"Neglected Poems": Gulzar at His Creative Best

Don't go by the name, as Neglected Poems represent Gulzar at his creative and imaginative best, as he meditates on nature, delves into human psychology, explores great cities and confronts the most telling moments of everyday life.

After Selected Poems, a collection of some of his best works translated by diplomat-writer Pavan K Varma, the veteran lyricist has chosen to present his next 60 poems in an inimitable way: labelling them Neglected Poems.

But why neglected? Gulzar says Varma and he often share their evenings over a drink, a poem or a musical performance at home.

"On one such evening, I came up with a suggestion: There are so many collections called Selected Poems, why don't we name the new collection Neglected Poems instead.

"Pavan ji looked acutely embarrassed. He started to explain that the delay in translating the new poems was because of his change of office and designation... He hadn't meant to neglect the poems but somehow... Suddenly he saw a smile on my face and realised that I was only joking.

"There is a saying that goes: You can miss a friend but you must not miss a joke. So like two good friends we have struck to the joke as far as the title of this book goes. It is now time to share the joke with everyone. Here they are then: the Neglected Poems," Gulzar writes.

The poems deal with a diverse range of topics – nature, human psychology, relationships, great cities and telling moments of everyday life.

Gulzar is regarded as one of the country's foremost Urdu poets today, renowned for his unusual perspectives on life, his keen understanding of the complexities of human relationships, and his striking imagery. Born in Deena (now Pakistan), he started out as a poet with the Progressive Writers' Association. He turned lyricist with Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963). While working as Roy's full-time assistant, he wrote scripts, dialogues and lyrics for several filmmakers before directing his first feature film "Mere Apne" in 1971. Over the next decade and a half, he has made some of the enduring classics of Hindi cinema like Parichay, Mausam, Aandhi, Angoor, Ijaazat and Maachis, remembered not only for their story-telling but also their unforgettable songs.

He has also published a number of poetry anthologies (Janam, Ek Boond Chand, Kuch Aur Nazme and Pukhraj), collections of short stories, and a biography of Mirza Ghalib (Mirza Ghalib: A Biographical Scenario).

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