Amazing “Anand” & Brilliant “Bakshi.”
Hi Folks,
A few days back was the birthday of our finest lyricist, the late Anand Bakshi. I, having a writing bent ,am always more biased to the writers/lyricists than to the other creative and corporate beings in our industry (actually corporate come second and then the other creative). That being said, his son Rakesh, an up and coming director and a very dear friend, in fact the ONLY reason I had the confidence to move from a “screenwriting grad” to a “screen/stage writer” (because of an afternoon in JW Marriott, in December 2006), has penned the following on his dad.
Rakesh had got this published in a magazine in Mumbai and sent me the link and I requested him to send me the word file, since what he has written (and when you meet Rakesh, you will realize that this is one straight shooter in Bollywood, like it or lump it), or what quality his dad had, is something, which I believe, can inspipre not only the creative types, but are words of wisdom for any human looking to achieve something in life.
Anand Bakshi, for the folks who don’t know, is the most prolific lyricist from Bollywood. This former Naval officer has penned songs that perhaps your parents and you have hummed sometime in your life.
From Dil To Pagal Hain to Himalaya Ke Good Mein
From Aradhna to Chandani
From Darr to Taal
Here goes over to Bakshi Jr—–(reprint from the article that came in SUPER magazine)
July 21st July, 2008.
Cheers Dad!
Dear Ali Sir asked me to write a piece on my Father on his 78th birth anniversary. I hesitated a moment, as it’s challenging to write without bias on so close a relationship. Especially being a Son who realized only much later, that his Father needed Solitude not because he did not love his Family, but because he needed to spend loads of time alone to be able to express himself, and to create lyrics. Even Nature creates in Silence. I completely forgot my promise to Ali Sir till I was on my jog this morning. I thought I’ll write about two huge learning’s that inspire me daily on my quest to be a good film maker.
While I do the rounds of getting my cast and crew in place for my first feature script and film, I naturally meet artists across platforms. Some successful, most struggling, and some even failed filmmakers, actors, and writers. The one thing in common I found in all of these people from different crafts was, every one of them, experience lack of confidence, and sometimes self doubt. Some confessed their fears to me, while I could read it behind the fa'§ade of confidence some others put up to remain positive. We all are sailing in the same Noah’s ark.
I decided to share the secret that inspires me when I experience similar pangs of self doubt and lack of confidence.
My Father wrote almost 3500 film songs, for almost 800 hindi films. And yet, believe it or not, but, before he wrote every single one of them, he feared he was no good at song writing! He feared he has done it so far, but he is going to fail this time for sure! In spite of the fact that he wrote many hit songs, popular songs, and songs appreciated even by the critics and the poet fraternity, consistently from 1957 to 2002!
I think, he succeeded in spite of his fears because he always began a fresh from ground zero. Never complacent in his victories and success, he always kept a higher goal alive. And he never let the lights of fame from his past earnings blind the path that lay ahead of him. This was huge learning for me.
My Father taught me, it’s natural to feel self doubt or lack of confidence or poor self esteem. Because my Father was extremely successful and happy in spite of those fears.
Another important lesson I received from him, “It’s not about making hit films, or writing a hit script. Hits and Flops are learning’s. What really matters at the end of the run of hits and flops is the kind of person you become while your work becomes Hits and Flops. And the Friends you earn and keep along that way.”
My Father challenged his fears by writing a poem to inspire himself. Mr Subhash Ghai recorded it as a song for one of his films. The mukhda is:
“Main koi baraf nahin hoon jo pighal jaoonga.
Main koi harf nahin hoon jo badal jaoonga….
Main toh jadoo hoon, main jadoo hoon chal jaoonga”
Happy Birthday Dad.
Rakesh A. Bakshi.
Sincerely,
Vivek “and a heartfelt gratitude Rakesh for giving me the confidence, nay, assertively telling me- that script in your head needs to become a movie , on that day of December 2006 and doing all that you did when you barely knew me” Kumar
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
Beautiful…his songs touched my soul…
brilliant body of work he has..and faraaz stop being biased yaar…especially towards the B’s
Anand Bakshi remained a bit unsung, he deserved a lot more recognistion.
His mastery over the crisp, short meter was unmatched.
He remains an eternal favourite.
@ zindagi ke safar mein guzar jaat hai jo maqaam
vo fir nahi aate
vo fir nahi aate!!
We dearly miss u Bakshi saab!!!!
mujhay bakshi sahab ki bohat kami mesoos hoti hai main jab b koi geet un ka sunta hun to mujhay aisa lagta hai jaisay uno nai meray liay hi likha hai . i miss him.
Aye Khuda Har Faisla Tera Mujhe Manzoor Hai (2)
Saamne Tere Tera Banda Bahut Majboor Hai
Aye Khuda Har Faisla Tera Mujhe Manzoor Hai
Saamne Tere Tera Banda Bahut Majboor Hai
( RDB : Allahahahahahahah Huuuuuuuu )
Har Duaa Meri Kisi Deewar Se Takra Gayee (2)
Beasar Hokar Meri Fariyaad Vaapas Aa Gayee
( RDB : Allahahahahahahah Huuuuuuuu )
Is Zameen Se Aasmaa Shaayad Bahut Hi Door Hai
Saamne Tere Tera Banda Bahut Majboor Hai
Ek Gul Se To Ujad Jaate Nahin Phoolon Ke Baag (2)
Kya Huaa Toone Bujha Daala Mere Ghar Ka Charaag
( RDB : Allahahahahahahah Huuuuuuuu )
Kam Nahin Hai Roshni Har Shay Mein Tera Noor Hain
Saamne Tere Tera Banda Bahut Majboor Hai
Aye Khuda Har Faisla Tera Mujhe Manzoor Hai
Saamne Tere Tera Banda Bahut Majboor Hai
yai geet mujhay bohat yaad dilata hai un ki