At a recent event, when asked if he was succumbing to the culture of writing populist songs, poet-lyricist Gulzar insisted that though his songs may be popular, the quality of his poetry remains top-notch

He quoted the example of the popular ‘Kallu maama’ from Ramgopal Varma’s Satya, saying that if someone bothered to dig deeper, the lyrics delve into the psyche of the gangster and, if and when he sings, it would be odd if he spouted pure Urdu instead of colloquial street-speak. This is what fans love best about Gulzar – the ease with which he adapts to the subject and comes up with lyrics that transcend words to become poetry and yet manage to be simple, with delightful metaphors. Click here to read more