Poet of love, rebellion and pain, story of incomplete love with Amrita Pritam and enmity with Lata.

Sahir Ludhianvi’s life is a story woven with pain, love, rebellion and the magic of words. The more that is written, the less it is; The amount of reading is also less. Today is his birth anniversary, however, he was separated from us forever due to a heart attack in Mumbai on 25 October 1980. But his poems, ghazals and film songs are still alive and breathe in the hearts.

Sahir was born as Abdul Hai in a rich landlord family on 8 March 1921 in Karimpura, Ludhiana. Father Chaudhary Fazal Muhammad—a man who performed many marriages, and ran a dictatorship at home. Mother Sardar Begum is of Kashmiri origin, who broke down after enduring the atrocities of her husband. Sahir was just six months old when his mother left everything behind and left home. The father filed a lawsuit due to fear of inheriting, but lost. Then he threatened that he would not leave his son alive. Mother protected Sahir with the help of friends, sold jewellery, endured hardships.

hate father

Sahir experienced true love only once in his entire life and once deep hatred, love for his mother and hatred for his father. This is recorded in American writer Surinder Deol’s book ‘Sahir: A Literary Portrait’, and Pakistani poet Ahmed Rahi also agreed with this. This pain emerged again and again in his poetry in the form of woman’s plight, mother-son relationship and the injustice of society.

Study and beginning of rebellion

Studied in Khalsa High School and then Government College, Ludhiana. His ghazals, poems and passionate speeches were popular in college. Even today the auditorium there is in his name. Sahir was associated with the Progressive Writers Association and All India Student Federation and was influenced by communist ideas. After this, Sahir shifted to Lahore in 1943, his first book ‘Talkhiyan’ was published in 1945. But after giving a statement in support of communism, the Pakistan government issued an arrest warrant. In 1949 he returned to India, to Delhi, then to Mumbai. In the 70s, he built a bungalow named ‘Parchhaiyan’, where he breathed his last.

Entry into films and that magical period

Started with ‘Azadi ki Raah Par’ in 1949, but his real identity came from ‘Naujawan’ of 1951 with S.D. Met with Burman. Films like ‘Baaji’, ‘Pyaasa’ (1957) immortalized him. Was considered a part of Guru Dutt’s team. After ‘Pyaasa’ S.D. There were artistic differences with Burman. Then he shone in many of Yash Chopra’s films like ‘Kabhi Kabhi’, ‘Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein’. Hit songs ‘Saathi Haath Badhana’, ‘Aurat Ne Janam Diya Mardon Ko’, ‘Main Pal Do Pal Ka Shayar Hoon’, ‘Ishwar Allah Tere Naam…’ etc.

The story of his enmity with Lata Mangeshkar

Sahir and Lata gave many evergreen songs, but did not work together for 2 years. Reason? A filmmaker said in front of Lata, ‘Sahir’s songs are lifeless without Lata’s voice.’ This thing hurt Sahir. He decided to prove that his poetry was not dependent on Lata. Then Sudha Malhotra sang many of his songs. Sahir promoted Sudha, and from here her name got associated. Later, both of them worked again, but that story of truth and ego is still discussed today.

Sudha Malhotra- A rumor, a song, an incomplete series

Sudha Malhotra, a famous playback singer, was awarded Padma Shri. In the late 1950s, rumors started circulating that there was something between Sahir and Sudha. In 1960, Sudha got married to Giridhar Motwani. After the marriage, their photo was published in Blitz magazine, the rumors intensified. Sudha repeatedly denied, the magazine apologized. But the myth persisted that when Sudha’s marriage was fixed, Sahir wrote, ‘Let us become strangers once again.’ After this, ‘Na Tum Meri Taarf Dekho Galat-Andaaz Nazaron Se…’, this poem was sung by Mahendra Kapoor in the 1963 film ‘Gumrah’, and even today it is counted among the most memorable songs. What is the truth? Perhaps it was just a rumour, or perhaps it was Sahir’s pain that got expressed in words.

incomplete love with amrita pritam

Sahir never married but there was someone who loved him very much. Amrita Pritam, who was already married and fell in love with Sahir in a Mushaira near Lahore, has called him ‘my poet’ and ‘my god’ in her poetry. Although painter Imroz came into her life, her love remained only for Sahir. It is mentioned in Amrita’s biography ‘Raseedi Ticket’ that whenever Sahir used to come to Pritam’s house to smoke, he would often leave the half-burnt cigarette. Which Amrita would later pick up and put to her lips. Very few people know that Sahir’s first deep love was with a Hindu girl, Prem Chaudhary. She passed away from TB. In this pain, Sahir wrote a poem named ‘Marghat’, which is a testimony of his initial painful love. Later also many loves came, but they were never fulfilled.