Sahir Ludhianvi (1921–1980), a remarkable film lyricist, was also an iconic literary poet. Surinder Deol paints a sensitive portrait that reveals an artist who was aware of the depth of his poetic message as well as of his ability to present it in words that captured the reader’s imagination. Sahir looked outward at the world to find beauty in nature for inspiration while at the same time raising his voice against poverty, deprivation, and the denial of social justice. The book contains free verse translation of over ninety of Sahir’s literary creations, including poems, ghazals, bhajans, and a long peace poem called Parchhaaiyaan (The Shadows). The author strives to bring together four distinct elements of Sahir’s work that make him one of the most loved poets of our generation: his deep-rooted love of nature, his snug romanticism, his sensitivity to human suffering, and his unceasing optimism for a better tomorrow.

A fascinating short story from the inimitable Gulzar Gulzar is one of India’s most renowned poets and lyricists. This e-single sees him turning his hand to another creative form at which he is equally adept – short-form prose narrative. This story is taken from Gulzar’s new collection Half a Rupee: Stories, which comprises twenty-five gripping tales available in English for the very first time. From real-life stories about well-known personalities to tales set in Kashmir, in the hinterland, in the modern megalopolis and on the LoC, from anecdotes of love and betrayal to fables of courage and conviction, these are enthralling stories told in Gulzar’s unique style; each story will delight you.

Sahir Ludhianvi is probably the only songwriter in Hindi films whose poetry was accepted in its purest form and incorporated as a film song. So great was his stature as an Urdu poet that he never had to mould his poetry to suit the demands of film songwriting; instead, producers and composers adapted their requirements to his poetry. His songs in films like Pyaasa, Naya Daur and Phir Subah Hogi have attained the status of classics. This exhaustive biography traces the poet's rich life, from his troubled childhood and his equally troubled love relationships, to his rise as one of the pre-eminent personalities of the Progressive Writers Movement and his journey as lyricist through the golden era of Hindi film music, the 1950s and 1960s.

Collection Of Urdu Poetry By The Well Known Poet.A Famous Lyricist Of The Yester Years.

Language is a Developmental, social and cultural phenomenon. When Urdu started its literary journey, writing also treasured it and today we are proud of the great collection of Urdu books. Urdu lovers have also done a remarkable job in writing books on various topics and in conveying the standard writings to the Urdu circles by giving them solid ink. This book although written in English, is one such masterpiece by Krishna S. Dhir. However, it clearly reflects the love of the writer for the Urdu language and its literature. The beginning of this book is an excellent illustration of how the various apabhransha of South Asia interacted with Perso-Arabic and European languages, to give rise to various languages, including Urdu and how they grew up through the time of the Mughals and the British. How all the major religions of the world originated in the Asian continent and the observation of Sufis are highlighted in the second chapter of this book. The role of social and economic institutions and traditions in the evolution of Urdu has been shed light upon. Krishna S. Dhir has painstakingly elaborated upon the protest literature and extensively quoted Mir, Ghalib, Daagh Dehlvi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Faiz Ahmad, Ahmad Fraz and other poets to prove how Urdu poetry has been used to protest against siege, raids, imprisonment, imperialism and colonisation, and to express love and peace. Finally, the writer explores how Urdu is deployed by the diaspora that uses it.

There is serial killing going on in a city. The victims are all brutally tortured and killed and dumped in public places. The police and forensics try their best to find the murderer, but the miscreant is intelligent enough to not leave any clues. All the victims happen to be females. Is there any history that could connect the victims? How will the investigation team solve the case? The author has been exceptionally good at keeping the suspense hovering around till the end. It is wonderful to note how the mystery unveils. The unexpected twists and turns give the reader a wonderful reading experience. “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.” ? Arthur Conan Doyle.

SD, or Sachin Dev Burman, the man who gave Hindi film music its grammar, is perhaps the most enigmatic figure in Indian cine history. As the young scion of the Tripura royal family, SD struck out into the world of cinema and popular music. The early years were difficult, professionally and personally. His unconventional choice of profession and marriage to a 'commoner' caused his family to ostracize him, and his formal training was not enough to stave off rejections. This well-researched biography is both a tribute to a great artist, and a deep inquiry into what made his music great. Going well beyond merely listing his greatest songs, it explores hitherto unknown stories about the creation of each gem: 'Mera sundar sapna beet gaya' (Do Bhai, 1948); 'Thandi hawaein' (Naujawan, 1951); 'Yeh raat yeh chandni' (Jaal, 1952); 'Babu samjho ishaare' (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, 1958); 'Meet na mila re mann ka' (Abhiman, 1973), and more. The book is packed with insights into SD's life, work and his astute understanding of Hindi cinema. Despite the fact that he was an outsider who spoke little Hindi or Urdu, SD was the man who introduced Sahir Ludhianvi to the world, and the one who gave Kishore Kumar's musical brilliance its due. His readiness to adapt to modern sounds and techniques, his unwavering faith in Lata Mangeshkar's virtuosity, his closeness to Dev Anand that was seen as nepotism, charges of plagiarism-S.D. Burman: The Prince-Musician provides unmatched insight into both the genius of one of India's most significant composers and a crucial aspect of its glorious cinematic history. An essential addition to every film music aficionado's library.