Hema Malini to launch Gulzar Saab’s authorised bio Gulzar Saab:  Hazara Rahein Mud Ke Dekhin… by Vani Prakashan Group

The authorised biography ‘Gulzar Saab: Hazara Rahein Mud Ke Dekhin…’ of legendary filmmaker, lyricist and poet Gulzar will be launched at Veda Kunba Theatre, Cinta Tower, Andheri West, Mumbai on 9th January 2024 at 5:30 pm. The book is written by National Award winning author Yatindra Mishra and published by Vani Prakashan Group.

Swarna Kamal awardee, poet, writer and music scholar Yatindra Mishra has compiled his interactions over 15 years with Gulzar in the book. Publisher Arun Maheshwari of the sixty years old Vani Prakashan Group believes that this book will become a collectible for generations. “Gulzar Saab: Hazara Rahein Mud Ke Dekhin…  will open alleys of learnings and stories about the master craftsman Gulzar saab. Yatindra has done a commendable work in delicately compiling his interactions with the legend,” he averred. The CEO of the group, Aditi Maheshwari believes that this book will contribute poetic continuity to the legendry generation of Gulzar to the younger ones. There will be a lot to learn from this book.

Honourable MP, veteran dancer and actress Hema Malini will be the chief guest to launch the book, while Sahitya Akademi award winning writer and poet Sheen Kaaf Nizam will be special guest. Film director,  poet, music director and storyteller Vishal Bhardwaj will be the honourable speaker at the program. Yunus Khan will moderate the program.

The book is a critical biography of Gulzar by Yatindra Mishra. Through a decade and a half years of interactions with Gulzar, the author has gathered stories, reminiscences and understanding that transforms into a book. The book analyses the films, poems, songs and screenplay as well as the dialogues written by India’s much loved writer in detail. It details some films through the screenplays and dialogues and his own directorial techniques.

His unique phraseology and song writing technique is explored and explained sometimes in comparison with the work of other writers, lyricists and poets. An extensive dialogue with Gulzar forms a significant portion of the book. The research and conversations and the author’s own knowledge of music make this a unique tool into understanding and appreciating Gulzar.

Gulzar Saab’s many famous books have been published by Vani Prakashan Group (Vani Prakashan and Bharatiya Jnanpith) and many have been bestsellers. ‘Kuch To Kahiye…’ (Hindi and Urdu), ‘Yaar Julahe… Gulzar’ (Hindi and Urdu), ‘Pluto’ (Hindi and Urdu), ‘Dyori’ (Hindi and Urdu), ‘Kusumagraj Ki Chuni Suni Nazmen’, ‘Pandrah Panch Pachahattar’, ‘Jeena Yahaan…’, ‘Manzarnama in 2 volumes’ (Hindi and Urdu), ‘Guchha’ (box edition) and ‘Pasya Panne’. He has had a  beautiful relationship of trust and creativity with the publishing house for more than two decades.

Introduction of Speakers

Padma Shri Hema Malini

Hema Malini was born on 16 October 1948. She is an Indian actress, director, producer and politician, currently serving as a Member of the Lok Sabha from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), representing the Mathura constituency since 2014. She was a member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka from 2011 to 2012. Known primarily for her work in Hindi films, Hema Malini has acted in both comedic and dramatic roles, and is one of the most popular and successful leading actresses in mainstream Hindi cinema.

Hema Malini started her acting career in 1963 with the Tamil film ‘Idhu Saathiyam’. Malini first played the lead role in Sapno Ka Saudagar (1968), and acted in several Hindi films, often opposite Dharmendra, whom she married in 1980. She is the orogonal ‘Dream Girl’, and starred in a film of the same name in 1977. She won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her dual role in the comedy Sita Aur Geeta (1972), and was nominated ten times for ‘Baghban’ (2003). In 2000, Malini ji was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2019, she was awarded the Filmfare Special Award for 50 years of outstanding contribution to cinema.

Malini ji was awarded the Padma Shri in 2000, the fourth highest civilian honor given by the Government of India. In 2012, Sir Padampat Singhania University awarded Malini an honorary doctorate for her contribution to Indian cinema. Malini ji has also served as the President of National Film Development Corporation. In 2006, Malini ji received the Sopori Academy of Music and Performing Arts (SAMAPA) Vitasta Award from Bhajan Sopori in Delhi for her contribution and service to Indian culture and dance. In 2013, he also received the NTR National Award from the Government of Andhra Pradesh for his contribution to Indian cinema. Malini ji has been associated with charitable and social enterprises. Currently, Malini is also a life member of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

Sheen Kaaf Nizam

Sheen Kaaf Nizam, born on 26 November 1945 in Jodhpur, has done remarkable work in literary criticism, research and editing along with poetry.

For which he was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award, National Iqbal Award, Bhasha-Bharti Award by the Institute of Indian Languages, Begum Akhtar Ghazal Award and the highest ‘Mahmood Sheerani Award’ of Rajasthan Urdu Academy. Sheen Kaf Nizam’s published collections of poetry include ‘Dasht Mein Dariya’, ‘Saya Koi Lamba Na Tha’, ‘Sayon Ke Sayay Mein’, ‘Rasta Ye Kahin Nahi Jaata’ and ‘Gumshuda Dayr Ki Gunjti Ghantiyan’ (awarded by Sahitya Akademi Urdu poetry collection) in Devanagari, and ‘Naad’, ‘Byazhe Kho Gayi Hai’ And ‘Gumshuda Dair Ki Gunjati Ghantiyan’ are notable in Urdu. Sheen Kaf Nizam, the author of critical and analytical books ‘Lafz Dar Lafz’ and ‘Maani Dar Maani’, has written ‘Ghalibiyat Aur Gupta Riza’ (Mahire-Ghalibiyat Late Allama Kalidas Gupta ‘Riza’) and ‘Alone in the Crowd’ (Late Makhmoor Along with editing Urdu literary magazines (centred on Saeedi), he also edited Urdu literary magazines. Nizam England, invited for composition reading and letter reading in many national and international literary events. Have traveled to America, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Nepal, Qatar and Gulf countries. Along with collecting and editing Urdu poets along with Nand Kishore Acharya, he has also translated and transcribed Hindi and Rajasthani Urdu and Urdu literature into Hindi.

Sheen Kaaf Nizam’s popular books published from Vani Prakashan Group are ‘Aur Bhi Hai Naam Raaste Ka’ and ‘Deewane Ghalib’ (Editing, Analysis and Adaptation).

Vishal Bhardwaj

Vishal Bhardwaj is a famous composer, lyricist, screenwriter and director of the Indian Hindi film industry Bollywood. He has been awarded the National Film Award for Best Music for Godmother and Ishqiya. In Vishal’s words, Gulzar Saab has been his inspiration. Vishal Bhardwaj was born on 04

August 1965 in a village called Shikarpur in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh. His childhood was spent in Meerut. His father Ram Bhardwaj was an inspector in Sugarcane and used to write songs for Hindi films as a hobby. On his father’s wish he learned music. When he came to Delhi, he became interested in music because of a friend. Vishal has also played state level cricket matches. In the initial phase, he also worked in Penn Music Recording Company. Then he met Gulzar Saab in Delhi. With Gulzar he recorded the song ‘Chaddi Pahan Ke Phool Khila Hai’. After that he got a chance to compose music for ‘Maachis’. Thus, in 2014, his film ‘Haider’ based on Shakespeare’s novel ‘Helmet’ came in which he once again proved his talent and the film won 5 National Film Awards.

Arun Maheshwari

Arun Maheshwari is the Chairman and Managing Director of Vani Prakashan Group. Born in 1960, Mr. Maheshwari joined publishing at an early age after the death of his father and founder of Vani Prakashan, Dr. Premchand ‘Mahesh’, to support his mother Shiromani Devi, who was the co-founder of Vani Prakashan. From helping publish the publishing house’s handwritten magazines in its early years to today leading one of the most prestigious and largest independent publishing groups in Hindi, he has been a witness to significant contributions to the Indian publishing system for more than four decades.

Arun Maheshwari has been the elected representative of the publishers of Indian languages in the general body of India’s premier literary institution ‘Kendriya Sahitya Akademi’. He was elected as a member of the ‘Board of Studies’ of Nagpur University. Has been a member of the Management Committee of Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, New Delhi. He has also been an honorary member of the Advisory Committee of the Hindi Medium Implementation Directorate of Delhi University between 2011-2017.

Under his leadership, the book ‘Lata: Sur-Gatha’ (Yatindra Mishra), published from Vani Prakashan Group, was honored with ‘Swarna Kamal Samman’ by former President Pranab Mukherjee in the year 2017.

The French graphic novel ‘Persepolis’ (Marjan Satrapi), translated into Hindi and published by Vani Prakashan, was awarded the ‘Publishing Next Award-2022’ as the best printed book of the year. He was awarded the ‘Distinguished Publisher Award’ by the Federation of Indian Publishers as the best publisher of India in the year 2008 to be provided. Shri Maheshwari was awarded medals and citations by the governments of Poland, Sweden and Russia for the development of cultural relations between Hindi and Polish, Hindi and Swedish AND Hindi and Russian languages. Shri Maheshwari has also been awarded the ‘Business Excellence Award’ by Oxford Business College, Oxford, London in 2017. In 2022, he took charge of the publication of Bharatiya Jnanpith, India’s oldest and prestigious publishing house, established in 1944. In 2015, he laid the foundation of Vani Foundation, a non-profit organization of Vani Publications Group. ‘Vani Foundation Distinguished Translator Award’ is given by this foundation in Jaipur Bookmark during Jaipur Literature Festival. The award is now in its eighth year. Arun Maheshwari is a postgraduate in Hindi in Linguistics.

Author Introduction – Yatindra Mishra

Hindi poet, editor, music and cinema scholar. So far, four poetry collections – Yada-Kada, Ayodhya and other poems, Deyodhi Par Aalap and Vibhas; Girija on classical singer Girija Devi, Devpriya on dialogue with dancer Sonal Mansingh, Sur Ki Baradari on the life and music of Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan and Lata: Sur-Gatha on playback singer Lata Mangeshkar’s musical journey. Describing the astonishment on performing arts, Bhairavi rewriting the words of Kannada Shaiva poetess Akka Mahadevi in Hindi, Humsafar on the music of hundred years of Hindi cinema, Ayodhya: Tradition, Culture, Heritage based on the cultural and spiritual study of Ayodhya were especially discussed. Selection of poems and songs of film director and lyricist Gulzar respectively – Yaar Julahe and Miles Se Din, Gazetteer Shahrnama based on Awadh culture: Faizabad and Akhtari edited books based on Ghazal singer Begum Akhtar. Girija, Vibhas, Akhtari and Lata: English translation of Sur Gatha, Yaar Julahe and Mileon Se Din ka Urdu and German translation of Ayodhya series of poems published.

National Film Award ‘Swarna Kamal’, MAMI Film Award, Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Raza Samman, Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad Youth Award, Spandan Lalit Kala Samman, Dwarka Prasad Aggarwal Bhaskar Youth Award, H.K. Honored with Trivedi Smriti Youth Journalism Award, Maharana Mewar Samman, Hemant Smriti Poetry Award, Bharat Bhushan Agarwal Memorial Award, Shamsher Samman, Kalinga Book Award. Received Bharatiya Jnanpith Fellowship, Junior Research Fellowship of Ministry of Culture, Government of India and Independent Research Fellowship of Sarai, New Delhi. DD, the art-culture channel of Doordarshan (Prasar Bharati). Served as advisor to Bharti (2014-2016). Trips to major cities of India including America, England, Mauritius and Abu Dhabi for literary-cultural activities.

Chairman of the 69th National Film Award Jury for Best Cinema Writing, Member of the 66th National Film Award Jury, Member of the Jury of the 52nd International Film Festival of India, Goa and Member of the Jury Committee of the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

Yatindra Mishra’s famous books published from Vani Prakashan Group (Vani Prakashan and Bharatiya Jnanpith) are ‘Lata: Sur Gatha’, ‘Akhtari: Soz Aur Saaz Ka Afsana’ (Editor), ‘Vibhas’, ‘Shahrnama Faizabad’ (Editor), ‘ Girija’, ‘Poems of Bhairavi Akka Mahadevi’, Ayodhya: Tradition Culture Heritage’, ‘The Last Weave’, ‘Devpriya’, ‘Ayodhya and other poems’, ‘Vismaya Bakhan’, ‘Agyeya Jitan Tumhara Sach’ (Edit), ‘In many times (Edit), ‘Kunwar Narayan: World’, ‘Kunwar Narayan: Presence’ (Edit), ‘Yaar Julahe… Gulzar’ (Editor), ‘Kis Bhagol Kis Sapne Mein’ (Editor), and ‘Kala Soundarya (Editor).

‘Gulzar Saab: Hazara Rahein Mud Ke Dekhin…’ by Vani Prakashan, written by Yatindra Mishra, is priced at Rs 1999 and is available at all leading bookstores.