Posted: 17 years ago
Selected Poems/Kaifi Azmi. Translated by Pavan K. Varma. New Delhi, .

Contents: 1. House. 2. My past sits heavy on my shoulder. 3. A moment in time. 4. First meeting. 5. Ghazal. 6. A sense of regret. 7. Lucknow could it be? 8. Afternoon. 9. Ghazal. 10. Circle. 11. Ghazal. 12. Courage. 13. Ghazal. 14. Ghazal. 15. Advice. 16. Two nights. 17. Ghazal. 18. Dispersion. 19. Ghazal. 20. Tranquil ocean. 21. Mirror. 22. The custom of giving. 23. For Jafri. 24. Somnath. 25. Chameleon. 26. Nehru. 27. Ghazal. 28. Enough! the loyalty of friends. 29. Ghazal. 30. With such sweet revenge. 31. Renewal. 32. Ghazal. 33. Habit. 34. Invitation. 35. Lamps. 36. I do not know what these eyes. 37. Vagrant worship. 38. The last night. 39. How does one explain. 40. We have given our lives. 41. Explosion. 42. Smile. 43. A humble gift. 44. Stranger. 45. Ibn-e-Mariam. 46. Second storm. 47. A dancing spark. 48. Caution. 49. Woman. 50. A kiss. 51. Life.

"One of the finest Urdu poets of the subcontinent, Kaifi Azmi has borne witness to an entire era of social change. Born in 1918 in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, in a zamindar family, Azmi wrote his first poem at the age of eleven. He joined the Communist party when he was nineteen, and wrote for the party paper Quami Jung. Subsequently, he moved to Bombay, and wrote his first lyric for the film Buzdil, directed by Shahid Latif, in 1948. A member of the progressive writers' movement, Azmi has been an active spokesperson for several workers' unions and works passionately to rectify social injustices even today.

"This richness of experience and maturity of perspective is captured in his poems, which reflect the many aspects of Azmi – man, lover, activist and poet. Some of his best verses are about the plight of the exploited, like the famous 'Makaan' which highlights a system where the poor, homeless, footpath dwellers build palaces for the rich to live in. At the other end of the spectrum are his love poems, including the memorable lyrics for films – among them, 'Waqt ne kiya….' – that haunt the reader with their tenderness and contained passion, proving him to be a master at conveying the various nuances of love. Azmi's preoccupation with and expert handling of such disparate themes are indicative as much of his zest for life as his sincerity and honesty of experience.

"Brilliantly translated by Pavan K. Varma, this bilingual selection, published on the occasion of Kaifi Azmi's eighty-first birthday, brings to a wider audience the wisdom and lyricism of Azmi's poetry." (jacket)

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago
Kaifi Azmi is no more


Grieving daughter and actress-turned-MP Shabana Azmi breaks down near the body of her father Kaifi Azmi at their residence in Mumbai on Friday. — PTI photo
Mumbai, May 10
Kaifi Azmi, a renowned Urdu poet and recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, died here this morning after a prolonged illness, Jaslok Hospital sources said. Kaifi is survived by wife Shaukat, actress daughter Shabana and a son. He died at 6.40 a.m. following cardiac and respiratory infe'ction,
Dr J.P. Sharma, Hospital Superintendent, said. Kaifi Azmi was admitted on March 28 for asthma and chest infection and was in the ICU till yesterday. He was also suffering from ischemic heart disease and cerebro-vascular disease, Dr Sharma said. Dr Sharma said Kaifi was shifted from the ICU since his condition had shown improvement for the last few days. However, his blood pressure fell around midnight and he suffered from shallow breathing. Born in Mijwan at Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh in 1918, Kaifi wrote his first ghazal "Itna To Zindagi Mein Kisi Ki Khalal Pade" at the age of 11. It was later immortalised by Begum Akhtar and is sung even today. Kaifi Azmi's poetry was a cry against injustice, oppression and communalism and his writing was known for its revolutionary fervour. "Aurat," "Makaan," "Bahroopni" and "Doosra Banwas" are among his notable poems. Apart from "Awara Sajday," his other published works include "Jhankar," "Akhir-e-Shab" and "Nai Gulistan" — a compilation of weekly columns he wrote entirely in verse for the weekly Urdu Blitz. "Meri Awaz Suno" was a collection of his film songs. Recently, selected poems of his were translated into English by Pavan Verma as well as the original screenplay of "Heer Ranjha" in verse. "Shaguftagi", an album of Kaifi's poetry set to tune by Khayyam has just been released by Music Today. One of the founders of the Progressive Writers Association, he served as its president and edited "Naya Aadab". "Awara Sajday" won him the Sahitya Akademi award in 1973. He was also honoured with the Padma Shri, but returned it protesting discrimination against Urdu by the Central Government. Kaifi Azmi was also associated with the Mumbai film industry as lyricist, screenplay and dialogue writer for more than four decades. "Garam Hawa" and "Heer Ranjha" are among his famous works as a dialogue writer. He moved to his native place some years ago but returned to Mumbai recently. Some of the other films he wrote for were "Anupama", "Hanste Zakhm", "Shola Aur Shabnam", "Pakeezah", "Shagun", "Haqeeqat", "Hindustan Ki Kasam", "Naseeb", "Arth", "Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayi" and "Tamanna". The Sahitya Akademi Fellowship was conferred upon him here last month for his eminence as an Urdu poet and "his exceptional contribution to Indian literature."

New Delhi: Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj expressed deep sorrow at the death of Kaifi Azmi.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago



Search for songs with lyrics by Kaifi Azmi
Lyrics
  aa muskuraake ke zakhm khaana aa gaya Lata Mangeshkar [+], Talat Mehmood [+] [duet,+] Mohammed D Shafi Kaifi Azmi Zindagi
 
  </>
  aa pyaar ki baahoon mein Lata Mangeshkar [+] Jaidev Kaifi Azmi Chand Grahan     </>
  aa utha le apna jaam kya tujhe kisise kaam Ranu Mukherjee [+] Jaidev Kaifi Azmi Faasla      </>
aaj ham apni duaaon ka asar dekhenge Lata Mangeshkar [+] Ghulam Mohammed, Naushad Ali [both] Kaifi Azmi Pakeezah
 
</>
  aaj jash-e-khushnaseebi hai hamaare Chandrani Mukherjee [+], Krishna Kalle [+] [duet,+] Iqbal Qureshi Kaifi Azmi Aalam Aara      </>
aaj ki kaali ghata mast matwaali ghata Geeta Dutt [+] Kanu Roy Kaifi Azmi Uski Kahani     </>
aaj socha to aansu bhar aaye muddaten ho gayi muskuraaye Lata Mangeshkar [+] Madan Mohan Kohli Kaifi Azmi Hanste Zakhm
 
</>
  aaja aaja o mere dilbar Usha Mangeshkar [+] Prem Dhawan Kaifi Azmi Shair-E-Kashmir Mahjoor     </>
  aaja rota hai kyon jaan khota hai kyon Mohammed Rafi [+] Madan Mohan Kohli Kaifi Azmi Ghar Ka Chirag     </>
  aajkal ke chhokre Asha Bhonsle [+], Hemant Kumar [+], Manna Dey [+] [trio,+] Hemant Kumar Kaifi Azmi Balma Bada Nadaan (Bojpuri)     </>
  aake apni suratiya dikha jaaya karo Asha Bhonsle [+] Madan Mohan Kohli Kaifi Azmi Sultana Daku     </>
aana hi padega sar ishq ke qadmon pe Talat Mehmood [+] Khaiyyam Sharmaji Kaifi Azmi Lala Rukh
 
</>
  aandhi aaye ki toofan koi gham nahin Mahendra Kapoor [+] Jag Phool Kaushik Kaifi Azmi Saat Hindustani     </>
  aankhen mila gori gori baanhon mein aa Asha Bhonsle [+], Kishore Kumar Ganguly [+] [duet,+] Chitragupta Kaifi Azmi Hamara Adhikar     </>
  aansu ki do boonde Asha Bhonsle [+], Mohammed Rafi [+] [duet,+] Bipin Babul Kaifi Azmi Forty Days / Chaalis Din   </>
  aao aao tumhen bataaoo ki ma kya hai Lata Mangeshkar [+] Madan Mohan Kohli Kaifi Azmi Ghar Ka Chirag     </>
  aao beqaraar dil ho chuka hain mujhko Lata Mangeshkar [+] Hemant Kumar Kaifi Azmi Kohra     </>
  aapse pyaar hua jaata hai khel tushvaar hua jaata hai Suraiyya [+] Ghulam Mohammed Kaifi Azmi Shama
 
 </>
  aayega koi aayega koi aayega liye dil ka karaar aayega Asha Bhonsle [+] Iqbal Qureshi Kaifi Azmi Dil Aur Patthar      </>
aayi abke saal diwaali munh par apne khoon male Lata Mangeshkar [+] Madan Mohan Kohli Kaifi Azmi Haqeekat
 
 </>

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago

film{Aakhri Khat}
starring{Rajesh Khanna, Indrani Mukherjee}
singer{Mohammed Rafi}
music{Khaiyyam}
lyrics{Kaifi Azmi}

Song title{aur kuchh der Thahar aur kuchh der na jaa}

aur kuchh der Thahar aur kuchh der na jaa
aur kuchh der Thahar \threedots

raat baaqii hai abhii raat me.n ras baaqii hai
paake tujhako tujhe paane kii havas baaqii hai
aur kuchh der Thahar aur kuchh der na jaa
aur kuchh der Thahar \threedots

jism kaa ra.ng fazaa me.n jo bikhar jaayegaa
maharabaan husn teraa aur nikhar jaayegaa
laakh zaalim hai zamaanaa magar itanaa bhii nahii.n
tuu jo baaho.n me.n rahe vaqt Thahar jaayegaa
aur kuchh der Thahar aur kuchh der na jaa
aur kuchh der Thahar \threedots

zi.ndagii ab inhii.n qadamo.n pe luTaa duu.N to sahii
ai hasiin but mai.n Kudaa tujhako banaa duu.N to sahii
aur kuchh der Thahar aur kuchh der na jaa
aur kuchh der Thahar \threedots

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago


Shaguftagi - Kaifi - Khayyam - Fragrance Of Poetry and Melody 

Shaguftagi - Kaifi - Khayyam - Fragrance Of Poetry and Melody
by Kaifi Azmi

 
  Contents: Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan - Shaguftagi Ka Latafat Ka / Kavita Krishnamurthy - Tum Mohobbat Ko Chupati Kyon Ho and Do Nigahon Ka Achaanak / Alka Yagnik - Woh Bhi Sarahane Lage. Style - Ghazal. An album presenting an amazing cross-section of eminent talents from two generations who present the quintessential flavour of Kaifi Azmis poetry in all its phases, moods and rhythm, where the romantic poetry goes hand-in-hand with revolutionary through the soul stirring music of Khayyam. Sung by the artistes like Kavita Krishnamurthy, Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayanand Roop Kumar Rathod
Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago

Graphic link to Delhi home page

 

Kaifi Azmi
Urdu Poet-Lyricist
Recorded: Friday, December 22, 2000
New Delhi, India
40 Minutes
 
(Photo by Brij Mahajan)


Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago
 

???? ????

(Kaifi Azmi)

 

( 1919 - 2002 )

Kaifi Azmi was an Indian lyricist. He was a recipient of the Padma Shri. He is the father of the actress Shabana Azmi.

Uncertain about his date of birth Azmi Saab however was certain that he was born in enslaved India, grew old in Independent India and that he would die in Socialist India. He was born as Akhtar Husain Rizvi, in a small hamlet, Majwan, in the district of Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh in a family of landlords. His father Syed Fateh Husain Rizvi, though was a landlord, but took up employment first in a small native state, Balharah, as a tahsildar and later on other areas of Uttar Pradesh. He decided to send his sons to schools imparting modern education, including English, against the stiff opposition of his relatives. However, Azmi Saab could not get this opportunity because his elders wanted him to be a theologian. He was admitted in Sultan-ul-Madaris, a reputed seminary in Lucknow. However his nonconformist nature created many problems for the authorities of the seminary. He formed a Students' Union and asked all the students to go on strike for getting their demands fulfilled. The strike continued for one and half year. Though the strike was called off, he was expelled from the seminary. This was the end of his elders' dream to train him to be a theologian. Azmi Saab could not seek modern education but he passed various examinations of Lucknow and Allahabad Universities that helped him acquire command over Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages.

During this period the leading progressive writers of Lucknow noticed him. They were very much impressed by his leadership qualities. They also saw in him a budding poet and extended all possible cooperation and encouragement to him. Consequently, Azmi Saab began to win great acclaim as a poet. His initiation into poetry was most interesting. At the age of eleven he, somehow, managed to get himself invited to a Mushaira and over there recited a ghazal, rather a couplet of the ghazal, which was very much appreciated by the President of the Mushaira, Mani Jaisi, but most of the people, including his father, thought that he recited his elder brother's ghazal. When his elder brother denied it, his father and his clerk decided to test his poetic talent. They gave him one of the lines of a couplet and asked him to write a ghazal in the same meter and rhyme. Azmi Saab accepted the challenge and within no time completed a ghazal. That particular ghazal was to become a rage in undivided India sung by none other than the legendary ghazal singer, Begum Akhtar and went thus: Itna to Zindagi Mein Kisiki Khalal Pade Hasne se ho Sukoon Na Rone se Kal Pade. He however abandoned his studies of Persian and Urdu during the Quit India agitations of 1942 and shortly thereafter became a full time Marxist when he accepted membership of the Communist Party in 1943. He was asked to shift base to Mumbai and work among the workers and started party work with lot of zeal and enthusiasm and at the same time would attend Mushairas in different parts of India. In 1947, he reached Hyderabad to participate in a Mushaira. There he met with Shaukat, fell in love with her and both got married. Shaukat Kaifi, later on, became a well known actress of theatre and film.

Like most of the Urdu poets, Azmi Saab began as a ghazal writer cramming his poetry with the oft-repeated themes of love and romance in a style that was replete with clichs and metaphors. However, his association with the Progressive Writers' Movement and Communist Party made him embark on the path of socially conscious poetry. In his poems he highlights the exploitation of the subaltern masses and through them he conveys a message of the creation of a just social order by dismantling the existing one. Yet, his poetry cannot be called plain propaganda. It has its own merits; intensity of emotions, in particular, the spirit of sympathy and compassion towards the disadvantaged section of society are the hallmarks of his poems. His poems are also notable for their rich imagery and in this respect his contribution to Urdu poetry can hardly be overstated. He published three anthologies of poetry Aakhir-e-Shab, Jhankar and Awaara Sajde. Recently Penguin came out with a translation of his poems in English - Selected Poems Kaifi Azmi.

Azmi Saab was also an active member of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) and in later years its president. His role in theatre was very important — he ensured that even after the communist movement started dying, its cultural component was kept alive. Once or twice he got young writers to produce plays and perform them at the Bhulabhai Desai Hall to collect funds for the Communist Party.

Azmi Saab's stint in film includes working as lyricist, writer and yes even actor! His early work as story writer was mainly for Nanubhai Vakil's films like Yahudi ki Beti (1956), Parvin (1957), Miss Punjab Mail (1958) and Id ka Chand (1958). But perhaps his greatest feat as a writer was Chetan Anand's Heer Ranjha (1970) wherein the entire dialogue of the film was in verse. It was a tremendous achievement and one of the great feats in Hindi Film writing. Azmi Saab also won great critical accolades for the script, dialogues and lyrics of M.S. Sathyu's Garam Hawa (1973), based on a story by Ismat Chughtai. The film, chronicles the plight of the minority Muslims in North India and is set in Agra after the first major partition exodus. Balraj Sahni played to perfection the central role of an elderly Muslim shoe manufacturer who must decide whether to continue living in India or to migrate to the newly formed state of Pakistan. Garam Hawa remains today one of the most poignant films ever to be made on India's partition. Azmi also wrote the dialogues for Shyam Benegal's Manthan (1976) and Sathyu's Kanneshwara Rama (1977). As a lyrics writer though he wrote for numerous films, he would always be remembered for Guru Dutt's Kaagaz ke Phool (1959) and Chetan Anand's Haqeeqat (1964), India's greatest ever war film. In the former who can forget Dekhi Zamaane ki Yaari Bichde Sabi Baari Baari or Waqt ne Kiya Kya Haseen Situm and Hoke Majboor Mujhe Usne Bhulaya Hoga or Kar Chale Hum Fida Jaan-o-Tan Saathiyon in the latter. The last mentioned patriotic song causes goose p***les even when heard today. Some other notable films for which he wrote the lyrics include Uski Kahani (1966), Bawarchi (1972), Pakeezah (1972), Hanste Zakhm (1973) and Razia Sultan (1983). He also played a memorable old man in Naseem (1995),a touching film centered around the destruction of the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya. The film is set in June-December 1992, the days preceding the demolition of the Masjid on December 6, 1992 by Hindutva fanatics. Naseem (Mayuri Kango) is a schoolgirl belonging to a middle class Mumbai based Muslim family. She enjoys a warm relationship with her aged ailing grandfather (Azmi Saab). With increasing horror the family watches on their TV the news of the build up at Ayodhya while the grandfather regales her with stories of life in pre-independence Agra. The grandfather dies on December 6 coinciding with the news of the destruction of the mosque. Azmi Saab's brilliant performance provides not just a reminder but a literal embodiment of the cultural traditions at stake those tragic days. It was a performance his daughter, multiple National Award winning actress Shabana Azmi, was proud of.

Kaifi Saab has won various awards and he has been honoured by various national and international institutions. These include the Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy Award, the Soviet Land Nehru Award and the Sahitya Academy Award for his collection, Awaara Sajde, the Maharashtra State Urdu Academy's Special Award for his contribution to Urdu literature and the Afro-Asian Writers' Committee's Lotus Award. He also won the National Award and Filmfare Award for the screenplay and dialogue of Garam Hawa. Azmi Saab was also the subject of a documentary film Kaifi Azmi (1979) made by Raman Kumar. His son Baba Azmi is a reputed cinematographer while son-in-law Javed Akhtar is a well known writer, lyricist and poet and daughter-in-law Tanvi, a fine actress in her own right.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago
Azmi KAIFI Azmi was, perhaps, one of the last two surviving links with the Progressive Writers' Movement [taraqqee pasand tahreek]. Moinuddin Jazbee is the other name that any student of Urdu literature would immediately associate with the movement that saw a galaxy of outstanding writers and poets give Hindustani literature amazing depth and substance. Jazbee now lives in retirement in Aligrah. Rabindranath Tagore gave his blessings to the new genre of creative writing. So did Kazi Nazrul Islam. Premchand was among the founding members of the "tahreek" that also enjoyed the patronage and blessings of Josh Malihabadi and Raghupati Sahai "Firaq". The "tahreek" itself was a by-product of the freedom movement spearheaded by the Indian National Congress in the 40s. Ismat Chughtai, Sadat Hasan Manto, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, Sahir Ludhianavi, Ali Sardar Jafri, Maqdoom Moihuddin, Jazbee, Krishan Chander, Razia Sajjad Zaheer, Banney Bhai, Niaz Haider and Kaifi were among the new set of romantics who believed that producing powerful literature against British imperial rule would help the cause of liberating India from centuries of subjugation. To produce a complete list of the poets and writers who contributed to the growth of the unique literary movement from memory is like trying to count the stars. The prince charming of the unique movement, that also saw the birth of Indian People's Theatre, was without doubt Israr-ul-Haq Majaz. He died young during the All India Urdu Conference in Lucknow in December, 1955.

This group of firebrand writers and poets also became the moving spirit of the Communist Party of India. Their romance with the left movement saw them spend time in jail. After India became free these writers realised the need for regular work to keep the home fires burning. Ask Shabana Azmi and she will tell you how her father and mother, Shaukat Azmi, better known as Moti Apa, had to spread newspapers in a small room of the party office as bed before the Hindi film industry came to their help. In fact, most of the progressive writers moved to Bombay because the Hindi film industry needed the skills of these talented Urdu writers for it to strike roots in post-Partition India. After Sahir the poet from Azamgarh was, perhaps, the most successful lyric writer. Of course, the students of literature would remember him for his contribution to Urdu poetry. But a vast body of his fans and admirers was made up of lovers of Hindi film songs. He started his career as a song writer with Shahid Latif's "Buzdil" and went on to gain a permanent place in Bollywood's hall of fame with "Kaagaz Ke Phool" and "Haqeeqat". His commitment to the country's secular values saw him pen a memorable poem captioned "Ram ka Doosra Banwas" on the demolition of Babri Masjid that resulted in a wave of hate crimes throughout the country. He must have been in deep pain in his last moments not because of the attack of asthma, but because of the madness that shows no signs of abating in Gujarat.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago

Kaifi Azmi
'He was today's Mirza Ghalib'
Bollywood pays tribute to Kaifi Azmi
Renowned Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi is no more. Azmi, who had been ailing for some years now, passed away at Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital at 7 am this morning. A forceful voice as a Communist Party of India activist, his contribution to Indian cinema and literature was immense as well. Director Chetan Anand would not think of anyone else but Azmi as lyricist for his films. In fact, Anand and Azmi were close friends. They were both members of the Indian People's Theatre Association. Yore has it
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the two shared such a deep bond that they would sit for hours together --- in absolute silence. Neither would speak a word to the other! One of the last films which boasted of Azmi's lyrics was Vijay Anand's under-production Jaana Na Dil Se Door. One of the songs of this film was sung by Vijay's brother and veteran filmmaker Dev Anand, actor Kulbhushan Kharbanda and television artiste Arundhati Ghanorkar. His death, say his fans, leaves a void that cannot be filled. Here, a few luminaries of the Hindi film industry pay their respects: Sitara Devi (dancer) He was such a lovely man. We have known each other since 1945, if my memory serves me right. I remember he wrote an innovative play called Aakhri Kshama on the life of the poet Mirza Ghalib. It was very popular then. His play mentions a fairy who has a dance sequence. Once, his regular dancer fell ill. He approached me for help. I reassured him I would send someone. I dressed for the part and went to dance. The situation demanded dim lights so I was sure no one would recognise me. He said, gratefully, "I couldn't possibly have asked you to dance." In fact, later, people were surprised that I had danced without any publicity. [Kaifi Azmi's wife] Shaukat and I used to go to a health club together and chat for hours. I recall [his daughter] Shabana as a tiny girl. Just recently, I bought Kaifisaab's book of poems Meri Awaaz Suno in Delhi. I memorise the lines --- they give me a lot of joy. Nida Fazli (poet-lyricist) Azmi's contribution has been manifold because he had such varied interests --- he was an activist-poet who belonged to the generation of progressive writers. In Urdu, the progressive movement started with Mulk Raj Anand, Sajjad Zahir and Faiz Ahmad Faiz. Azmi belonged to the junior cadre of the progressive movement. He was also connected with the Indian People's Theatre Association and was an active member of the Communist Party of India till the very end. I found him very gentle, very quiet, a man of socio-political awareness. He was socially active. Most of his work was for the downtrodden and oppressed. I participated in many mushairas with him, both in India and abroad. His voice was God's gift --- he would out his verses on stage --- it was a joy to watch him. He lyrics are immortal --- Waqt ne kiya kya haseen situm [Kaagaz Ke Phool] Kar chale hum fida jaan-o-tan saathiyo [Haqeeqat]. His Heer Ranjha with Chetan Anand was an experimental film written totally in verse. Khayyam (composer) Khayyam hspace6 I am shocked. The 1940s and the decades highlighted the fact that he was one of our leading poets. I always called him today's Mirza Ghalib. His style was totally individualistic. Recently, I composed an album on his writings titled Shaguftgi. His poems and ghazals were also educational. You know, he could keep you enthralled for hours when he recited his verses. When his songs came to me, I always felt it was incredible stuff. I worked with him first in Lala Rookh. Look at his words: Pyaas kuch aur bhi bhadka di jhalak dikhlake, tujhko parda rukheroshanse hataana hoga. They were huge hits. I remember there was Mohammed Rafi number: Hai gali gali ke lab par tere husn ka fasana, which also did very well. We worked on Baharon mera jeevan bhi sanwaro [Aakhri Khat], a beautiful song, together. As a person, he had a lot of love for the poor. He was upset by the disparity between the rich and poor. And his poetry reflected his sentiments. He would complain: How could there be inequality in God's presence? His work is immortal. He spent almost his whole earnings on his village, Azamgarh, which is in Uttar Pradesh. He founded a school, a hospital and introduced computers there. India should be proud of him. Sardar Mallik (composer) Such a great poet! His writing was completely original. I loved listening to his ideas --- he spoke so beautifully. There was never any disparity between his actions and philosophy; what he wrote is what he said. He always said be it God or Allah or Bhagwan, this entity was big enough to look after everyone. He was unwilling to believe in a small God.

As told to Lata Khubchandani

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago
Posted: 17 years ago

Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi dead

Bharati Dubey in Mumbai Renowned poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi died on Friday morning after a long illness at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai. Azmi, 87, is survived by wife Shaukat, actress daughter Shabana and son Baba Azmi. Born Akhtar Hussain Rizvi, in Mijwan, in Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district in 1915, Azmi penned his first poem at the age of 11. At 19, he joined the Communist Party of India as an active party worker. He arrived in Mumbai in 1943, when the Communist Party of India opened its head office in the city. He edited Mazdoor Mohalla and worked with Quami Jung (both Urdu newspapers). That year, he also published Jhankar, his first collection of verses. In 1948, Azmi started his career as a lyricist with Shaid Latif's Buzdil with the song Rote rote guzar gayi raat re. He went on to write songs for Kaagaz Ke Phool (Waqt ne kiya kya hasin sitam, Dekhi zamane ki yaari); Shama; Pakeezah (Chalte chalte yun hi koi mil gaya tha); Haqeeqat (Kar chale hum fida jaan-o-tan saathiyo, ab tumhaare hawaale watan saathiyo), Heer Ranjha (Ye duniya ye mehfil); Aakhri Khat (Baharon mera jiwan sanwaaro); Kohraa (Ye nayan dare dare); Arth (Tum itna jo muskura rahi ho), Anupama (Dhire dhire machal aye dile beqarar). Azmi also wrote dialogues for Shyam Benegal's Manthan and M S Sathyu's Garam Hawa. His contributions to Indian literature span works such as Jhankar, Akhr-E-Shab, Awara Sajde and Sarmaya. He has been acclaimed and awarded for the preservation of Urdu poetry. His worked voiced his deep social concerns and secular sentiments. Azmi was conferred the Doctorate in Literature from Vishwa Bharati University, the Yuva Bharati from the Uttar Pradesh Government, the Lotus Award, Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar, Qainat Award and Sant Dhyaneshwar Award from the Maharashtra State Urdu Academy. The UP Government also named a road from Sultanpur to Phoolpur as the Kaifi Azmi Highway, in his honour. His daughter, renowned actress, social activist and Rajya Sabha MP Shabana Azmi and her husband poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar were not available for comment at the time of going to press. Son Baba Azmi is a renowned cinematographer whose works include films such as Shekar Kapur's Mr India, N Chandra's Tezaab, Boney Kapoor's Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja and Prem, and Inder Kumar's Dil and Ishq. Baba's wife Tanvi is a reputed actress in her own right as well.

Azmi had expressed a wish to be buried at Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He is likely to be buried in Mumbai at 5 pm on Friday.

Edited by Qwest - 17 years ago

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