Renowned Urdu poets, who turned lyricists, dominated the Golden Era of Hindi Cinema
Iconic and towering personalities like Sahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni, Kaifi Azmi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Shailendra, and Rajender Krishan were all ruling the roost. Anand Bakshi entered the world of Hindi Cinema at such a historic juncture, yet he did manage to carve out a niche for himself. Bakshi’s 105th Birth Anniversary is on July 21, 2025.
An outsider in a world of poets
Anand Bakshi had a handicap in the world of Hindi Cinema, which became the exclusive preserve for poets-turned-lyricists. An obvious disadvantage for Bakshi was that he did not hail from a poetic background. Yet, he churned out lyrics with poetic charm. He had a poetic spark that sustained his passion all through his life for writing film songs.
Literary majesty, poetic charm
Anand Bakshi invested literary majesty and poetic charm in his film lyrics, immortalising his works. Indeed, writing lyrics is far more difficult than writing regular poetry. Poets-turned-lyricists are armed with the necessary skills, with knowledge of Beher, Radeef and Qafiya, when song writing becomes more a clever, careful choice of words.
Composing lyrics, on the other hand, requires writing in verse for a given story, a given situation and a given theme. Anand Bakshi stood the test and came out in flying colours. Writing poetry, on the other hand, has no such restrictions, where the poet can write on a subject of individual, personal choice.
Mehendi laga ke rakhna in Dilwaale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) was the crowning glory of a career that earned recognition with Mehendi Lagi Mere Haath in 1962.
Without a poetic background or training, it is intriguing how an ex-Army person could accomplish such a feat, which is nothing short of a miracle. He had a passion for writing in verse, even while he was in the Army. Leaving his Army job in 1951, he moved to Mumbai, the City of Dreams, with a dream in his eyes to write film songs. He struggled for nearly a decade before recognition for his poetic talent came his way.
Anand Bakshi went on to set a record, writing a staggering 3,500 songs in over 600 films, dominating the world of Hindi Cinema like a colossus for four decades, which is yet another record of sorts.
Iconic songs that shaped Hindi cinema
Anand Bakshi is greatly admired and respected for his iconic songs that changed the very face of Hindi Film songs. His lyrics are marked by profundity, poignancy and pathos. The secret of Anand Bakshi’s success is his capacity to weave a story in each song that connects straight with the hearts of the audience. The theme is derived from the situation of the story, but around it, he narrates a story in simple, straight terms that captures the imagination of the people, along with symbols that evoke powerful imagery.
Top on the list is his song in Majboor (1964):
Badli hai zamaane ki nazar dekhiye kya hoHona to hai kuch aaj, magar dekhiye kya ho…Par apni Duaon ko asar dekhiye kya hoHona to hai kuch aaj, magar dekhiye kya ho
Another song that fits such a category is in Devar (1966):
Duniya mein aisa kahaan sab ka naseeb haiKoyee koyee apne piya ke kareeb hain…Preet deewaani ki kahaani bhi ajeeb hai
Bakshi’s capacity for writing romantic songs is phenomenal. Just two classic examples bear out this point. One is in Aaye Din Bahaar Ke (1966), Yeh kali jab talak phool ban ke khile intezaar karo and the other is in Night In London (1967), Sun aie bahaar-e-husn mujhe tum se pyaar hai… It is hard to find a match for Anand Bakshi.
Stirring patriotism through lyrics
With equal ease, Anand Bakshi composed the stirring patriotic song for Phool Baney Angaray (1963), soon after the Sino-Indian War in 1962:
Himala ki bulandi se suno aawaaz hai aayiKaho Maaon se den bete, kaho Behnon se de bhaiWatan pe jo fida hoga amar woh naujawan hoga…
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru described the Chinese aggression as an act of Great Betrayal. Anand Bakshi beautifully brought out the sentiment in his song:
Humare ek padosi ne humare ghar ko loota haiBharam ek dost ki bas dosti ka aise toota haiKe ab har dost pe duniya ko dushman ka guman hoga
The nation was hard-pressed to help the soldiers fight a war that was imposed. Women willingly gave away their bangles and mangalsutra, a sentiment that found robust articulation in Bakshi’s composition:
Sipahi deten hain aawaaz Mataon ko Behanon koHume hathiyar le do, bech daalo apne gehnon koKe is qurban be-qurban watan ka har naujawan hoga
Exactly a year later, Kaifi Azmi penned the equally iconic Kar chale hum fida in Haqeeqat (1964).
Flair for qawwali
Bakshi had a flair for Qawwali. It is brought out in his qawwali in Kala Samunder (1961):
Meri tasveer lekar kya karoge tum meri tasveer lekar…Jali taqdir lekar, kya karoge tum meri tasveer lekar
In Jab Se Tumhe Dekha Hai (1963):
Tumhe husn deke Khuda ne sitamgar banayaChalo is bahaane tumhe bhi Khuda yaad aayaa
In qawwali style, he penned a song for Aaye Din Bahaar Ke (1966):
Hai kaash kisi deewane ko hum se bhi mohobat ho jaye…Hai waqt abhi tauba kar lo, Allah musibat ho jaaye…
In Mr X in Bombay (1964):
Hum is khayal se duniya se dur baithe hain…Allah kare tu bhi aajaye
In Lootera (1965), he created another magical number:
Neend nighaon ki kho jaati hai…Bura haal hai dil ke jazbaat ka…
Humble background, Army roots
Born near Rawalpindi in present-day Pakistan on July 21, 1920, Bakshi Anand Prakash Vaid came from a poor background and was able to study only up to Class 8. He served in the erstwhile British Royal Navy but was removed for joining the Mutiny in 1946. After Partition, he relocated to India and joined the Indian Army. On his own volition, he wrote in verse, even while serving in the Indian Army.
He moved to Mumbai in 1951. After three years of struggle, he returned in despair, only to come back in 1956 with renewed hope.
Early breakthroughs and struggle
A break came with Sher-e-Baghdad in 1957, but only in B-grade films. Some early gems include:
Razia Sultan (1961):
Dhalti jaaye raat kehle dil ki baat…
Wallah Kya Baat Hai (1962):
Gham-e-hasti se bas begaanaa hotaKhudaaya kaash main deewana hota…
Big break and rise to fame
The big break came in 1962 with Mehendi Lagi Mere Haath. The title song became a national rage:
Mehendi lagi mere haath re…Bhool ja isko aie dil, yeh to sapno ki thi baat re…
With films like Himalay Ki God Mein, Jab Jab Phool Khile, Devar, Aaye Din Bahaar Ke, Milan, Preet Na Jaane Reet, and Night in London, he joined the big league.
After Aradhana (1969), he never had to look for work again.
Victim of a cultural shift
Though Anand Bakshi remained popular, his best works ended around 1967. From 1968–69 onward, he faced pressure to give up Hindustani and shift to a more Sanskritised Hindi. This shift adversely affected the quality of his lyrics, even if commercial success continued.
Hindi, as it evolved, became less accessible to the masses, unlike Urdu, which remains rooted in people’s speech and poetic traditions.
The great literary purge
During the Cultural Revolution, there was a concerted effort to remove Urdu from popular discourse and cinema. Hindi, with barely a 100-year-old literary tradition, could not fill the vacuum created by Urdu’s exclusion. Anand Bakshi, a flag-bearer of Hindustani, suffered creatively under these constraints.
Talent for innovation
Bakshi brought innovation to lyrics — using poetry for reproach, rebuke, and even curse.
From mild tones in Mr X in Bombay:
Mere mehboob qayamat hogi…
To sharp accusations in Devar:
Baharon ne mera chaman loot kar…
To full-blown curses in Aaye Din Bahaar Ke:
Mere dushman, tu meri, dosti ko tarse…
Breaking conventions
In Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), he captured cultural alienation beautifully:
Kabhi pehle dekha nahi yeh sama…Nai tehzeeb hai yeh, naya hai yeh zamana…
Love in legal jargon
In Night in London (1967), Bakshi used the format of a legal will for declaring love:
Ba-hosh-o-hawaas main deewanaYeh aaj waseeyat karta hun…
A prolific legacy
Anand Bakshi continued writing through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s until his death on March 30, 2002.
From Chitti aayee hai in Naam (1986) to Mehendi lagaake rakhna in DDLJ, he left a permanent imprint on Indian cinema.
Main shayar to nahi…Perhaps this line from Bobby (1973) says it all:
Main shayar to nahi, magar aie haseen/Jab se dekha, maine tujh ko, mujh ko, shayari aa gayee.
Though not a poet in the strictest sense, Anand Bakshi brought great poetic gravitas to Hindi film lyrics — something unmatched to this day.
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