Gulzar was born Sampooran Singh at Deena in Pakistan in the year 1934.
After partition in 1947, he came to Delhi. Gulzar started his career as
an assistant to celebrated director Bimal Roy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
He started his career as a lyricist with Bimal Roy's 'Bandini'. Although
His first film to be released was Kabuli Wala, but Bandini is considered
to be his first venture. Films like Sannata, Biwi aur Makan, Do Dooni
Chaar and most notable of all Khamoshi, followed them.
After
getting recognition as a sensitive lyricist, he started writing scripts
and stories for films. Then with Mere Apne in 1971, He turned Director.
In a career spanning 40 years Gulzar has written stories for around 60
films and directed 17 movies, each one a masterpiece. During 1980's he
did one of the most outstanding jobs for the small screen, the serial
called Mirza Ghalib, a tribute to the legendary poet. Mirza Ghalib will
remain one of the most memorable TV productions for its music,
direction, dialogues and portrayal of Ghalib by Naseeruddin Shah. 1996
saw Gulzar back in action, behind the camera for the making of Maachis,
a candor document on terrorism in Punjab. The success of Maachis got
Gulzar back to the film industry.
In his long career, Gulzar has never sighed away from experiment. Some
of the notable experiments include Kharaashein - a play by Salim Arif on
Gulzar's short stories, Udaas Paani - an experimental music album by
Abhishek Ray and, Gulzar's Poetry on Canvas by a young Painter Ajay
Kumar Samir. Kharaashein has now been published in the form of a book on
Radhakrishna Prakashan. Gulzar has won 5 National Awards and 17 Filmfare
Trophies. He has been awarded the Sahitya Academy Award for his
collection of short stories "Dhuaan". Noted celluloid magazine
FILMFARE has honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his
contribution to Hindi Cinema.
