Jan Nisar Akhtar

The latter ("The Ashes of Heart") was a poetry collection for which he was awarded the 1976 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters.[3]

• Name — Jan Nisar Akhtar • Born — 18 February 1914 • Birthplace — Gwalior, Gwalior State, British India • Died — 19 August 1976 • Place of death — Bombay, Maharashtra, India • Occupation — Poet, lyricist • Education — Aligarh Muslim University • Genre — Ghazal • Movement — Progressive Writers' Movement • Notable Works — "Khaak-e-dil" (The Ashes of Heart") (1973) • Parents — Muztar Khairabadi (father) • Children — Javed Akhtar Salman Akhtar Uneza Akhtar Albina Akhtar Sharma Shahid Khursheed Akhtar • Relatives — Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi (great grandfather)

Jan Nisar passed his matriculation from Victoria Collegiate High School, Gwalior, and in 1930 joined Aligarh Muslim University, from where he gained his B.A. Honours and M.A. degrees. He started his doctoral work, but had to return to Gwalior due to family conditions.[4]

In 1949, he resigned from his job, moved to Bombay to write lyrics for Urdu/Hindi movies besides ghazals and nazms for general publication. Once in Bombay, he came in touch with other progressive writers, like Mulk Raj Anand, Krishan Chander, Rajinder Singh Bedi and Ismat Chugtai, who often met at Bombay's Silver Fish Restaurant, and subsequently came to be known as 'Bombay Group of Writers'.[5] Success came his way quite late as a film lyricist, till then he was supported by his wife who had stayed back in Bhopal, though she died prematurely of cancer in 1953.[6] Finally, he had a career breakthrough, with Yasmeen (1955), with music by C. Ramchandra. His association with Madan Mohan, the music director resulted in many memorable movie songs. Some of his notable lyrics were, Meri Neendon Mein Tum in Naya Andaz (1956) by Kishore Kumar and Shamshad Begum, Garib Jan Key Hamko Naa Tum Daga Dena sung by Mohammed Rafi in Chhoo Mantar, the hit Piya piya piya... in Baap Re Baap (1955) music by O.P. Nayyar, Aap Yun Faaslon Se by Lata Mangeshkar in Shankar Hussain (1977).[7] His poetry was secular and like many of the progressive writers of his generation talked of freedom, dignity, economic exploitation and other issues gleaming of the leftist leanings.[8] Even his romanticism which was amply displayed in his ghazals, was replete with references to household and family life. His notable books include Nazr-e-Butaan, Salaasil, Javidaan, Ghar Angan and Khaak-e-Dil (all Urdu titles). One of his many famous couplets is: Ashaar mere yuu.N to zamaane ke liye hai.n, kuchh sher faqat unako sunaane ke liye hai.n Although my poems are meant for the whole world, There are some couplets meant just for the beloved He wrote and produced a film, Bahu Begum (1967), starring Pradeep Kumar and Meena Kumari. During the period of four-year to his death he published three collections of his works most important of them being, Khak-e-Dil (The Ashes of Heart"), which has his representative poems from 1935 to 1970, and which won him the Sahitya Akademi Award (Urdu) in 1976.[9] Jan Nisar was commissioned by the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru to collate the best Hindustani poetry of last 300 years, and later the first edition of the book titled Hindustan Hamara (Our Hindustan) in two volumes was released by Indira Gandhi. It contained Urdu verses on a topics, ranging from love and praise for India and its history, to festivals like Holi and Diwali, on Indian rivers like the Ganges, Yamuna and the Himalayas.[10] He died in Bombay on 19 August 1976, while he was still working on Kamal Amrohi's film, Razia Sultan (1983). He was nominated posthumously for 1980 Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for "Aaja Re Mere Dilbar" from the film, Noorie. His anthology, Hindustan Hamara was re-released in Hindi in 2006[11]

In 1943, he married Safia Siraj-ul-Haq, sister of the poet Majaz. Safia worked as a school teacher at an Urdu-medium madarsa (Muslim school). She was meeting a practical necessity, to work outside her home, because Jan Nisar's income was at best sporadic, and it was necessary for her to work to support her children. Thus, when Jan Nisar moved to Mumbai to try his luck at earning a living as a film lyricist, Safia stayed back in Gwalior with their children, and wrote her absent husband a series of letters in Urdu. A collection of these letters, written between 1 October 1943 to 29 December 1953 penned, were first published in 1955 in two volumes under the title, "Harf-e-Aashna" and "Zer-e-Lab." Professor Asghar Wajahat, former Head of the Hindi Department, Jamia Millia Islamia, translated these letters into Hindi and this was published under the title "Tumhare Naam" in 2004.[12] Safia Akhtar died of cancer on 17 January 1953, less than ten years after her wedding, and left behind two sons. Jan Nisar left the children in the care of relatives while he pursued his hobbies of writing poetry and hobnobbing with various luminaries and socialites in Mumbai. Three years after Safia's death, Jan Nisar, on 17 September 1956, married Khadija Talat.

• Year — Film — Music Director(s) — Songs written — Notes • 1948 — Shikayat — Rasheed Attre — 1 — First released film • 1950 — Arzoo — Anil Krishna Biswas — 2 • Khel — Sajjad Hussain — 2 • 1953 — Anarkali — Basant Prakash — 1 • 1954 — Barati — Roshan Lal Nagrath — 1 • Danka — Aziz Hindi — 8 • Dhoop Chhaon — 4 • 1955 — Baap Re Baap — Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar & Omkar Prasad Nayyar (separately) — 11 (All) • Haseena — Bulo C. Rani — 11 (All) — The songs "Dil Pe Kaisi Bekhudi Chhane Lagi..." sung by Asha Bhosle & "Nainon Ke Baan Chale Nasheele..." sung by Sudha Malhotra both were re-used in the film Chalta Purza: Challenge (1958). • Lutera — Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar — 1 • Madhur Milan — Bulo C. Rani — 3 • Yasmin — Ramchandra Narhar Chitalkar — 9 • 1956 — C. I. D. — Omkar Prasad Nayyar — 1 — Uncredited • Chhoo Mantar — 10 (All) • Dhake Ki Malmal — 6 • Jallad — Nashad — 1 • Mr. Lambu — Omkar Prasad Nayyar — 3 • Naya Andaz — 11 • Shrimati 420 — 6 • 1957 — Duniya Rang Rangeeli — 8 (All) • Mai Baap — 2 • Qaidi — 8 (All) • Ustad — 7 (All) • 1958 — Chalta Purza: Challenge — Aziz Hindi & Bulo C. Rani (uncredited) — 7 (All) — The songs "Dil Pe Kaisi Bekhudi Chhane Lagi..." sung by Asha Bhosle & "Nainon Ke Baan Chale Nasheele..." sung by Sudha Malhotra, both music directed by Bulo C. Rani both were originally made for & used in Haseena (1955), which in turn, were re-used in this film. • Farishta — Omkar Prasad Nayyar — 5 • Raagini — 7 • 1959 — Black Cat — Dattaram Baburao Naik — 7 (All) • Mr. John — 7 (All) • 1960 — Dr. Shaitan — 6 (All) • Kalpana — Omkar Prasad Nayyar — 1 • Rickshawala — Dattaram Baburao Naik — 7 (All) • Road No. 303 — C. Arjun — 3 • 1961 — Apsara — Husnlal-Bhagatram — Atleast 4 • Do Bhai — Dattaram Baburao Naik — 6 (All) • Main Aur Mera Bhai — C. Arjun — 6 (All) • Mr. India — Gurusharan Singh Kohli — 6 • Shola Aur Shabnam — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 1-2 • 1962 — Dilli Ka Dada — Dattaram Baburao Naik — 3 • 1963 — Rustom Sohrab — Sajjad Hussain — 2 • 1964 — Awara Badal — Usha Khanna — 1 • 1965 — Ek Saal Pehle — C. Arjun — 3 • 1966 — Sushila — 6 (All) — Film was revised & re-released as Subah Zaroor Aayegi (1977). • 1970 — Kaun Ho Tum? — Usha Khanna — 1 • Mangu Dada — C. Arjun — 2 • Murder On Highway — 1 • Truck Driver — Sonik-Omi — 2 • 1971 — Kahin Aar Kahin Paar — Ganesh Sharma — 1 • Ramu Ustad — Raj Ratan — 4 (All) • 1973 — Hum Sab Chor Hain: The Criminals — Usha Khanna — 2 • Jeevan Sukh — Sapan-Jagmohan — 1 • Prem Parbat — Jaidev Verma — 2 • 1974 — Albeli — Kalyanji-Anandji — 1 • Alingan — Jaidev Verma — 4 • Dastan-e-Laila Majnu — Iqbal Qureshi — 11 • Hamrahi — Kalyanji-Anandji — 1 • Parinay — Jaidev Verma — 1 • Pyase Dil — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 4 (All) • 1975 — Andolan — Jaidev Verma — 1 • Sandhya — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 3 (All) • Sangat — Salil Chowdhury — 4 (All) — Film was re-released as Kabhi Dhoop Kabhi Chhaon (1992). • 1976 — Sajjo Rani — Sapan-Jagmohan — 5 • 1977 — Aaina — Naushad Ali — 5 (All) — Posthomous release • Aakhri Sajda — Sajjad Hussain — 4 • Shankar Husain — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 1 • Subah Zaroor Aayegi — C. Arjun — 6 — Film was revised version of Sushila (1966); posthomous release • 1978 — Mutthi Bhar Chawal — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 2 — Posthomous release • 1979 — Chambal Ki Raani — Naushad Ali — 2 • Do Shikari — Chitragupta Srivastava — Atleast 3 • Noorie — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 4 • 1980 — Ek Gunah Aur Sahi — Jaidev Verma — 3 (All) • 1981 — Woh Phir Nahin Ayee alias Shyamla — Kanu Roy — 2 (All) • 1983 — Nigahain — Sardar Malik — 1 • Razia Sultan — Mohammed Zahur Khayyam Hashmi — 3 • 1984 — Unchi Uraan — Jeetu-Tapan — 2 • 1988 — Soorma Bhopali — Dilip Sen & Sameer Sen — 1 • 1992 — Kabhi Dhoop Kabhi Chhaon — Salil Chowdhury — 4 (All) — Film was re-released version of Sangat (1975); posthomous release

• Bahu Begum (1967)

• Khamosh Awaz • Khak-e-dil, Publisher: Nagara Tabaat, 1973. • Hindustan Hamara, Volume 1 & 2. 1965, 1974. • Pichhle Peher. • GHAR AANGAN. • Harf-e-ashna: Khatut (Letters) • Ja-Nisar Akhxtar ki Shai'iri: Urdu Hindi me yakja, tr. by Amar Dihlavi. Publisher Star, 1983. • Kuliyat-e-Jan Nisar Akhtar. Publisher: Al-Muslim, 1992. • Hamara Hindustan (anthology), Rajkamal Publications, 2006. • Nigahon Ke Saaye, ed. Vijay Akela, Rajkamal Publications, 2006..

Jan Nisar Akhtar is recorded with the occupation poet. Recorded as poet, lyricist, songwriter and writer.