Remembering poet and lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri 1922-1999

Source:Wikipedia
Hasrat Jaipuri, born Iqbal Ahmed (15 April 1922 – 17 September 1999) was an Indian poet, who wrote in the Hindi and Urdu languages. He was also a renowned film lyricist in Hindi films, where he won the Filmfare Awards for Best Lyricist twice.

Early life
Jaipuri was born Iqbal Husain in Jaipur, where he studied English till medium level, and then acquired his taalim (education) in Urdu and Persian from his paternal grandfather, Fida Husain. He began writing verse, when he was around twenty years old. Around the same time, he fell in love with a neighborhood girl name Radha. Hasrat talked about a love letter he wrote to this girl, in an interview, later in his life, that love knows no religion. Hasrat Jaipuri was quoted as saying, "It is not at all necessary that a Muslim boy must fall in love only with a Muslim girl. My love was silent, but I wrote a poem for her, 'Yeh mera prem patra padh kar, ke tum naaraaz na hona." It is not known for sure whether the love letter was actually delivered to Radha. But veteran film producer Raj Kapoor liked it enough to include it in his Sangam (1964 Hindi film) and the song ended up becoming a 'hit' song in India.

Career in Bollywood
In 1940, Jaipuri came to Bombay (now Mumbai), and started working as a bus conductor, earning a monthly salary of eleven rupees. He used to participate in mushairas. At a mushaira, Prithviraj Kapoor noticed Jaipuri and recommended him to his son, Raj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor was planning a musical love story, Barsaat (1949) with Shankar-Jaikishan. Jaipuri wrote his first recorded song, Jiya Beqaraar Hai for the film. His second song (and first duet) was Chhor Gaye Baalam.

Along with Shailendra, Jaipuri wrote lyrics for all Raj Kapoor films till 1971. After the death of Jaikishan and failures of Mera Naam Joker (1970) and Kal Aaj Aur Kal (1971), however, Raj Kapoor turned to other lyricists and music directors. Raj Kapoor initially wanted to call him back for Prem Rog (1982), but later settled for another lyricist, Amir Qazalbash. Kapoor finally asked him to write lyrics for the film, Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985). Later, he also invited Hasrat to write three songs for the movie Henna (1991). Jaipuri alleges that after Raj Kapoor's death, the music composer Ravindra Jain "conspired" to "scrap" his lyrics and replace them with his own lyrics.

When fellow lyricist Shailendra turned producer with Teesri Kasam, he invited Jaipuri to write lyrics for the movie. He also wrote screenplay for the movie Hulchul (1951). His last film as a lyricist was Hatya: The Murder (2004).

Selected list of songs
Song Title Film Notes
Jiya Beqaraar Hai Barsaat First recorded song
Chhod Gaye Baalam Barsaat First duet song
Zindagi ek safar hai suhana Andaz
Teri pyari pyari soorat ko Sasural specially written for Chanda Jaipuri
Pankh hote to ud aati re Sehra
Tere khayalon meinhum Geet Gaya Pattharon Ne
Ehsan tera hoga mujh par Junglee
Tum mujhe yoon bhula na paaoge Pagla Kahin Ka
Sayonara sayonara Love In Tokyo
Aao twist karen Bhoot Bangla
Ajhoon na aaye baalma Sanjh Aur Savera
Duniya bananewale Teesri Kasam
Sun Sahiba Sun Ram Teri Ganga Maili
Unke Khayal Aaye To Lal Patthar
Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Hue Prince Inspired to write this song on seeing a woman dressed in a sari studded with glittering stars in Paris
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padh Kar Sangam Written when he fell in love with a Hindu girl named Radha
Main Rangeela Pyar Ka Rahi Chhoti Bahen (1959 Hindi film) Beautiful heart touched lyrics
Jhoome Re Jhoome Re Parvarish
Poetry
Jaipuri has written several books of poetry, in Hindi and Urdu. He once said, "Hindi and Urdu are like two great and inseparable sisters".

Abshaar-E-Ghazal (compilation of Hasrat Jaipuri's poetry)
Personal life
Jaipuri invested his earnings in real estate or rental property, on his wife's advice. Thanks to earnings from these properties, his financial condition was sound, and therefore he could devote his time as a lyricist. He was survived by two sons and a daughter who live in Mumbai.

Awards
Filmfare Best Lyricist Award - 1972 for Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana (Andaz, 1971)
Filmfare Best Lyricist Award - 1966 for the song Baharo Phool Barsao [Suraj (1966 film)]
Josh Malihabadi Award, from Urdu Conference
Dr. Ambedkar Award, for Jhanak Jhanak Tori Baaje Payaliya [Mere Huzoor (1968)], a Brajbhasha song
Jaipuri was also awarded a doctorate degree from the World University Round Table.