Nida Fazli
Muqtida Hasan Nida Fazli (12 October 1938 – 8 February 2016) was an Indian poet, lyricist, and dialogue writer who contributed significantly to Urdu and Hindi literature and Bollywood cinema.[1][2] Born in Delhi to a family with literary inclinations, Fazli developed an early interest in poetry, drawing from classical Urdu traditions while adopting a modern, accessible style that emphasized humanism and social observation.[1][3] His ghazals and nazms often explored themes of alienation, urban life, and existential introspection, gaining widespread popularity through recitations and publications.[4][5] Fazli's foray into film began in the 1970s, where he penned lyrics for over 40 movies, including notable songs in Sarfarosh (1999) and Dev (2004), blending poetic depth with cinematic appeal to enhance narrative emotional layers.[2][6] His dialogue work further extended his influence in Hindi cinema, prioritizing authenticity over ornamentation.[2] Among his accolades, Fazli received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1998 for his poetry collection Khoya Hua Sa Kuchh, recognizing his innovative fusion of traditional form with contemporary relevance, and the Padma Shri in 2013 for contributions to literature and arts.[4][2][5] He passed away in Mumbai from a heart attack at age 77, leaving a legacy as one of the last prominent voices bridging classical Urdu poetry with mass media.[4][7]Early Life and Education
Family and Upbringing
Nida Fazli, born Muqtada Hasan on October 12, 1938, in Delhi, came from a Kashmiri Muslim family with deep literary roots. His father, Murtaza Hassan—writing under the pen name Dua Dubaivi—was an Urdu poet whose work exposed Fazli to poetry from an early age, fostering his initial interest in verse amid a home environment steeped in cultural and intellectual pursuits.[1][7][8] Fazli spent much of his childhood in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, a city with a significant Hindu population where his family had relocated, attending local schools that included missionary institutions and immersing him in a multicultural setting.[1][7] This upbringing in a diverse locale, combined with his father's poetic influence, contributed to his early humanistic outlook, though specific details on his mother or other siblings beyond a brother named Ummeed Fazli remain sparsely documented.[1] The 1947 Partition profoundly disrupted his family life; at age nine, Fazli chose to remain in India, running away from home to avoid his family's migration to Pakistan—a decision driven by his opposition to division and admiration for figures advocating unity, such as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.[7][9][8] His parents eventually relocated to Pakistan years later, leaving Fazli to navigate an independent adolescence in India, which honed his self-reliance and reinforced his commitment to a secular identity unshackled from familial relocation pressures.[1][7]Formative Influences and Education
Nida Fazli, born Muqtida Hasan on October 12, 1938, in Delhi to a Kashmiri Muslim family, spent his formative years in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, where he completed his schooling.[10] His higher education included Master of Arts degrees in Urdu and Hindi from Vikram University in Ujjain, reflecting an early immersion in linguistic and literary traditions central to his poetic development.[1] [11] A key familial influence was his father, Murtaza Hassan, himself a poet who encouraged literary pursuits and later relocated the family to Bhopal after Fazli's graduation, exposing him further to regional cultural milieus.[1] [12] In his youth, Fazli developed a fascination for the devotional lyricism of bhakti poets such as Meera, Kabir, and Surdas, alongside classical Urdu masters like Mir and Ghalib, whose intricate ghazal forms shaped his command of meter and metaphor.[13] He broadened this foundation by engaging with Western authors, including T.S. Eliot for modernist introspection, Anton Chekhov for narrative subtlety, and Nikolai Gogol for satirical depth, blending Eastern humanism with global literary realism.[13] [14] These influences, drawn from both indigenous and international sources, fostered Fazli's eclectic style, prioritizing social observation over ornate convention, as evidenced in his early experiments with poetry amid post-Partition India's evolving identity.[15] No formal mentors are prominently documented, though his self-directed study of classical texts and contemporary realities underscored a commitment to empirical humanism over dogmatic adherence.[13]Professional Career
Initial Journalism and Literary Beginnings
In 1964, Nida Fazli moved to Mumbai seeking employment in writing and journalism, marking the start of his professional career.[16][2] He began contributing to established Hindi and Urdu periodicals, including Dharmayug under editor Dharmvir Bharati and Blitz edited by K.A. Abbas, where his pieces addressed social and literary topics.[17][1] This journalistic phase exposed Fazli to Mumbai's vibrant intellectual scene and allowed him to critique prevailing literary trends, occasionally drawing antagonism from established figures during his tenure at these outlets.[17] By 1969, Fazli transitioned into publishing his own literary works, releasing his first collection of Urdu poetry alongside Mulaqatein, a book of essays critically assessing poets of the era such as Sahir Ludhianvi, Ali Sardar Jafri, and Kaifi Azmi, which provoked backlash from those profiled for its candid evaluations.[18][2][19]Transition to Bollywood and Film Work
In 1964, Nida Fazli relocated to Mumbai to pursue opportunities in writing, initially facing financial hardships and contributing to publications such as Dharmayug and Blitz while seeking entry into the film industry.[2][20] His poetic reputation, built through Urdu ghazals and collections like Lafzon Ka Pul (1971), gradually drew attention from filmmakers amid the competitive landscape of Bollywood lyricists.[1] Fazli's debut contributions as a lyricist appeared in 1980 with songs for Aap To Aise Na The and Red Rose, marking his initial foray into Hindi cinema where he adapted his introspective Urdu style to film narratives.[2] These efforts were followed by lyrics for Yash Chopra's Nakhuda (1981), Harjaee (1981), and Anokha Bandhan (1982), establishing a foothold through collaborations that emphasized humanistic themes over commercial sensationalism.[21][2] A pivotal moment occurred with Kamal Amrohi's Razia Sultan (1983), where Fazli completed two songs after the original lyricist Jan Nisar Akhtar's death in 1976, amid the film's prolonged production; this assignment, leveraging his literary credentials, elevated his profile and led to sustained demand for his work in subsequent decades.[1][2] By the mid-1980s, he expanded into dialogue writing and screenplays, contributing to over 40 films while maintaining a preference for verses rooted in secular humanism rather than formulaic tropes prevalent in the era's "trashy" Bollywood output.[22]Poetic Style and Themes
Evolution of Poetic Style
Nida Fazli's early poetic endeavors, beginning in the 1950s during his youth in rural Uttar Pradesh, emulated the traditional Daagh School of Urdu ghazal, characterized by structured rhyme and rhythmic patterns influenced by his father's poetic inclinations.[23] This phase featured rural and small-town themes, drawing from personal nostalgia and local folk elements, as evident in unpublished early works before his first collection, Aawaz (1969).[23] [3] A pivotal shift occurred in the early 1960s following a personal tragedy and exposure to a bhajan, prompting Fazli to reject ornate, sophisticated Urdu traditions in favor of a simpler, colloquial diction closer to folk expression and everyday Hindi-Urdu vernacular.[23] [3] Upon relocating to Mumbai in 1964, his style incorporated protest elements and socio-political anger amid urban disillusionment, influenced by Marxist thought and critiques of earlier progressive poets like Sahir Ludhianvi, as articulated in his prose collection Mulaqatein (1969).[18] [23] Collections such as Mor Naach (1978) reflected this transitional phase, blending ghazal forms with emerging nazms and dohas that emphasized human contradictions and relational longing over classical Persian imagery.[18] In his mature phase from the 1980s onward, Fazli's poetry evolved toward humanism infused with Bhakti and Sufi motifs, prioritizing cosmic unity, nature's personification, and the motif of childhood as symbols of innocence and bewilderment in a fragmented world.[23] Later works, including Aankh Aur Khwab Ke Darmiyaan and Khoya Hua Sa Kuchh (1996), introduced experimental prose-poems and focused on ordinary lives, defying rigid categorization while maintaining accessibility across Urdu and Hindi audiences.[23] [18] This progression culminated in a style of elegant simplicity, as seen in film lyrics like "Kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahaan nahin milta" (1980), which mirrored broader thematic concerns of incompleteness and resilience without ornate symbolism.[18] [3]Core Themes in Poetry
Nida Fazli's poetry recurrently explores the imperfections and contradictions inherent in human existence, portraying life as an incomplete journey marked by unfulfilled aspirations and elusive completeness. A quintessential example is his couplet from the film Ahista Ahista (1981): "Kabhi kisi ko mukammal jahaan nahi milta / Kahin zameen to kahin aasmaan nahi milta," which underscores the fragmented nature of reality where wholeness remains unattainable.[24] This theme extends to the search for purpose amid adversity, emphasizing perseverance and hope as counterbalances to despair.[25] Central to his oeuvre is humanism, which prioritizes empathy, communal harmony, and the intrinsic value of everyday human connections over rigid dogma. Fazli advocated for secular values by blending religious motifs into universal appeals for compassion, as in "Ghar se masjid hai bahut door chalo, yun kar lein, usko god mein utha lein," from Tamanna (1997), where comforting a crying child supersedes ritual prayer, reflecting his belief that divinity resides in acts of kindness like a child's laughter.[7] [17] His works challenge fundamentalism by promoting a composite culture that transcends religious divides, evident in verses like "Chahay Geeta banchiye ya padhiye Quran," which affirm love's supremacy across faiths.[17] This humanistic lens critiques communalism while celebrating shared humanity, drawing from influences like Kabir and Meera to foster unity.[17] Human relationships form another pillar, delving into their subtleties—love's demands for courage, unspoken emotions, and inevitable separations. Love appears not as idealized romance but as a resilient force requiring effort, as in "Khairaat mein itni badi daulat nahi milti," implying it cannot be begged but must be earned through vulnerability.[25] Loneliness permeates his ghazals, often symbolized by silence and misunderstanding, such as "Aur woh samjhe nahi ye khaamoshi kya cheez hai," capturing the isolation in uncommunicated inner states.[25] These explorations extend to familial and societal bonds, including nostalgia for childhood innocence, where imagery of youth evokes sentimental loss and the passage of time.[24] Fazli's fascination with duniya (the world) portrays it as a deceptive yet enchanting illusion, blending wonder with transience to highlight modernity's tensions against tradition. Couplets like "Duniya jise kehte hain, jadoo ka khilona hai" depict existence as a fragile plaything, urging reflection on its ephemerality while bridging classical Urdu forms with contemporary vernacular.[26] His poetry thus reconciles heritage—echoing Ghalib and Mir—with modern disillusionment, using simple language to address the common person's empirical struggles, from education's role in shaping minds to the harmony of diverse traditions.[17] Collections such as Safar Mein Dhoop To Hogi and Mulaqat encapsulate these motifs, rendering profound philosophical inquiries accessible and resonant.[25]Social and Philosophical Views
Advocacy for Secularism and Humanism
Nida Fazli consistently advocated for secularism in Urdu literature, aligning with contemporaries like Intezar Hussain to promote a nuanced, non-sectarian approach amid rising communal tensions in India.[27] His commitment extended to public critiques of religion's politicization, where he questioned its exploitation for divisive ends while emphasizing shared human experiences over doctrinal divides.[17] Fazli's realism intertwined with secular principles, viewing them as essential for national cohesion, particularly in reflections on India's partition and governance.[28] Central to his humanism was a rejection of zealotry, as articulated in poetry prioritizing universal ethics: "Naam se Musalmaan hoon, dil se insaan hoon," which prioritizes inner humanity over nominal religious affiliation.[29] Influenced by Mirza Ghalib's distinction between mere existence and profound humaneness, Fazli sought beauty through anti-dogmatic inquiry, challenging rigid orthodoxies in favor of empathetic realism.[30][7] He championed Sufi traditions for liberating divinity from institutional confines, citing Kabir and Amir Khusro as exemplars of syncretic spirituality that transcended temple or mosque boundaries.[17] Fazli's oeuvre embodied Indian secularism through syncretic imagery, such as verses merging Krishna and Allah, symbolizing cultural unity against fragmentation.[31] Throughout his career, he fought religious bigotry, positioning humanism as a counter to fundamentalism and a foundation for equitable society.[32][33] This stance, rooted in first-hand observations of social inequities, informed his lyrics and prose, advocating wealth redistribution and inclusive nation-building unbound by faith.[27]Critiques of Communalism and Fundamentalism
Nida Fazli consistently critiqued communalism, viewing it as a politically manipulated division that exploited religious identities for power rather than reflecting inherent societal conflicts. He rejected the 1947 partition of India, arguing that religion served merely as a tool for political mobilization, not the root cause of separation, as evidenced by Muhammad Ali Jinnah's initial secular vision in his August 11, 1947, address to the Constituent Assembly.[34] In his poetry and public statements, Fazli highlighted how communal politics hijacked religious narratives, fostering hatred among Hindus, Muslims, and others, as in his couplet: "Koi Hindu, koi Muslim, koi Eisaai hai / Sabne mil kar humein barbaad kiya hai" (Some are Hindu, some Muslim, some Christian / Together they have ruined us), which underscores collective complicity in societal ruin through sectarianism.[35] Fazli's opposition extended to religious fundamentalism, which he saw as a distortion of spirituality into rigid dogma enforced by bigots. Drawing from Sufi traditions, he emphasized personal, humanistic interpretations of divinity—bringing "God out of religious books into the human heart"—while condemning fundamentalists for weaponizing faith against tolerance.[17] This stance manifested during the December 1992 communal riots following the Babri Masjid demolition, when Fazli, a Mumbai resident, sought refuge in a Hindu friend's home to evade violence, an experience that reinforced his writings on the human cost of riots incited by politicians.[36][37] His critiques were not abstract but rooted in advocacy for communal harmony, as seen in essays and recitations promoting unity over division, where he urged transcending narrow sectarianism amid rising fundamentalism.[24][38] Fazli maintained optimism in his verse despite these ills, using poetry to question vested interests' perversion of religion, though he avoided partisan alliances, prioritizing intellectual independence over political gain.[39] This approach aligned with his broader secular humanism, positioning him as a voice against both Hindu and Muslim extremism in post-independence India.[17]Major Works
Poetry and Prose Collections
Nida Fazli's literary output includes multiple volumes of Urdu poetry, primarily ghazals and nazms exploring themes of human longing, urban alienation, and existential reflection, alongside prose works comprising interviews, sketches, and autobiographical narratives. His debut poetry collection, Lafzon Ka Pul, published in 1969, established his early style rooted in personal introspection and linguistic innovation, drawing acclaim for its accessibility amid traditional Urdu forms.[1][2] Subsequent poetry collections expanded this foundation. Mor Naach (1978) featured ghazals emphasizing life's performative absurdities, while Aankh Aur Khwab Ke Darmiyan (1986) delved into the interstices of reality and illusion, including the titular ghazal later popularized in film.[40] Khoya Hua Sa Kuch (1996) reflected mature contemplations on loss and transience, compiling selected verses that resonated with readers for their understated emotional depth.[40] In prose, Fazli's Mulaqatain (1971) comprised interviews with prominent Urdu litterateurs, offering candid insights into their creative processes and sparking debate through its critical lens on mid-20th-century literary figures.[19][23] Autobiographical prose appeared in Deewaron Ke Beech (1992), the first installment chronicling his formative years and literary awakening, followed by Deewaron Ke Bahar (2000), which extended reflections on Mumbai's cultural milieu and personal evolution.[2] Additional prose volumes include Chehrey (2002), a series of literary sketches portraying contemporaries, and Shahr Mein Gaon (2012), essays juxtaposing rural nostalgia against urban modernity.[40]| Collection Type | Title | Publication Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poetry | Lafzon Ka Pul | 1969 | Debut ghazals on introspection |
| Poetry | Mor Naach | 1978 | Verses on life's absurdities |
| Poetry | Aankh Aur Khwab Ke Darmiyan | 1986 | Explorations of reality and dreams |
| Poetry | Khoya Hua Sa Kuch | 1996 | Themes of loss and transience |
| Prose | Mulaqatain | 1971 | Interviews with Urdu writers |
| Prose | Deewaron Ke Beech | 1992 | Autobiographical first part |
| Prose | Deewaron Ke Bahar | 2000 | Autobiographical continuation |
| Prose | Chehrey | 2002 | Literary sketches |
| Prose | Shahr Mein Gaon | 2012 | Essays on urban-rural contrast |
Film Lyrics and Dialogues
Nida Fazli wrote lyrics for over 350 songs in Hindi films, infusing them with his characteristic Urdu poetic sensibility that emphasized introspection, longing, and humanism rather than conventional romantic tropes.[41] His entry into Bollywood lyrics came with Aap To Aise Na The (1980), where he penned "Tu Is Tarah Se Mere Zindagi Mein," a poignant reflection on love's quiet integration into daily life, sung by Manhar Udhas and composed by Usha Khanna.[41] [42] This marked the beginning of contributions spanning decades, often for composers like Khayyam and A.R. Rahman, with songs that echoed ghazal traditions while suiting cinematic narratives.[43] Among his most acclaimed film songs are "Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya" from Sarfarosh (1999), a ghazal-style piece sung by Jagjit Singh that explores unrequited awareness of love's pain, earning widespread praise for its emotional depth.[44] [41] Another standout is "Kabhi Kisi Ko Mukammal Jahan Nahin Milta" from Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005), which philosophizes on life's incompleteness and human striving, rendered in a somber tone that aligned with the film's themes of memory and ethics.[41] "Aa Bhi Ja," also from Sarfarosh (1999) and nominated for a Filmfare Award, conveys desperate yearning through simple yet evocative verses, highlighting Fazli's skill in adapting poetry to melodic constraints.[41] These works often prioritized lyrical subtlety over mass appeal, contributing to their enduring playback popularity beyond theatrical runs.[45]| Film | Year | Notable Song(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Aap To Aise Na The | 1980 | "Tu Is Tarah Se Mere Zindagi Mein" |
| Sarfarosh | 1999 | "Hoshwalon Ko Khabar Kya," "Aa Bhi Ja" |
| Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara | 2005 | "Kabhi Kisi Ko Mukammal Jahan Nahin Milta" |