From Unani Medicine to Cinema Icon: The Radical Life of Majrooh Sultanpuri
In short: Born Asrar ul Hassan Khan, Majrooh Sultanpuri was a trained medical practitioner who abandoned his clinic for the world of Urdu poetry. Despite his initial disdain for cinema, he became a dominant musical force in Indian film, leaving behind a legacy that spanned six decades and earned him the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.
Majrooh Sultanpuri’s journey began in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where he received a traditional Madrasa education, mastering Arabic and Persian before training in Unani medicine at Lucknow’s Takmeel-ut-Tib College. His pivot to literature was sparked by the success of his ghazals at local mushairas. Under the mentorship of Jigar Moradabadi, he eventually moved to Bombay. Though he initially resisted writing for films, he was persuaded by the promise of financial stability and the encouragement of composer Naushad, leading to his debut with the 1946 film Shah Jehan.
His career was defined by both artistic brilliance and political defiance. A key figure in the Progressive Writers' Movement, Majrooh’s leftist leanings frequently placed him at odds with the state. In 1949, he was imprisoned for two years for his anti-establishment poetry, an arrest linked to the Communist Party of India's revolutionary stance. He faced further legal trouble in 1951 for a poem comparing Jawaharlal Nehru to Hitler. Despite these interruptions, he rebuilt his career repeatedly, collaborating with legendary music directors including R. D. Burman, O. P. Nayyar, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal.
Majrooh’s influence on Indian culture was profound. He was the first lyricist to receive the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1993, the highest honor in Indian cinema. Beyond his film work, he remains a celebrated avant-garde Urdu poet, known for verses that captured the spirit of the 20th century. Even in his later years, he remained active, working with composers like Anand–Milind and Jatin-Lalit until his death in 2000 at age 80. His final work, One 2 Ka 4, was released posthumously in 2001, marking the end of a prolific six-decade career.
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