Gulzar
Poet, lyricist and film director
- Age
- 93 yrs
- Birthday in 295 days
- Works listed
- 5
- Song, Film
- Honours
- 6
- Most recent 2024
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
Gulzar is a poet, lyricist, screenwriter and film director whose songs have been part of Hindi cinema for more than six decades. He directed films such as Aandhi and Ijaazat, won an Academy Award and a Grammy for “Jai Ho”, and received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Jnanpith Award.
Biography
From a garage to films
Born Sampooran Singh Kalra, Gulzar moved to Delhi after Partition and then to Bombay, where he worked in a motor garage, painting cars, while writing poetry and joining the Progressive Writers’ Movement. He began in films as an assistant to director Bimal Roy, and his first song, “Mora Gora Ang Lai Le” for Bandini (1963), was a success.
Lyricist
His lyrics combine everyday images with poetic surprise. Working with composers such as S. D. Burman, R. D. Burman, Vishal Bhardwaj and A. R. Rahman, he wrote songs such as “Tujhse Naraz Nahin Zindagi”, “Mera Kuchh Saamaan”, “Chaiyya Chaiyya” and “Kajra Re”. He shared the Academy Award and Grammy for “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire.
Director
As a director he made sensitive films about relationships, including Mere Apne (1971), Koshish (1972), about a deaf couple, Aandhi (1975), Mausam (1975), the comedy Angoor (1982), Ijaazat (1987) and Maachis (1996), about the Punjab insurgency. He also made the television series Mirza Ghalib.
Poet and honours
Gulzar writes poetry in Urdu and Hindustani and children’s literature. He received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002, the Padma Bhushan in 2004, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013 and the Jnanpith Award for 2023. He was married to actress Raakhee; their daughter Meghna Gulzar is a film director.
Timeline
-
1933
Born in Dina, Jhelum district, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan)
-
1963
First film song in Bandini
-
1971
Directs Mere Apne
-
1975
Aandhi and Mausam
-
1987
Ijaazat
-
1988
TV series Mirza Ghalib
-
2002
Sahitya Akademi Award
-
2004
Padma Bhushan
-
2009
Academy Award for “Jai Ho”
-
2013
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
-
2024
Jnanpith Award announced
Notable works
-
1963
Mora Gora Ang Lai Le Song
-
1975
Aandhi Film
As director.
-
1987
Ijaazat Film
As director.
-
1996
Maachis Film
As director.
-
2008
Jai Ho Song
With A. R. Rahman.
Awards and honours
-
Sahitya Akademi Award
2002
-
Padma Bhushan
2004
-
Academy Award for Best Original Song
2009 · “Jai Ho”.
-
Grammy Award
2010 · “Jai Ho”.
-
Dadasaheb Phalke Award
2013
-
Jnanpith Award
2024 · For 2023.
Did you know?
-
1
He once worked painting cars in a Bombay garage.
-
2
He is almost always seen dressed in white.
-
3
He directed a television series on Mirza Ghalib.
Connections
Related people
-
A. R. Rahman
Music · Composer and winner of two Academy Awards
Co-wrote “Jai Ho”
-
R. D. Burman
Film & TV · Film composer who modernised Hindi film music
Frequent composer
-
Mirza Ghalib
Literature · Urdu and Persian poet of the late Mughal era
Made a TV series about him
-
Asha Bhosle
Film & TV · Playback singer known for her versatility across eight decades
Sang “Mera Kuchh Saamaan”
Also born on 19 August
Frequently asked
Who is Gulzar?
Gulzar is a poet, lyricist, screenwriter and film director whose songs have been part of Hindi cinema for more than six decades. He directed films such as Aandhi and Ijaazat, won an Academy Award and a Grammy for “Jai Ho”, and received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award and the Jnanpith Award.
How old is Gulzar?
Gulzar is 93 years old, born on 19 August 1933 in Dina, Jhelum district, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan).
Where is Gulzar from?
Gulzar was born in Dina, Jhelum district, Punjab, British India (now Pakistan).
What is Gulzar known for?
Gulzar is best known for Lyrics for Hindi films; Aandhi, Mausam, Ijaazat, Maachis; co-writing “Jai Ho”.
What awards has Gulzar received?
Notable honours include Sahitya Akademi Award (2002), Padma Bhushan (2004), Academy Award for Best Original Song (2009), Grammy Award (2010).
References
- Gulzar — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Gulzar — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Gulzar — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Gulzar (Q468339) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Gulzar”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
Featured in
Literature
Indian writers every reader should know
From Ghalib’s ghazals to Arundhati Roy’s Booker-winning novel, a reader’s guide to some of India’s greatest writers.
27 October 2026
Music
The voices of Indian film music
From Lata Mangeshkar to Arijit Singh, these singers and composers created the soundtrack of Indian life.
27 October 2026
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Gulzar.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/gulzar
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Film & TV
Film & TV
Mohammed Rafi
Playback singer of Hindi cinema’s golden age
1924 – 1980
Film & TV
Asha Bhosle
Playback singer known for her versatility across eight decades
1933 – 2026
Film & TV
Shreya Ghoshal
Playback singer, voice of many of Hindi cinema’s best-loved songs
Born 1984
Film & TV
Ilaiyaraaja
Film composer who has scored more than a thousand films
Born 1943
Film & TV
Diljit Dosanjh
Punjabi singer and actor with a global following
Born 1984
Film & TV
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Playback singer who recorded songs in 16 languages
1946 – 2020