Celebrated Indian poet, lyricist, author, screenwriter and film director Gulzar has penned iconic children’s songs like Lakdi Ki Kaathi from Masoom (1983), Jungle Jungle Baat Chali Hai from The Jungle Book (1989) and Panga from Makdee (2002), the latter two composed by Vishal Bhardwaj. Not many know that even the popular prayer Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena from Guddi (1971) was written by him. On the occasion of Children’s Day, in a chat at his Bandra bungalow, Gulzar spoke to us about some of his favourite works for children.

Gulzar explains that the idea behind the song was to portray what a young schoolgirl prays for and how she expresses her thoughts. He says, “Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena went on to become the morning prayer at many schools. Many people don’t know the lyrics were written by me. I was recently working with Shaad Ali (director) at the recording studio, and he mentioned that they used to sing Humko Mann Ki Shakti Dena in school. He was taken by surprise when Shankar Mahadevan mentioned that the lyrics were written by me. If you speak from your heart, it reaches children. Back then, the great Indian poet Kedarnath Singh had told me, ‘Your work has gone beyond your name, which is a great thing.’”

Talking about how he develops the idea that connects with children, he cites the example of Lakdi Ki Kathi (Masoom), a song that has resonated with children across generations. “The idea came from the thought that if you make a child sit on a walking stick and call it a horse, they know it isn’t real, but they still enjoy the experience because of their imagination. It’s also important to use places that they are familiar with, for example, they have heard their parents speaking about visiting the sabzi mandi (vegetable market) or Mehrauli and so on. So, the song must have a familiar environment. Writing for children isn’t about getting the grammar right, it’s about throwing grammar out of the window and connecting with the child’s thought process. Children enjoy tongue twisters, what we give them in textbooks is boring.”

Recalling a controversy over the lyrics of another popular song, he shares, “NFDC had some objection to the lines, Jungle Jungle baat chali hai, pata chala hai, arre chaddi pehen ke phool khila hai (The Jungle Book, 1989). 

“I was told, ‘Gulzar saab ab aap poetry mein chaddi bhi le aayenge.’ There was a silly suggestion to replace the word chaddi with lungi. I asked them if Mowgli in The Jungle Book had put on anything else throughout the film? Ab chaddi ko kuch aur bolenge? Vishal Bhardwaj (music composer for The Jungle Book) has a knack for understanding children, he made films like Makdee and The Blue Umbrella, but didn’t find encouragement from the trade. Vishal himself is a little child for me.”

Gulzar shares, “Since the time I made Koshish in 1972, I have been working with physically challenged children. Every year these children come down from Bhopal and I walk with them at the Mumbai Marathon. These children feel so happy when they appear on television and that gives me immense joy, too. I wish to continue working with children till I’m alive.”

He says, "I wrote a poem on a crow during COVID-19, when death was surrounding us, ambulances were constantly passing by, people were wearing masks but this crow near my house, was busy building it’s nest. Hearing the little crows caw was so inspiring. I ended up writing 14 children’s poems that were published by my friend Sushil Shukla with illustrations by Allen Shaw."

Photo: Prathamesh Bandekar

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the ’70s cinema was the polar opposite of today’s offerings, their slice-of-life stories in stark contrast to our current trend of larger-than-life movies. And who captured the joys and anguish of everyday life on screen better than the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee, and Gulzar?

In an attempt to remind viewers of the charm of human dramas, Mrs Undercover director Anushree Mehta and her business partner Abir Sengupta are revisiting the noted filmmakers’ classics—Mukherjee’s Bawarchi (1972) and Mili (1975), and Gulzar’s Koshish (1972).

The duo are teaming up with producer Sameer Raj Sippy, grandson of late producer N C Sippy, who had originally backed the three gems. Mehta says the decision to adapt the classics came from a personal space.

“It is a huge responsibility as Koshish, Bawarchi and Mili are celebrated in India and across the globe. Gulzar saab and Hrishi-da set the standards of filmmaking for generations to come,” she shares. To Sengupta, the remakes are a way of introducing the new generation to the magic of the past.

He says, “These are the films we have grown up on and that the new generation should also witness, to know our rich cinematic legacy.”

The three adaptations are currently in the development stage. Once the scripts are locked, the makers will finalize the cast and the directors. With the remakes, Sippy says the idea is to retain the essence of the original stories while viewing them through a contemporary gaze. “We want to take the stories and bring them in today’s scenario, with a modern outlook.”