( Left to right Akhtar Ul Imaan , Daughter Shehla , another Daughter , wife sultana and son in law actor Amjad khan husband of shehla )
( Akhtar Ul Imaan )
AKHTAR UL
IMAAN ( 1915-1996)
9th MARCH IS HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY
“YEH LADKAA
POOCHHTA HAI AKHTAR UL IMAAN TUM HI HO ?”
In an Interview Akhtar Ul Imaan once said :
“ My
ancestors were Surajvanshi Rajputs from Raokhedi . It was sometime aroung 1857
that our ancestor Ram singh embraced islam . "
Akhtar Ul Imaan did not bring his poetry to
films and never his scripts and stories to his poetry. For him poetry remained
an Art while story and dialogue writing for films a profession. He wrote
scripts/ Dialogues for films like DO BADAN, MERA SAAYA , DAAG ( 1973 ), PHOOL
AUR PATHAR ( 1966 ) , WAQT ( 1965 ) DHARMPUTRA ( 1961 ) . GUMRAAH ( 1963 ),
ROTI ( 1974 ), PATHER KE SANAM ( 1967 ) and many more movies that proved quite
successful at the box office.
He never ever wrote a song for films . When
his friend Giri Lal jain ( Editor Times of India ) requested him to write a
song for his daughter’s wedding , Akhtar Ul Iman politely refused .
He would always say ;
“ Poetry comes from somewhere deep within .
You can not write for an externally created situation . That is not poetry . It
is heartless as it does not move through your heart. ”
He was well educated ( Post Graduate ) and had
a profound knowledge of world literature . His life took many turns . As a
child , He lived in an orphanage as well but never abandoned his education .
Akhtar Ul imaan started his film Career from
Shalimar studio Pune ( owned by W Z Ahmed ) as story writer on a monthly salary
of Rs150/= in early 1947. And in june 1947 , the studio was closed due to
partition riots and he had to move to Bombay. Krishen Chander , Ramanand Sagar
and Bharat Vyas also moved to Bombay after June 1947.He took up a residence at
Turner Road .
During this period , Poet Meera ji was roaming
in Bombay like a heartbroken fellow. Meeraji shared a room with Madhusudan ( a
friend of Akhtar Ul Iman ) who lived at kalaghoda, later Meeraji moved to live
with Mohan Sehgal and finally shifted to stable at Byculla. He was a total
broke and ill. It was Akhtar Ul Iman who stepped in and brought him to his home
and engaged him by starting a Monthly Magazine “Khayaal “.Meeraji died in 1949.
Some work here and there , Akhtar Ul Iman finally moved to story Department of
Filmistan while simultaneously writing scripts for Kamal Amrohi , M sadiq , S M
Yusuf and kabir Ahmed. He wrote Nastik and Anarkali but no credit was given to
him. In 1958 ( And remained there till 1975 ), he Joined story Department of B
R Films on a monthly salary of rupees twelve hundred . It was only after the
release of films like Kanoon , Mughal e Azam ( He was a co writer ) and Waqt
that his luck took a swift and favourable turn.Offers for writing Dialogue and
scripts poured in and he started charging good amount for his services .By now he was a father of three daughters
Shehla, Asma and Rakshanda and a son Ramish whom he fondly named GUDDU.. He
ensured their good shooling and as father , got deeply attached to them and
their welfare.
The poet suffered major financial crisis after
he ventured into film making. In 1979, With Jemal singh as partner, Akhtar ul
Imaan produced a movie” lahu Pukarega” . He wrote the script and also directed
it.From the editing room , the negatives were whisked away by Jemal singh who
releaased the film on his own . But then radical changes were already sweeping
Indian Film Industry Post 1970. New faces , New film makers ,Newer concepts and
New challenges had arrived . New equations were visible in the Film world .
Film making passed on to people who just wanted to make quick buck . He spurned
many offers to write Masala scripts that lacked social purpose . After his
break up with B R Chopra , He did not go well with Yash Chopra also . From 1975
to 1988, he had only five assignemnts in 13 years ( including his own film Lahu
Pukarega ) .He had almost no work in films .This was followed by his by pass
surgery in 1986. It was his son in law and actor Amjad Khan who came to his
rescue. He did all arrangements and booked tickets of Mrs Sultana ( His wife )
Dr Ashok Hitolkar ( His family Physician ) and Akhtar ul Imaan for USA apart
from paying advance amount to ST Luke’s Hospital Texas . He stayed there for
about a month and returned to India with pending bills to the extent of 26000
US Dollors. To his son in law , he told that all bills had been settled . Again
some close friends raised a substantial amount from BCCI, Hamdard Foundation
and othe Charitable institutions of Mumbai.
Amjad Khan’s death in 1992 came as a great
shock to the poet.
Dr Ashok operated him again for a painful
Fistula whereafter he got his Kidney problems that needed regular Dialysis .He
also sold his spacious Bandra flat for 30 lakhs and shifted to a two room small
flat on ground floor of Ravi Darshan ( A 3) . Shamas ur Rehman Farooqi’s
intervention and Ashok vajpayee’s help bought a monthly stipend of Rs5000 for
two years to him. The expenditure on Dialysis alone was Rs6000 per month. His
wife stood like a rock to support him . He was on regular dialysis since 1994
and breathed his last on 9th March 1996.
DrAshok Hitolkar ( From Nanavati Hospital ) was
at his bed side at that last moment.
HIS POETRY
I need to say something about his poetry as
well…
Though he carries his own style , language and
content , his work also bears influence of two well known urdu poets namley
Noom Meem Rashid and Meeraji .
An integral part of Akhtar Ul Imaan‘s poetry
is its intensity , Suggestiveness,metaphors, symbols imagery and philosophical style . His thought is
emancipated .It is free from religion , History and political commitments . I
quote …
“Loghaat
alfaaz ka ek deir hai lafzon pe mat jaana
Naya aahang
hota hai Morattab Lafz o maani ka
Meray haq
mein abhi kuchh faisalaa sadir na farmaana
Me jis din
aaoonga taaza Loghaat hamraah laaoonga”
(The
dictionary is nothing but a pile of words
Be careful
and discreet as a fresh plan is in the offing
To describe
everything afresh .
Pray, Don’t
pass any judgement at this moment,
The day I
come my lord,
I shall
bring along with me the new Glossary )
After reading his poems , I found that the
poet in him is ever in search of a New Mode of expression.There is a tone of
genuine anguish and sorrow in his poetry . A sorrow that is funadamentally
linked to internal demands of every Human being set against innumerable
external influences arising out of existence .It appears that he himself has
been a student all along his creative endeavours indulging in self analysis and
self Criticism with extraordinary aloofness . For this I suggest every reader
to read his poem “Ek Ladka “ . “Ek Ladaka ‘ is a poem about all of us .The
structure of the poem is sarcastic and spectacular. A boy within him keeps
trailing the poet . This boy peeps into the contradictions of his tall thinking
and small actions . The reader feels a sense of loss and passing time in this
poem. I add some lines from this great poem …
“Anaasir
Muntashir ho jaane Nabzein Doob Jaane tak
Navaa e subh
ho ya Naala e shab kuchh bhi Gaana hai
Zafar mandon
ke aage rizk ki tahsil ki Khaatir
Kabhi apna
hi Nagma Unn Ka keh Kar Muskaraana hai
Sahar Ki
aarzo Mein Shab Ka Daaman Thhaamta huun Jab
Yeh ladkaa
Poochhta hai Akhtar Ul Imaan tum hi Ho “
“ Me uss ladke
se kehtaa huun voh sholaa mar chukaa Jis ne
Kabhi chaaha
thhaa ek Khashak e Aalam Phoonk Daalegaa
Yeh ladkaa
muskarata hai Yeh Ahistaa se kehtaa hai
Yeh Kizb o
Iftira hai Jhoot hai Dekho me Zinda huun “
“Khudaa e
Izz o Jal Ki nematon ka Mota’rif huun mein
Ussi ne
yaava goyon ko mera Khazin Banaaya hai
Magar Jab
Jab kissi ke saamne Daaman pasaara hai
Yeh ladkaa
Poochhta hai Akhtar Ul Imaan tum hi Ho “
Akhtar Ul Imaan has published seven
collections:
Tareek
Sayyara (1943)
Gardyab
(1946)
Aabjoo
(1959)
Yaden ( The
book won him a Sahitya Academy Award in 1962 )
Bint-e-Lamhaat
(1969)
Naya Ahang
(1977)
Sar-o-Samaan
(1983)
In an interview to Ghulam Rizvi “Gardish “ ,
he once said :
“The concept
of time in my poetry is so felt as if it is a part of my “Being”and goes hand
in gloves with me in my creations. This concept is neither of MAAYA nor of
MORTALITY . It is such a living and ever pervading being which is infinite.Had
it not been time, it would have been something greater than God because due to
its presence even the form and concept of God ever goes on changing. Our entire
poetic process bears the stamp of the same stereotyped language whereas
everything has gone through a sea change. Ironically , whatsoever is left out
is nothing but slogan mongering of the lover and the beloved. I have tried to
save myself from this heresy and kept the diction as anti romantic , rough and
rugged”
In July
2015, We were inside a Theatre in UBUD ( Bali ) Indonesia , watching a Balinese
Ramayana show.. Far away from India . Far away from Friends and well wishers .
Far away from familiar faces , language and environment . The Theatre was
packed with Tourists from Europe , Japan and Australia . And then some one
cried :
“ Hey
Namaskaar Mahraa “ .
A strange
feeling visited me . To describe it , I can only add Akhtar Ul Imaan’s poem
Ittefaq …
( Ittefaq )
Dayaar-e-Gair main koyee jahaan na apana ho
shadeed karb ki gharriyan guzar chukane par
kuchh ittefaq ho aisa ki ek sham kahin
kissi ek aissi jagah se ho yun hi mera guzar
Jahaan Hujum e Gurezaan mein Tum Nazar aao
Aur Eik Eik Ko Hairat Se Dekhtaa Reh Jaaye
( Akhtar Ul imaan )
My English
rendering would be as under...
“In a foreign land ,
Where none is your own
After spending some intensely anguished
moments ,
And by Sheer coincidence ,
one evening it so happens ,
While Walking casually through a place ,
Where , among the passing crowds ,
I happen to see you ,
And then In Total Astonishment ,
Each of us keeps looking at the other …”
Akhtar Ul
Imaan has the capacity to bring his reader to a spot that is in between a Dream
and the reality .His Nazms project a deep and profound humanism. I add a sample
Nazm "Tabdeeli "( Change ).
(Tabdeeli )
Iss Bhare Shahar mein Koyee Aissa Nahin
Jo Mujhe Raah Chaltay Ko Pehchaan Le
Aur Awaaz Dhe “O Bey! O Sar Phiray!”
Donon Ek Doosray se Lipat kar Vaheen
Gird o Pesh aur Maahaul Ko Bhool Kar
Gaaliyan Dhein Hansein Haathha Paayi Karein
Paas Ke Peid ki Chhaanv Mein Baith Kar
Ghanton Eik Doosaray ki sunein Aur kahein
Aur Iss Nek Roohon Ke Bazaar mein
Meri Yeh Qeemati Be Baha Zindagi
Eik Din Ke liye Apnaa Rukh mod le
(Akhtar ul imaan )
My Simple
English rendering of this poem would be as under …
( Change )
“On the Pathways of this teeming city ,
There is none to Recognise a traveller like me
.,
And then cry “ So Here you are ! My Reckless
Friend !”
And then there itself ,
We embrace each other ,
Forgetting who is around or in our
surroundings ,
Start abusing each other ,
Engage in a brawl and smile together .
Sitting under the shade of the near by tree,
Keep listening and speaking to each other
for hours and hours .
And then in this marketplace of virtuous lives
,
This precious and priceless life of mine ,
May take a new turn and change direction ,
Just for a day only.”
I end this
post with his Poem Jummud ( Stagnation )
Tum se berangi-e-hasti kaa gilaa karanaa thhaa
Dil pe Anbaar hai Khuun-gashtaa tamannaaon kaa
Aaj Toote huve taaron kaa Khayaal aayaa hai
Eik melaa hai pareshaan si ummeedon kaa
Chand Paz-murdaa bahaaron kaa Khayaal aayaa
hai
Paanv thhak thhak ke rah jaate hain maayusi
mein
Pur-mahan Raah-guzaaron kaa Khayaal aayaa hai
Saaqi-o-baadaa nahin jaam-o-lab-e-juu bhi
nahin
Tum se kahanaa thhaa ki ab aankh mein aansu
bhi nahin
Rest in
Peace Akhtar Ul Imaan …………….
( Autar Mota )
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