Gulzar is the pen name of Sampoorna Singh Kalra, who changed the look of hindi cinema with his realistic films Mere Apne, Parichay, Koshish, Achanak, Khusboo, Mausam, Angoor, Libaas, Maachis, Hu Tu Tu and also directed television series Mirza Ghalib starring Nasserudin Shah which broadcasted on Doordarshan has turned 86 today
He also gave a tremendous contribution in composing lyrics of some of the all the favorites songs like Lakdi ki kaathi, kaathi pe ghoda(Sadma), Jungle jungle baat chali hai, tap tap topi topi, Satrangi re( Dil se), Naam Ada Likhna, Teri Bina Beswadi( Guru), Dil to Baccha Hai ji( Ishqiya), Pehli Baar Mohabbat(Kaminey), Tere Bina Zindagi se Koi Shikhwa to nahi, Thoda Hai Thode Ki zaroorat hai, Tujhse Naraz Nahi Zindagi and still contributing in the screenplay writing ot lyrics of the contemporary hindi cinema.
He has been awarded with a total of 35 awards and honours with receiving 5 National Film Awards, 21 Filmfare Awards, 1 Academy Award for Best Original Song, 1 Grammy Award , Sahitya Academy Award for Urdu, Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke Award.
He is known as a renowned poet as well of Urdu and Punjabi with a knowledge of dialects of Hindi such as Braj Bhasha, Khariboli, Haryanvi and Marwari. He has published his poems in three compilations- Chand Pukhraj Ka, Raat Pashminey Ki and Pandrah Paanch Pachattar. Even his short stories are published in Raavi-paar (also known as Dustkhat in Pakistan) and Dhuan (smoke).
