Gulzar: A life in long verse and great form
This article profiles the legendary Indian lyricist and filmmaker Gulzar, celebrating his seven-decade career and his ability to adapt his creative voice across multiple mediums. It highlights his unique contribution to Indian cinema and his enduring influence on Urdu poetry and songwriting.
Why it matters
Gulzar is a seminal figure in Indian cultural history, and his career serves as a case study for artistic longevity and versatility.
A river runs for centuries and yet belies the idea of permanence. It flows away as it flows in, can both flood and run dry, take in tributaries, change course and annex newer territories. A long creative career carries a similar paradox. While retaining an essential recognisable voice it must continually acquire new vocabularies. For over seventy years, Picasso did not merely survive shifting artistic movements but actually spearheaded most of them without once falling out of contention.
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