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{{short description|Indian Urdu poet and Hindi language lyricist (1919-2000)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Majrooh Sultanpuri
| image = Majrooh Sultanpuri & Ubaid Azam Azmi(cropped on Majrooh Sultanpuri).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1919|10|1}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2000|5|24|1919|10|1|df=y}}<ref name=upperstall/>
| death_place = [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]
| occupation = [[poet]], [[lyricist]], [[film]] [[songwriter]]<ref name=BBC/>
| background = non_performing_personnel
| birth_place = [[Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh|Sultanpur]], [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]], [[British India]]<br><small>(now [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]])</small>
| years_active = 1946–2000
| birth_name = Asrar ul Hassan Khan<ref name=upperstall/>
| alias =
}}
{{Progressive Writers' Movement}}

'''Asrar ul Hassan Khan''' (1 October 1919 − 24 May 2000), better known as '''Majrooh Sultanpuri''', was an Indian [[Urdu poet]] and lyricist in the [[Hindi film|Hindi language film]] industry. He wrote lyrics for numerous [[Hindi film songs|Hindi film soundtracks]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Gopal |first1=Sangita |last2=Moorti |first2=Sujata |title=Global Bollywood: Travels of Hindi Song and Dance |date=2008 |publisher=[[University of Minnesota Press]] |isbn=9780816645787 |page=23 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=19JBf6oDOy0C&pg=PA23 |language=en}}</ref> He was one of the dominant musical forces in [[Indian cinema]] in the 1950s and early 1960s, and was an important figure in the [[Progressive Writers' Movement]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Indian Literature and Popular Cinema |last=Pauwels |first=Heidi R. M. |year=2008 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-0-415-44741-6 |page=210}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The Light |last=Zaheer |first=Sajjad |author2=Azfar, Amina |year=2006 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=0-19-547155-5 }}</ref> He is considered one of the finest [[avant-garde]] Urdu poets of 20th century literature.

In his career spanning six decades, he worked with many [[Music director|music directors]]. He won the [[Filmfare Best Lyricist Award]] in 1965 for the song "[[Chahunga Main Tujhe]]" in the film ''[[Dosti (1964 film)|Dosti]]'', and the highest award in [[Indian cinema]], the [[Dadasaheb Phalke Award]] for lifetime achievement in 1993. In the 1980s and 1990s, most of his work was with [[Anand–Milind]], their most notable collaborations being ''[[Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak]]'', ''[[Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka]]'', ''[[Love (1991 Indian film)|Love]]'', and ''[[Dahek]]''. He also wrote for [[Jatin–Lalit|Jatin-Lalit]] films like ''[[Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander]]'' and their debut film ''[[Yaara Dildara]]''.

==Early life==
Majrooh Sultanpuri was born as Asrar ul Hassan Khan in a [[Muslim Rajput]] family, in [[Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh]], where his father was posted in the Police Department<ref name="hindi">{{cite book |title=Majrooh Sultanpuri on Encyclopaedia of Hindi Cinema (pages 137, 285, 286, 289, 299, 501, 583)|last=Chatterjee |first=Saibal |author2=Nihalani, Govind |year=2003 |publisher=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |location=India |isbn=81-7991-066-0 }}</ref> in 1919/1920.<ref name="guru">{{cite book |title=Guru Dutt: A Life in Cinema |last=Kabir |first=Nasreen Munni Kabir |year=1996 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=0-19-563849-2 }}</ref> His father was not too keen on his son receiving English education and Majrooh was therefore sent for traditional '[[Madrasa|Madrasa education]]' which led to his obtaining the qualification first of [[Dars-e-Nizami]] – a seven-year course which concentrated on religious affairs along with proficiency in [[Arabic language|Arabic]] and [[Persian language|Persian]]- and then the certificate of ''[['alim|'Alim]]''. He thereafter joined [[Lucknow]]'s Takmeel-ut-Tib College of [[Unani]] medicine.<ref name=upperstall/>

He was a struggling ''[[Hakim (title)|Hakim]]'' when he happened to recite one of his [[ghazal]]s at a ''[[mushaira]]'' in Sultanpur. The ghazal was a hit with the audience and Majrooh decided to drop his fledgling medical practice and began writing poetry seriously. Soon he was a 'regular' at ''[[mushaira]]s'' and a "[[Student|shagird]]" i.e. disciple of the then top name in Urdu Mushairas viz [[Jigar Moradabadi]].<ref name="hindi"/><ref name=upperstall>{{cite web|url=http://www.upperstall.com/people/majrooh-sultanpuri|title= Majrooh Sultanpuri Profile|website=Upperstall.com website|access-date=29 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317053937/http://www.upperstall.com/people/majrooh-sultanpuri|archive-date=17 March 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> While Majrooh is popular as a film lyricist and is widely known in that capacity, be it known that he also created one of the best-known verses of Urdu poetry:

"Main akela hee chala tha janibe manzil magar,
log saath aate gaye aur carvan banta gaya!"
(I had set off alone towards the destination but
people joined in and we became a caravan!)

==Films==
In 1945, Majrooh visited [[Bombay]] to attend a ''mushaira'' at the Saboo Siddique Institute. Here his ghazals and poetry were highly appreciated by the audience. One of the impressed listeners was film producer [[A.R. Kardar]].<ref name="guru"/> He contacted [[Jigar Moradabadi]] who helped him get in touch with Majrooh. However, Majrooh refused to write for films because he did not think very highly of them. But Jigar Moradabadi persuaded him, saying that films would pay well and would help Majrooh support his family. Kardar then took him to music composer [[Naushad]] who put the young writer to test. He gave Majrooh a tune and asked him to write something in the same metre, and Majrooh wrote ''Jab Usne Gesu Bikhraye, Badal Aaye Jhoom Ke''.... Naushad liked what he wrote and Majrooh was signed on as the lyricist for the film ''Shah Jehan'' (1946).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQQPV-DtY3s |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/nQQPV-DtY3s |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=K L saigal -shahjehan-1946-majrooh sultanpuri |date=19 April 2011 |publisher=YouTube |access-date=11 May 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name=BBC/>

Majrooh subsequently wrote lyrics for films like [[Naatak]] (1947), Doli (1947) and Anjuman (1948) but his major breakthrough came with [[Mehboob Khan]]'s [[Andaz (1949 film)|Andaz]] (1949).

He was sentenced to two years imprisonment due to his politically-charged poems in 1949. Having to start his film career afresh, Majrooh finally broke through again with the [[Guru Dutt]] films [[Baaz (1953 film)|Baaz]] (1953).<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/the-arts/the-lyrical-leftist-remembering-majrooh-sultanpuri-at-100|title=The Lyrical Leftist: Remembering Majrooh Sultanpuri at 100|website=The Wire}}</ref>

Majrooh Sultanpuri worked with many music directors like [[Anil Biswas (composer)|Anil Biswas]], [[Naushad]], [[Ghulam Mohammed (composer)|Ghulam Mohammed]], [[Madan Mohan (composer)| Madan Mohan]], [[O. P. Nayyar]], [[Roshan (music director)|Roshan]], [[Salil Chowdhury]], [[Chitragupt (composer)|Chitragupt]], [[N. Datta]], [[Kalyanji-Anandji]], [[Laxmikant-Pyarelal]] and [[R. D. Burman]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.panchamonline.com/articles/thatsmytune.pdf |title=R. D. Burman |access-date=18 January 2009 |archive-date=21 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421231829/http://www.panchamonline.com/articles/thatsmytune.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

His last film as a lyricist was [[One 2 Ka 4]], which was released after his death in 2001.

==Political leanings==
Film ''Shah Jehan'' (1946) was followed by S. Fazil's ''Mehndi'', Doli (1947), [[Mehboob Khan|Mehboob]]'s Andaz (1949) and [[Shaheed Latif]]'s ''Arzoo''. Just as Majrooh was establishing himself as a lyricist and songwriter of repute, his leftist leanings got him into trouble. The government wasn't amused by his [[anti-establishment]] poems and he was jailed in 1949 along with other leftists like [[Balraj Sahni]]. Majrooh's arrest took place during a nationwide arrest of [[Communism|communists]] after the [[2nd Congress of the Communist Party of India]] in 1948, in which the communists had decided to carry out a revolution against the Indian government.<ref name="Windmiller">{{cite book|author=Marshall Windmiller|title=Communism in India|year=2011|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PAFBW743Bi4C&pg=PA229|publisher=University of California Press|pages=229, 270–274|id=GGKEY:NSY99CAKNFU}}</ref> Majrooh was asked to apologise, but he refused and was sentenced to two years in prison.<ref name="auto"/> He was arrested in 1951 for writing and reciting a poem in which [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] was compared to Hitler.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/theprint-profile/jailed-for-anti-nehru-poem-celebrated-for-bollywood-songs-majrooh-sultanpuri-had-it-all/299167/|publisher=The Print|title=Jailed for anti-Nehru poem & celebrated for Bollywood songs, Majrooh Sultanpuri had it all|first=Madhavi|last=Pothukuchi|date=2019-10-01|access-date=2024-10-29}}</ref>

== Awards and recognitions ==
[[File:Majrooh Sultanpuri 2013 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Sultanpuri on a 2013 stamp of India]]
Majrooh went on to write lyrics for popular films throughout the 1950s. Along with [[Faiz Ahmed Faiz]], [[Khumar Barabankvi]], Majrooh was considered the most notable ghazal writer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saregama.com/search/song?s=Majrooh%20Sultanpuri |title=Film songs of Majrooh Sultanpuri |publisher=saregama.com |access-date=11 May 2018}}</ref>

Majrooh won his only [[Filmfare Best Lyricist Award]] for the song "Chahunga Mein Tujhe Saanj Savere" from ''[[Dosti (1964 film)|Dosti]]'' in 1965.
He was also awarded the [[Dadasaheb Phalke Award]] in 1993<ref name=BBC/> and became the first lyricist to win the prestigious award.<ref name="hindi"/><ref name=upperstall/>

== Death ==
Majrooh Sultanpuri had been suffering from lung disease for some time and had a severe attack of [[pneumonia]] and died in [[Mumbai]] on 24 May 2000. He was aged 80 at the time of his death.<ref name="hindi"/><ref name=BBC>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/763291.stm |title=Hindi film songwriter dies |access-date=11 May 2018 |date=25 May 2000 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref>

==Discography==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year !! Film !! Songs !! Language
|-
|1963 || [[Laagi Nahi Chhute Ram]] || All Songs || Bhojpuri
|-
|1969 || [[Talash (1969 film)|Talash]] || All Songs || Hindi
|-
|1970 || [[Pardesi (1970 film)|Pardesi]] || All Songs || Hindi
|-
|1986 ||''[[Ek Aur Sikander]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|rowspan=2|1987
|''[[Watan Ke Rakhwale]]''|| All songs ||
|-
|''[[Inaam Dus Hazaar]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|rowspan=4|1988
|''[[Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Janam Janam (1988 film)|Janam Janam]] '' || "Barkha Rut Bhi Aaj" and "Kahe Dag Mag Teri" ||
|-
|''[[Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani (1988 film)|Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani]]'' || "Dulhe Raja Ki Soorat Dekho", "Kisi Se Jab Pyar Hua", and "Dadi Maa Dadi Maa" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Zahreelay]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|rowspan="2"|1989
|''[[Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''[[Lal Dupatta Malmal Ka|Phir Laharaya Lal Dupatta]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=7|1990
|''[[Yaara Dildara]]''|| All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Tum Mere Ho]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Nyay Anyay]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''[[Shiva (1990 film)|Shiva]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''[[Ghar Ho To Aisa]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Daulat Ki Jung]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Kanoon Ki Zanjeer]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=7|1991
|''[[Ayee Milan Ki Raat|Aayee Milan Ki Raat]]'' || "Mat Ro Mere Dil" and "Dekhein Apni Kismat Mein" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Love (1991 Indian film)|Love]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Dastoor]]''|| All songs ||
|-
|''[[Hai Meri Jaan]]'' || "Kahan Chali Ae Nazneen" and "Ghunghat Mera Jane Kya Hua" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Yaar Meri Zindagi]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Humshakal (1992 film)|Humshakal]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=8|1992
|''[[Honeymoon (1992 film)|Honeymoon]]'' || "Yun Na Dekho Tasvir Banke" and "Aadha Tera Dil Aadha Mera Dil" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Gurudev (film)|Gurudev]]'' || All songs except "Aaja Sunle Sada" ||
|-
|''[[Rishta Ho To Aisa]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Ek Ladka Ek Ladki]]'' || All songs except "Chhoti Si Duniya Mohabbat Ki" and "Ande Se Aayee Murgi" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Badi Bahen(1992)]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Dil Aashna Hai]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Mr. Bond]]'' || "Jab Do Dil Milte Hain" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Nargis (1992 film)|Nargis]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=3|1993
|''[[Lootere]]'' || "Aa Ja Aanewale Aaja", "Oye Pape", and "Meri Barbaad Mohabbat Pukare" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Apaatkaal]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Laqshya]]'' ||"Tere Bina O Mere", "Bekhudi Ke Nashe", and "Raftar Hai Zindagi Ki" || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=3|1994
|''[[Andaz Apna Apna]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Baazi (1995 film)|Baazi]]'' || All songs except "Na Jaane Kya Ho Gaya" ||
|-
|rowspan=3|1995
|''[[Akele Hum Akele Tum]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Guddu (film)|Guddu]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''[[Paandav]]'' || Ye Haina Pyar Hi To Haina", "Pyar Ka Andaz Tum", and "Ye Chaman Jo Jal Gaya" || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=5|1996
|''[[Khamoshi: The Musical]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Ghatak: Lethal|Ghatak]]'' || All songs except "Koi Jaaye To Le Aaye" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Daraar (film)|Daraar]]'' || "Main Hi Main" || Hindi
|-
|''[[Aisi Bhi Kya Jaldi Hai...]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Naam Kya Hai]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=3|1997
|''[[Dil Ke Jharoke Main]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Yugpurush]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''Asha Bhosle's Jaanam Samjha Karo'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|1998
|''[[Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge! (1998 film)|Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge!]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan=4|1999
|''[[Kartoos]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''[[Dahek]]'' || All songs ||
|-
|''[[Jaanam Samjha Karo]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|rowspan = 3|2000
|''[[Hum To Mohabbat Karega]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Kya Kehna]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Pukar (2000 film)|Pukar]]'' || All songs except "Kay Sera Sera" ||
|-
| rowspan=2|2001
|''[[One 2 Ka 4]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|-
|''[[Mujhe Meri Biwi Se Bachaao]]'' || All songs || Hindi
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Majrooh Sultanpuri}}
* {{IMDb name|0538281}}
* [http://www.kavitakosh.org/kk/index.php?title=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B9_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80 Majrooh Sultanpuri] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103093515/http://www.kavitakosh.org/kk/index.php?title=%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B9_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80 |date=3 November 2020 }} at Kavita Kosh {{in lang|hi}}
*[https://rekhta.org/poets/majrooh-sultanpuri Majrooh Sultanpuri] at rekhta.org

{{Dadasaheb Phalke Award}}
{{FilmfareAwardBestLyricist}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sultanpuri, Majrooh}}
[[Category:1919 births]]
[[Category:2000 deaths]]
[[Category:Urdu-language Indian poets]]
[[Category:Indian lyricists]]
[[Category:Indian male songwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian songwriters]]
[[Category:People from Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]
[[Category:Dadasaheb Phalke Award recipients]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:Poets from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

Majrooh Sultanpuri - Revision history

Swastikholidays at 00:36, 31 January 2026