Eminent poet and lyricist Nida Fazli passes away

Primarily a writer of verse, he maintained a low profile in the Hindi film world

Eminent Urdu poet and Bollywood lyricist Nida Fazli passed away of a heart attack here on Monday. He was 78.

It was also the birthday of the late ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, with whom Fazli teamed up most successfully to ride the ghazal wave that began in the mid-70s and went on till the early 90s. There are many film songs too that we remember Fazli for, such as those in the films Ahista Ahista and Sarfarosh. Fazli came to the films in the 80s, in Razia Sultan and Raj Kapoor’s Biwi O Biwi. Many other films followed.

But he was never too prolific in the film world, as movies were not the centre of his life. Fazli was primarily a poet, a prominent Hindi and Urdu shayar who also happened to be a Hindi film lyricist.

He moved to Mumbai from hometown Gwalior in the early 60s in search of a job and worked with magazines Blitz and Dharmyug initially. A student of literature, Fazli was also steeped in the Bhakti poetry of Kabir and Meera and the Sufi world of Amir Khusro. His poetry emerged from his own heartbreak. Fazli found a voice and a direction when he heard a Hindu devotional poem about Radha’s pain of separation from Krishna.

His poetry was all about simple, easygoing philosophy, rooted in life. It had a folksy, Sufi touch even while dealing with lofty thoughts. His work also dealt with the increasing communal divide and the need to foster communal harmony. Fazli refused to move to Pakistan after the Partition despite the fact that his own father did. His was always a low key presence in the Hindi film world though he did court controversy for taking on Sahir Ludhianvi and Kaifi Azmi for what he perceived to be their faux Marxism.

He once said of Bollywood: “Aawazon ke bazaron mein khamoshi ko pehchaane kaun (In the market of voices who would appreciate silence)”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Fazli’s verses will endure in the times to come. “Nida Fazli Sahab is no longer with us but his verses will live on and so will his contribution to writing and cinema,” Mr. Modi tweeted.

(With additional inputs from IANS)