With the advent of sound, Hindi songs acquired a grammar of their own, thanks to their introduction as part of the narrative – a tradition that is unique to Hindi as much as other Indian cinema. This gave rise to a class of professionals who acquired a star status comparable to that of the actors themselves – the lyricists. And songs in Hindi cinema often emerge as a film’s biggest stars.
Main Shayar Toh Nahin chronicles the journeys of leading film lyricists – from D.N. Madhok and Pradeep to Amitabh Bhattacharya and Irshad Kamil, including stalwarts like Shailendra and Shakeel Badayuni, Rajendra Krishen and Sahir Ludhianvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri and Anand Bakshi, Gulzar and Javed Akhtar – and so many others who have worked magic with the written word.
Filled with trivia and never-before-heard anecdotes, this is an introduction to the contribution made by some of the finest wordsmiths to the Hindi film industry.
About the Author
Rajiv Vijayakar has been an entertainment journalist for over twenty-five years, concentrating on Hindi cinema and everything about it. Rajiv has done a bit of television and written and packaged over 200 hours of FM programming.
