Words are used as fillers said Gulzar

As we step into writer-director Gulzar’s den in his Pali Hill bungalow (in Bandra West), we can see the lyricist deep in conversation with theatre director and longtime friend, Salim Arif. They are working on a new children’s play. The writer seems unhappy about a book being made out of Urdu poet Ahmad Faraz’s rough work.

As he welcomesus into the dis cussion, he adds, “I want my workbooks to be burnt once I am dead, lest some writer concocts tales and fabricates anecdotes from my rough writings, and makes books out of them. It’s a violation of one’s privacy.”

Bring up lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya’s recent comment about lyricists and script writers not getting their due in Bollywood, and Gulzar agrees. “Films hardly retain the original words of the writers. After the final draft is made, the action director tries to add a couple of scenes according to his convenience.  Then, the costume director makes his changes. As a result, it’s difficult to find the writer’s original work in the finished product. And this has been happening forever,” says the five-time National Award winner.

Gulzar feels that, over time, even the usage and quality of language in film lyrics has deteriorated. He says, “Sound is more important these days. Words are used as fillers, which often results in lyrics that are made up of incomplete sentences.”

Not many know that, at the age of 80, Gulzar plays tennis every morning. He even won a local championship last month. Ask him how he manages to play regularly with his work schedule, and he says, with a laugh, “That is the only thing I do regularly. I used to play badminton till the ’90s. But it requires more energy.”

Gulzar also informs us that his actor-friend Naseeruddin Shah has a tennis court at his farmhouse near Neral, and he plans to play with him there. “I’ve played with him, and have also defeated him on several occasions,” he says.