Mumbai, May 24 -- A quarter of a century may have passed after his demise, but the memory of Majrooh Sultanpuri continues to pervade the Indian cultural world as that of a genius whose words defined an era of soulful cinema and progressive poetic thought.
Though often remembered for his contribution to Hindi cinema's golden melodies, Majrooh's true legacy lies deeper, in his fierce commitment to language, form and ideological integrity. At the same time, he is celebrated for his flexibility, with the range of his lyrical creations spanning both the wistfulness of the classical to the peppiness of the modern rock and roll.
Born Asrar ul Hasan Khan in 1919 in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, he took on the name 'Majrooh' - meaning wounded - as his...