafare Awards, five national awards and even the Oscar for Jai Ho but what about the commercial aspects of most of his films, especially those directed by him. Not one of them has been a hit, forget being a super hit, in fact some of the films he made ruined his producers. Premji, the long- time secretary of Dilip Kumar spent every rupee he had to make Meera with Hema Malini in the title role and with music by Pandit Ravi Shankar. The film was a disaster and Premji, the producer died soon after the release.

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Lata Mangeshkar had such a great fascination for Gulzar that she produced Lekin with Dimple Kapadia and Vinod Khanna and with music by her brother, Pandit Hridaynath Mangeshkar. The film was appreciated, but it was a big flop. Gulzar than tried to make his version of Devdaswith Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore and Hema Malini, the film couldn't be completed and the producer, Kailash Chopra, brother of Prem Chopra died a broken hearted man. Gulzar last tried to make a film on today's politics called Hu Tu Tu, but he couldn't get along with the producers who kept telling him how do make the film. That film was also a disaster and Gulzar gave up direction for good. He now only writes his own poetry and the songs of the films of his chela Vishal Bhardwaj and daughter Meghna Gulzar.

At 84, he is still mentally and physically strong but according to his close friends "he doesn't want to waste the rest of his life making the kind of films that are the demand of the time.

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Angel-likeDevil

@Angel-likeDevil

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Posted: 6 years ago

😔

I watched Ijaazat and Namkeen, they're well-made films. Ijaazat is one of the most beautiful films on relationships.

But I had no clue that he was SUCH a good film-maker until I watched those films... how come he didn't get the noisy recognition he deserves?

Edited by Angel-likeDevil - 6 years ago

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FilmiDhun

@FilmiDhun

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Posted: 6 years ago

😕

Who is this author.. and why all of a sudden it occurred to him that decades after gulzar stopped directing it would be a good idea to write about his unsuccessful stints as a director. The fact that he refers to Vishal as gulzar's chela speaks a lot about this journalist's professionalism.🥱

Making unprofitable films is definitely not good. But Gulzar is not a failed director. I would say he is far from it. Most of his films are classics and remembered after all these years. Just like his work as a lyricist and poet.

He is an evergreen gem for this film industry. Period.🥱

Edited by FilmiDhun - 6 years ago

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Ratukrus

@Ratukrus

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Posted: 6 years ago

Originally posted by: Angel-likeDevil
😔

I watched Ijaazat and Namkeen, they're well-made films. Ijaazat is one of the most beautiful films on relationships.

But I had no clue that he was SUCH a good film-maker until I watched those films... how come he didn't get the noisy recognition he deserves?

I agree with you 100% Ijjazat was a classic. Even another film with Hema Jitendra where he kills her fiance accidentally I forget that movies name it was so good. Even Meera was nice.

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Her-mion-e

@Her-mion-e

Sparkler

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Posted: 6 years ago

Who are these journalists bollyhungama is hiring? Does they have any senses of what they are writing?

Gulzar always said writing and translating poems are his first love.He has never a hardcore commercial filmmaker to begin with. But whatever films he has made were pretty well-made and socially relevant

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pallavi25

@pallavi25

Inactive

+ 5

Posted: 6 years ago

What nonsense this guy has written? 😲

Aandhi, Mausam, Koshish, Parichay, Maachis, these are all Classic films by Gulzar and still remembered for excellence.

Even Namkeen and Angoor were really good films

Koshish, Aandhi, Mausam, Parichay, Maachis were hit movies too and won awards for the actors as far as I remember

This dumb journo probably has not heard of these classic films 😆

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448368

Suspended

Posted: 6 years ago

For these idiots rohit shitty is better then Gulzar. Enough said.

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nigahen

@nigahen

Voyager

Posted: 6 years ago

Outright liar. How can any news portal publish such lies and dishonesty.

I saw the responses to this on twitter.

I think only lekin didnt work commerically which is a really brilliant movie. And hu tu tu and Meera which I havent seen so cant say if they were good movies.

But by all accounts Aandhi, Parichay, Khushbook, Ijaazat, Namkeen, Mausam., Macchis, Angoor, Koshish...were all smash hits and very well acclaimed.

Edited by nigahen - 6 years ago

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nitritt9s

@nitritt9s

Voyager

Posted: 6 years ago

what a crap article gulzar is was n will always be an excellant writer director n lyricist n thats a fact no one can deny n just to remind all of u in tbe early 80s there was a hit film with brilliant performances the film was titled masoom gulzar was part of that movie too i think he wrote the dialouges or screenplay this person who wrote this article is a sicko

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Mira25

@Mira25

Inactive

Posted: 6 years ago

#10

Gulzar, the maverick director: 10 of his very best films

Updated on: February 28, 2015, 6:17 PM IST

'Parichay' (1972) was the account of a teacher's (Jeetendra) relationship with his pupils. The film was nicely paced and sensibly treated.

'Hu Tu Tu' (1999) is Gulzar's last film as director till date. It was straight forward and attacking in approach. Nana Patekar played a poet in the film.

The modern generation might know Gulzar as a dynamic lyricist but his films are much more intense than his poetry. Here is a list of his finest films. 'Lekin' (1991) was loosely based on a short story by Rabindranath Tagore.

'Koshish' (1972) was a difficult film to make by any standard but Gulzar accomplished the task with the help of Sanjeev Kumar and Jaya Bachchan.

'Angoor' (1982) took its cue from a William Shakespeare play. This film can bring smile to your face even in the most difficult situations.

Gulzar was at his personal best in 'Ijaazat' (1987). The story dealt with the theme of love, betrayal and extra-marital affairs. Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha and Anuradha Patel created a mesmerising world where the audience drowned in their own tears.

'Mausam' (1975) was based on the novel 'The Judas Tree' by AJ Cronin. Sharmila Tagore received rave reviews for her performnace in the film.

'Kitaab' (1977) is Gulzar's lesser known film but it was very relevant. Even today, this film helps the parents in understanding the mental state of their children.

'Maachis' (1996) was Gulzar's take on the terrorism prevailed in Punjab during the 80s. Chandrachur Singh, Tabu and Om Puri came up with fantastic performances.

'Aandhi' (1975) explored the dark corners of a politician's mind.

How can these portals and journalists publish such inauthentic info without any verification or research? This shows how (un)ethical is journalism today. His movies are remembered as classics even today. Many of them were commercially successful too.

Edited by Mira25 - 6 years ago