Intiha e imtihaan

Maine ek baar phir raat se sabr ki mohlat maangi hai

Inteha-e-imtihaan ki aazmaish shayad abhi baaqi hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Apna hi paraya hai

Jo apna hai vahi to paraya hai

Zindagi par maut ka saaya hai 

#FaridoonShahryar

Aam hi khaas hai

Jo aam hai vahi to khaas hai 

Khwaab ko tootne ki aas hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Kambakht Zameer

Nafrat ki tijarat tajveez karte hain mere aziz dost 

Kya karen, kambakht zameer, deewangi par amada hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Dard se unsiyat

Dil todne ke liye shukriya 

Ab dard se unsiyat si hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Raaz

Roshni ne kiya hai ab ye faisla 

Jo sar-e-aam hai, vahi to raaz hai 

#FaridoonShahryar

Sabr ki mohlat

Maine ek baar phir raat se sabr ki mohlat maangi hai

Inteha-e-imtihaan ki aazmaish shayad abhi baaqi hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Sanjeeda si kuch yaadein

Sanjeeda si kuch yaadein 

A Nazm for Aarefa's birthday 

Sanjeeda si kuch yaadein 

Baatein mulaqatein

Har lamha beshkheemti 

Din ho ya ratein 

Ankhon mein jazb 

jazbaaton ka kinara 

Kashti ko meri, ho saahil ka sahara

Sanjeeda si kuch yaadein 

Baatein mulaqatein

Samandar ki tarah 

Vasi nuqta nazar

Bin kahe bhi ho jaye kuch aisa asar 

Khwabon ki taabeer ho 

Tum hi se hai haseen safar

Sanjeeda si kuch yaadein 

Baatein mulaqatein

Poet Journalist Faridoon Shahryar

Poet-journalist Faridoon Shahryar

By Mohammed Wajihuddin

Faridoon Shahryar is four years younger to me. I am 50, he is 46. By the time I took baby steps in the world of print by writing letters to editors of English dailies in Patna and elsewhere, he was already getting his poems published in literary journals in India and abroad.

While I sat with a typist to get my missives typed—I later learnt typing at a training institute which came to immense help when I entered journalism—Faridoon would sit with a typist at Shamshad Market at Aligarh to get his poems typed before posting them to publications in the UK and the USA. Those were pre-internet days and many youngsters cannot believe it took 10 days for a letter to reach England.  

Son of renowned Urdu poet Shahryar—his lyrics in Muzaffar Ali's Umrao Jaan and Gaman got him wide acclaim—and English teacher at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Najma Mahmood, Faridoon grew up in an intellectually vibrant atmosphere. Abandoning the idea of becoming an engineer, he took admission in BA (English literature) and read almost everything that he could lay his hands on. While boys and girls his age on the campus were glued to TV, he shut himself away from the idiot box, devouring books with a dictionary, his constant companion. "I began thinking in English. So English was never an alien language to me. I began learning English idioms and metaphors voluminously as I read voraciously. Writing poetry came to me naturally," he tells me over sips of Cappuccino at a Café Coffee Day joint in Mira Road, a Mumbai suburb. By 21, his poems had been published in literary journals with famous poets like Kamala Das, Shiv K Kumar and Tabish Khair. But then writing poetry alone cannot sustain you. He had to find a profession to earn bread and butter. Since he loved writing in English, journalism was the right choice to move to.

He had a great start as a journalist. A training course at Times School of Journalism in Delhi is supposed to open doors for the truly enterprising and hardworking students. His pieces on culture, music and arts did appear in feature pages of the TOI. While interning with the now long-defunct fortnightly 'Nation & The World' published from a floor at a beautiful Bungalow in Nizamuddin West, New Delhi, I remember seeing Faridoon's pieces in the Sunday Review, the glossy, good weekly supplement of the Sunday Times of India. Nation & The World too had carried some of his poems and I envied him for that. I thought he was destined to reach the top in print journalism.  

However, he got besotted with cinema and he got drawn to film journalism. It brought him to Mumbai where he went on to create a hungama as content head at Bollywood Hungama, a digital media entertainment platform. It has catapulted him to huge recognition. Moving with the movers and shakers of the tinseltown, the tall, handsome (result of regular exercise) boy in the golf cap knows the industry like the back of his palm. Many stars are on his speed dial (caution: don't approach him for anyone's contact or with a request of introduction. You will be disappointed).

To be on Faridoon's show is a privilege, and a ticket to instant publicity, which no stars or starlets, directors, music directors or lyricists can afford to miss. His work has taken him to all corners on the planet--Busan today, Bali tomorrow, Bangkok the day after. He has grabbed so many awards and citations from film and entertainment organisations in India and abroad that I once joked:"Faridoon, you need to get a separate house to keep all those awards and citations."

That he has just come out with 'Dust of Sadness' (Kavishala), his first poetry collection, is no surprise to me. He had to come out with an anthology; the surprise is why it took so long for someone who began writing poetry so early (he wrote 'Echo of expectations' at 19 and says it has withstood the test of time). Sample these lines from the poem:

'An echo of expectations,

Resonates profusely

In a dim-lit room

A shadow of dreams

Saunters along,

Halting briefly

To move again,

Lost in its reverie.

It is a sin to expect,

The voiceless screams.

The sleek book is divided into two parts. The first section named 'Innocence…in search of maturity' carries poems penned between 17-21 years of his life. The second section named 'Maturity…in search of an escape includes poems written when he was between 37-42. Penned with great passion, the poems show the empathy, the concern he carries for the world. Creative minds find catharsis in their creations. Writing a poem, an essay, you feel a rush of creative juices with therapeutic impact. A poet is restless unless he has poured his heart out and taken the burdens, he carries off his chest. Faridoon is no stranger to this syndrome.

Of late, he has begun doing something that was a bit unexpected from a full-time journalist. He decided to record interviews with some of the living legends of Urdu literature. Before death took litterateur Shamsur Rahman Farooqui away from us, Faridoon had captured some of his thoughts on life and letters for posterity. He watches his guests' lectures and interviews innumerable times on YouTube before he poses his own questions to the legends. He employed the same technique while interviewing the likes of Iftikhar Aarif and Gopi Chand Narang. Result: immensely enjoyable interviews on videos. They will help future historians of Urdu literature read the minds of these great writers, poets and critics before they write their own books.

Age is on Faridoon's side. So is his indefatigable enthusiasm to interact with people of ideas. We expect  more books from him. And not just poetry collections. An insightful book, based on his own interactions with people in Bollywood, is a sure shot bestseller. Once he ghost wrote a book for someone else and was paid handsomely. It is time to write his own book in prose.

(This write up was published on Times of India's senior journalist Mr Mohammad Wajihuddin 's Facebook page) 

Khamoshi se mukhatib

Khamoshi se mukhatib 

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Khamosh ne khamoshi se 

Mukhatib ho kar 

Ankhon hi ankhon 

Mein kuch kaha to hoga 

Larazti zubaan 

Sookhe hont

Chehre par

Havaiyon ki bahaar,

Ek aur cheekh 

Phir dafn hui.

Vahshat Mubarak Ho

Vahshat mubarak ho 

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Khud parasti mein mubtala

Kuch log ghar se jab nikle

Dara sahma sannata 

Muskurane ki koshish mein 

Nakaam sa laga voh 

Yeh vahshat unhe mubarak ho 

Mazloomiyat jaama pahne jo

Darindon mein shaamil hain

Behisi ke haamil hain

Khwaab aadat

Haadson ke samandar mein dooba nahin hoon main 

Khwaab aadat se, abhi bhi, gurezan nahin hoon main

#FaridoonShahryar

Main Mohabbat Hoon: A Nazm for Shah Rukh Khan

Main Mohabbat Hoon: A Nazm for Shah Rukh Khan 

By Faridoon Shahryar

Jab vo dhoond rahe thhe

Tumhare maathe ki shikan ke nishanat

Khamoshi ko odhe 

Tehzeeb ke daayre 

Ko adab se salaam karte hue Tum dheeme se muskuraye 

Hont thartharaye 

Aur tum ne kaha 

Main mohabbat hoon

Sirf mohabbat.

Mausam ka mizaaj

Mausam ka mizaaj

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Mausam ke mizaaj 

Ko tasleem kar 

Aur ghul ja 

Aalam ki majboori mein

Doori na bana

Khwabon ki taabeer 

Mein hikmat talaash kar

Matlabi hone mein 

Hoshiyari nahin 

Halaat ki zaroorat hai

Zameer se kaho...

So jao!

Khuda Hafiz

Khuda Haafiz 

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Pehle yaqeen karte thhe 

Yaaron par bharosa aam thha

Ab ye aalam hai,intizar karte hain

Kab kis dost ka nazariya 

What's app ki sachchai se

Maazi aur mustaqbil 

Par savalia nishaan khada karte 

Khamoshi iqtiyar kar

Bina kahe, kahega..

Khuda Haafiz!

Akela aasmaan

Karvaan tha josh mein, hosh mein na tha junoon 

Akela hai aaj aasmaan, ilzaam mein kisko doon

#FaridoonShahryar

Soti hui himmat

Soti hui himmat

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Jab maine 

Tumhe apne 

Dard se waqfiyat

Karaane ka

Daawatnama diya,

Achcha hua ki 

Tumne darwaaza

Mere mooh par 

Band kar diya 

Dil hi to hai

Toota sa hi to hai

Behla lenge 

Mana lenge

Jaga lenge 

Soti hui himmat

Aur phir....

Mausam ka mizaaj

Mausam ka mizaaj

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Mausam ke mizaaj 

Ko tasleem kar 

Aur ghul ja 

Aalam ki majboori mein

Doori na bana

Khwabon ki taabeer 

Mein hikmat talaash kar

Matlabi hone mein 

Hoshiyari nahin 

Halaat ki zaroorat hai

Zameer se kaho...

So jao!

Jo bhi hua achcha hua

Jo bhi hua achcha hua

Nazm by Faridoon

Mujhe shayad tumhari zaroorat thi 

Tumhe shayad meri zaroorat ki qadar na thi

Jo bhi hua achcha hi hua shayad 

Dil ko bahla bhi liya 

Aur tasalli bhi hui 

Tanhai hai ki 

Andheri raat mein

Roshni ki maanind 

Chamakne se baaz kyun nahin aati

Haasil hai kya

Haasil hai kya

Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Afsos mana kar 

Aasoo baha kar 

Haasil hua hai kya

Khamosh hoon main

Beniyaz ho tum

Sunsaan hai mustaqbil

Sadak par qaatil 

Khuli hai chhoot 

Kuch bhi haasil nahin

Faisla shayad yahi hai Khuda ka

Ek naya marhala

Seher hai hi nahin mere daaman mein 

Raat ne phir faraham kiya ek naya marhala

#FaridoonShahryar

Aakhri mod

Aakhri mod

Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Shajar ka saaya ghana tha lekin 

Zindagi ko aakhri mod lena hi tha 

Mere aansoo jazb kar na payega 

Andhere se kaho samandar lekar aaye

Karaboar I junoon

Karobar-i-junoon mein masroof hoon main

Zindagi ka pata shayad mil gaya hai mujhe 

#FaridoonShahryar

Shor ka sannata

Shor ka sannaata

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Raat ke is peher kya sochta hoga ye sannata

Ummeed ka koi bhi aasra kyun nazar nahin aata

Sharminda hoon ki cheekhta kyun nahin main

Shor mere wajood se door kyun nahin jaata

Sukoon ka taaqub

Ilzaam ye hai ki koi gunaah nahin hai

Rishta hi bus mera apne aap se nahin hai

Sukoon ka taaqub hai ek nayaab marhala

Jung mein tadapna hai, marna nahin hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Zindagi se rubaroo

Mohlat mili hai ek baar phir zindagi se rubaroo hone ki 

Besakhta bahe ja rahi hai deewangi mere chaaaron taraf

#FaridoonShahryar

Rihayee

Josh-e-jashn mein vo baat nahin 

Maza afsurda sa kyun hai, rihaaee ka

#FaridoonShahryar

Majboori si lagi

Maine koshish to bahut kari tumhaari nazron mein uthne ki 

Afsos ae dost, har koshish tumhen meri majboori si lagi

#FaridoonShahryar

Fareb ki dastaan

Ye mohabbat ke daave, ye wafa ka junoon 

Deewane ne fareb ki dastaan kya khoob sunai

#FaridoonShahryar

Hijrat ki shartein

Kashti ko kinara nahin samandar chhahiye 

Hijrat ki sabhi shartein manzoor hain hamein

#FaridoonShahryar

Kashmakash

Numaya na ho mere dil ka haal

Yahi kashmakash meri zindagi hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Sharmsaar

Jinhe hum kahte rahe ke yahi to sirf apne hain

Vahi dost hamein paraya karte sharmsaar na hue 

#FaridoonShahryar

Talkhiyan

Talkhiyan jazb hui hain mere mizaaj mein yun

Tapti ret mein paanv ke chhaale koi gine kaise 

#FaridoonShahryar

Anjaan Sehar

Jis sehar ka intizaar karte aankhen bojhal huin

Vo subah ab anjaan si lagti kyun hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Khauff ka qahar

Beshkheemti aasoo

Nai zindagi ki subah ka khair makhdam hai

Jo aansoo raat bahe thhe, vo beshkheemti thhe

#FaridoonShahryar

Khaaka-e-Mukammal

Muntazir hoon manzar-e-nayaab ka 

Khaaka-e-mukammal kuch adhoora sa hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Kiraaye ki jeet

Shubah hai tumhe meri wafa par shayad 

Kyun manaoon jashn main, kiraaye ki jeet ka 

#FaridoonShahryar

Zom hai zahanat ka

Zom hai zahanat ka, fikr hai zamaane ki 

Hijaab zulmaton par hai, zikr hai karnamon ka

#FaridoonShahryar

Ae hamnafas

Ae humnafas, wafa ki intiha maangtey ho 

Mujh hi se mere hone ki wajah maangte ho 

Saanson ka, dil ke dhadakne ka, sabab kya hai

Ahl-e-mohabbat ka tum hisaab maangte ho 

#FaridoonShahryar

Mohtaaj nahin

Meri pehchaan kisi aur ki mohtaaj nahin 

Manzilen mil hi jaati hain aksar deewanon ko

#FaridoonShahryar

Chalo Saham Jaayen

Bahut shor hai, aandhiyon ka daur hai 

Chalo khamoshi ikhtiyaar kar sahem jaayen hum 

#FaridoonShahryar

Tahaffuz

Unse tahaffuz ki tavaqqo hum kya karen 

Jo apne ghar ko khud hi dhuaan kar baithe 

#FaridoonShahryar

Ilm ka junoon

Unhe ilm hai ki tumhe ilm ka junoon hai 

Tavajjo ki shabnam se is raat ko tarr kar do

#FaridoonShahryar

Wafaat ka intizaam

Meri wafaat ka intizaam hi tumhara junoon tha

Qismat to dekho, tum yahan bhi nakamayab nikle 

#FaridoonShahryar 

Achche na bano

Zyada achche na bano is jahannum mein 

Jeete jee marne ka ranj to bahut hoga 

#FaridoonShahryar

Maazi ka samandar

Meri shanakht

Meri shanakht kya hai, ye tum kya jaano

Is safar mein tanz rahbar rahe hain aksar 

#FaridoonShahryar

Mohabbat kya hai

Dars dete hain hamein wafaadari par

Jinhe ye pata nahin, mohabbat kya hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Aakhri shab

Aakhri shab par pahra hai kiraaye daaron ka 

Makaan maalik ghar bechne par aamaada sa hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Wafa ka saboot

Apne khwabon ko dafn kar chuke hain 

Aur wafa ke saboot na maango ae dost

#FaridoonShahryar

Thama hua pahar

Is raat ki sehar ka intizaar fizool hai 

Ye aisa pehar hai jo tham sa gaya hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Begaangi ka fasaana

Samajhdaari se sangat sayanon ki fitrat

Jahalat ki qismat, begangi ka fasaana

#FaridoonShahryar

Barbaadi ka mansooba

Meri barbaadi ka mansooba dil mein liye

Gaanv tum apna jala baithe ho ae dost 

#FaridoonShahryar

Ishtihaar

Jab tum kisi ki jaan bachane mein masroof thhe

Vo apna ishtihaar sajaane mein mashghool tha

#FaridoonShahryar

Sab rafu ho jayega

Silvatein maathe par rah jaayen shaayad 

Baaqi sab kuch rafu ho hi jayega

#FaridoonShahryar

Pardadaari ka saleeqa

Tum kitne saleeqe se pardadari ki rasm nibha rahe ho 

Sach ko jhooth ka aaina baqoobi se dikhla rahe ho

#FaridoonShahryar

Sapnon ka aabshaar

Mahaul khushgawar  hai, barkha hai bahaar hai

Nuktachini kare koi kyun, sapnon ka aabshaar hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Jashn-e-vahshat

Jashn-e-vahshat zaroor raas aayega 

Tumhe aata hi nahin insaan hona 

#FaridoonShahryar

Cheekhen dafn hain

Ye raat itni khamosh si kyun hai dost

Kya cheekhen dafn hain sannate mein?

#FaridoonShahryar

Himmat nahin rahi

Waqt ki aazmaish se haare to nahin hum 

Himmat nahin rahi bus, aur kya kahen hum

#FaridoonShahryar

Nasamajh chahne waale

Chalo phir se vahi purani tarkeeb aazmai jaaye 

Chahne waale naraaz sahi, nasamajh bhi to hain

#FaridoonShahryar

Saakit lamha

Ye saakit lamha bus mera apna sa hai

Andheron ne dekha hai mujhe muskurate hue

#FaridoonShahryar

Aakhri shab par pahra

Aakhri shab par pahra hai kiraaye daaron ka 

Makaan maalik ghar bechne par aamaada sa hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Sab ghalat, main sahi

Sab ghalat, main sahi, bus itna sa farmaan hai 

Mil ke aao baat karen, tum suno, main kahoon

#FaridoonShahryar

Mukammal

Tum apna sarmaya mujhse chhupa lo, ye tumhari marzi, 

Mera wajood bus tumhare ahsaas se mukammal hai

#FaridoonShahryar 

Besukooni ke saaye

Sitam kya khoob in havaon ne dhaaye hain

Had-e-nigaah tak besukooni ke saaye hain

#FaridoonShahryar

Nafrat mujhe raas na aayi

Nafrat mujhe raas na aai

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Jo tum chaahte thhe

Bilkul vaise hi hua

Main apne saaye se

Besakhta juda hua

Aks meri mohabbat ka

Peeche chhod aaya hoon

Maaf karna 

Nafrat mujhe raas na aai

Gul-e-tehzeeb

Gul-e-tehzeeb ki khushbu sab ko mayassar ho

Is chaman-e-hasrat ko chalo sanvaara jaaye

#FaridoonShahryar

Hairatzada himaqat

Nasamajh kahoon ya ahmaq tumhe 

Hairatzada himaqat sadme mein hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Muradon ka janaaza

Ek majma sa laga hai iradon ka

Janaza uthne ko hai muradon ka

#FaridoonShahryar

Zavaal

Ye to bus jhaanki hai

Zavaal abhi baakhi hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Chup chaap

Chup chaap

Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Khanjar se na poocho

Marham kaun lagayega

Ankhon ka pyala

Khaali ho jayega 

Afsos na karna 

Unhe phir bhi

Taras na aayega 

Bus yuhin 

Cheentiyon ki tarah

Line bana kar

Chalte rahna

Chup chaap

Chup chaap

Chup chaap.

Jahalat ki qismat

Samajhdaari se sangat sayanon ki fitrat

Jahalat ki qismat, begangi ka fasaana

#FaridoonShahryar

Fizool

Is raat ki sehar ka intizaar fizool hai 

Ye aisa pehar hai jo tham sa gaya hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Tum se hi seekha hai

Tum mere khwabon par zaroor yaqeen rakhna

Tum se hi seekha hai pankh phelana maine

#FaridoonShahryar

Sailaab ki peshengoi

Aansoo kamzor nahin hain

Ye sailaab ki peshengoi hain

#FaridonShahryar

Lamha e Aziz

Aaj ki raat neend se samjhauta mushkil hai 

Naghma-e-zindagi hai lamha-e-aziz

#FaridoonShahryar

Savalia nishaan

Savalia Nishaan

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Naam ke fitoor mein 

Bhediyon ka jashn ye

Azm ka gumaan hai 

Waqt ki kamaan mein 

Teer koi raha nahin 

Wajood jiska tha nahin

Wahi to bus azeem hai

Mustaqbil ka aaina bus

Ek savaliya nishaan hai

Sone na diya

Socha zaroor tha jaldi so jaoonga 

Khwabon ne mere mujhe sone na diya 

#FaridoonShahryar

Zeher

Koi to hai jo sochta hoga shaayad

Fiza mein itna zeher ghula kyun hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Fitrat

Sharaait manzoor nahin mujhe

Fitrat mein meri zanjeerein nahin hain

#FaridoonShahryar

Khushbu ka gumaan

Khushbu ka gumaan

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Talqiyon ne sharminda 

Kuch is tarah kiya

Murjhaaye phoolon

Mein khushbu ka 

Gumaan bhi na raha

Aansuon mein 

Doobi hui kyariyan

Mitti ki nami se 

Khaufzada hain

Yahan bus khoon hai

Aur..

Saaya paraya hua

Saaya paraya hua

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Sitam ki raat 

Tezab liye 

Sar par 

Musallat hai

Darwaaza khola

Dilasa diya 

Aur phir 

Dost ne 

Ahsaan ka

Haath kuch

Aisi berahmi 

Se badhaya

Jaise Saaya

Paraya hua

Afsos, dil 

Kisi apne ne 

Ek baar phir 

Toda hai.

Dard

Barf ki tahon ke neeche 

Dard besakhta zinda hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Saaya e tahaffuz

Aitmaad khud pe jaise na raha 

Saaya-e-Tahaffuz sharmsaar hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Husn ho tum

Manzilon ne raaston se kaha

Husn ho tum, main hoon saaya

#FaridoonShahryar

Ae dost gham na kar

Ae dost gham na kar

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Ae dost gham na kar

Lambi hai dukh ki raat

Chubhte hain zakhm

Zahanat hai sharminda 

Darindgi hi hai bus zinda

Aansoo na thamenge 

Na hogi samajhdari ki baat

Phir bhi main yahi kahoonga

Ae dost gham na kar

Ae dost gham na kar

Manimugdha Sharma ke liye

Siyaah raat ki siyaahi

Siyaah raat ki sihayi se insaaf likha jayega 

Jo hota aaya hai phir se dohraya jayega 

#FaridoonShahryar

Ghairon ki wafa

Apno ne na sahi, ghairon ne wafa ki hai

Saath mazloomon ka na diya to kya jiye

#FaridoonShahryar

Nafrat ki fasal

Ghuroor ki mitti mein zulm boya tha

Nafrat ki fasal tayyar hai, mubarak ho

#FaridoonShahryar

Pardaadaari ke maahireen

Pardaadaari ke mahireen

Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Wafadaari ka hisaab 

havaon se maangte hain 

Ret ko mutthi mein

Bund karna 

Baqoobi jaante hain 

Khareed farokht ke maahireen 

Zameer ko 

Bikao maante hain 

Qadardaan

Pardaadaari karna 

Apna farz maante hain.

Kifayat shaari

Izhaar-e-mohabbat mein kifayat shaari

Sahal zindagi yun dushvaar si hoti gayi

#FaridoonShahryar

Sailaab

Aansoo kamzor nahin hain

Ye sailaab ki peshengoi hain

#FaridonShahryar

Rai bikti hai

Rai bikti hai 

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Khareedar 

Bhook ki jholi mein

Khwaab ka chaand

Ugaana jaante hain

Jab koi marta hai

Koi darta hai

Rai bikti hai

Maqbool hoon main

Hukummraan kahta hai

Aansuon ki laash dhako

Naare lagao

Khushi manao

Jashn ka lamha hai

So jao.

Teergi mein lipte ranj

Raat ka ikhtilaaf os ne kuch aise khatm kiya

Teergi mein lipte runj bus yunhi beh gaye

#FaridoonShahryar

Mushkil hai

Mushkil Hai

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Mushkil hai 

Ye lamha 

Us lamhe ki yaad mein 

Jo mujhpe 

Abhi tak 

Beeta hi nahin 

#FaridoonShahryar

Khule aasmaan ka chaand

Khule aasmaan ka chaand

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Naye lafzon ki talaash  

 Andheron mein roshni ke noor ki darkhwast

Afsurdgi se jung 

Bund kamre mein 

Khule aasman ka chaand 

Manzil-e-maqsood

Manzil-e-maqsood

Manzil-e-maqsood

Achcha hua

Achcha hua, achchai muskurai bahut hai aaj

Buraai apni mohabbat mein bus rusva si hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Afsos hai

Afsos hai

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Toofan sa hai barpa

Saanson mein junoon

Labon pe gaali

Haathon mein sailaab.

Afsos hai 

Hona bhi chahiye

Palat kar dekho

Kaanon se rui

Aur dil se mael nikalo.

Afsos hai ki

Tumhe afsos 

Kyun nahin hota

Raat ka doobta lamha

Raat ka doobta lamha

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Coffee ki miqdar 

Kuch zyada thi, 

Ya mustaqbil se 

Ghairzaroori aashnai ki

Nakaam koshish

Raat ke is 

Doobte lamhe mein

Mobile ki roshni

Mere andhere se

Muqatib hai

Koi baat nahin

Koi Baat Nahin

A Nazm by Faridoon Shahryar

Muhaafiz koi nahin 

Koi baat nahin 

Safar mein mod hai

Koi baat nahin 

Aankhon mein 

Aansoo hi to hain

Koi baat nahin.

Shamsur Rahman Faroqui: End of an Era!

The inevitable happened today. Farouqi uncle passed away in Allahabad. He was 85. Apart from being one of the greatest literary figures in the world, he was a very very fine human being. I am sure as you shall read the hundreds and thousands of obituaries about him, anyone and everyone will surely write about the warmth and loving nature of this giant of a man. 

It is a personal loss for me. He read my english poems when I was 20 and told me that you write well but your imagery is similar to your father. You can make a mark for yourself as a Poet if you manage to say something different from your father. It has been a struggle but I've always tried to follow his advice. The world will say what it has to say but my endeavour is to make a name of my own other than the illustrious name of Abba. And I shall always be indebted to Farouqi uncle for showing me the mirror instead of simply giving a regular feedback to my work. Today I am confident that I am finding a niche for myself as a poet of consequence. 

During the lockdown I discovered his genius like never before. I started watching all his literary sessions, interviews and documentaries on youtube. I was so hooked on to his words that I ended up watching all his sessions multiple number of times. In fact some of the interviews have been watched by me 15-20 times till I knew each word said by him by heart. I spoke to him a few times during the lockdown and expressed my gratefulness. I am glad that I could manage to do that. 

He said in a literary session that a poet has to be clever in terms of using his/her emotions to write something that has artistry as well as a profound meaning. He emphasised on 'meaning' in poetry rather than mere word play meant to get wah wahs in the mushairas. He stressed on the importance of 'lack of sentimentality' in Art and why one should never 'judge' a poet based on his personal life.  

One of the most fascinating aspects of his personality was his magical appeal as a communicator. He explained the most complicated notions of critical analysis by making it extremely entertaining and conversational. Just watch his videos on youtube and you shall be hooked to his artistry with conversation and massive reservoir of knowledge. 

I can go on and on writing about Farouqi uncle because I have rarely respected a man the way I respect him. He has guided me in the past and his words will continue to guide me in the future. 

Rest in peace Farouqi uncle. 

No one can take your place. Ever!

Why 2020 was the best year of my life

I had never thought that I'd end up respecting 2020 as the finest year of my life. It has been a tough year for everyone and to all those who've experienced tragedies, you deserve all the empathy in the world. To all those who've struggled professionally, may 2021 open up better possibilities for you. Let me share a few points why I consider 2020 as the best year of my life. 

The year started off on a horrible note. The manufactured hatred and the uncertainty of identity tore me apart. Delhi riots broke me from within. Something died in me maybe for ever. The trust was lost and the vulnerability shook me from within. Covid Lockdown happened and the world changed, maybe for ever. 

Let me explain how 2020 turned out to be the most amazing year for me professionally. In late March it dawned on me that Covid madness is definitely going to stretch beyond the stipulated 21 day lockdown period. I requested Anubhav Sinha for a what's app video call interview. The interview turned out nicely and suddenly there was work for our team. Two of our team members volunteered to edit videos on their lap top. We started experimenting. A what's app call video interview with Armaan Malik didn't turn out as per the plan. The video was recorded but there was no audio. We did the interview again and thankfully the results were positive this time. We experimented with Skype interview with Sonu Nigam who was in Dubai where what's app audio or video calling isn't allowed. We have experimented with technology right through the year with success and some level of failure. 

We moved on to doing instagram live interviews with stars. Two of the editors had started editing on their mobile phone by then. So four of our video editors were functional. I was doing 2-4 instagram live chats on a daily basis. We had work even on the weekend. It was a blessing to have work when the whole world was grappling with the new reality. 

Initially big stars were not willing to do interviews but I persisted in approaching them. Some interviews took months to materialise but when they finally happened, the response was big. The movies started releasing online and the stars were readily available. We moved on to Zoom call recorded interviews. We were constantly learning new things in this new world. Technology proved to be a big boon. I was doing interviews left right and centre. Some of the interviews were okayed because we felt it will help us get a good response in terms of video views. Some were okayed because, more interviews meant adequate work for the team members working from their homes. We were backing each other. Empathy connected us. 

I've done interviews in unusual circumstances. I did an interview with Ishaan Khattar, Ram Kapoor and Vijay Varma while I was on the way to #Kedarnath. We stopped over at a dhaba and got lucky with the 4G speed. At the Kochi airport yesterday, I did an interview with Saif Ali Khan. The 4G connectivity at fast.com showed 39 MBPS speed and I was overjoyed. Smooth sailing. 

Now I have a green screen at home and we are experimenting with virtual backgrounds. My One Plus 7 Mobile Phone has been one of my best friends in 2020. I've done over 350 virtual interviews since March. I am a perfect candidate for endorsing One Plus 7 now. I am serious :) 

All of us have heard people talk about wearing presentable clothes on top and wearing shorts or boxers during Zoom call meetings since they've been at home. I had interviewed Sharat Kataria a few years back post the success of his directorial venture #DumLagaKeHaisha. He had told me that during his struggle phase, he followed a set routine. He woke up at a set time each day and wore proper work clothes including socks and shoes and moved to another room in his house (that had been designated as his office) where he wrote all day. I followed the same for my work pattern. I wore jeans, t shirt/ shirt and even shoes during the interviews as it gave me a professional feel and a sense of purpose. I changed t shirts/shirts for each interview. The library in our house has turned into a studio by now. There are two tripods, a light, green screen and a desktop. 

Sushant Singh Rajput unfortunately passed away in June and Bollywood went into a crisis. Suddenly there was a lot of interest in all my interviews with Sushant. Every single interview was shared, small clips flooded my instagram. A reach of1.5 million for my instagram account @ifaridoon for several weeks baffled me. A few journalists were being criticised for writing gossipy blind items on Sushant. Thankfully I have always stayed away from this gossip form of journalism and hence the trust factor amongst Bollywood fans in me was feverish. The amount of respect that has come my way during the last few months has motivated me to continue pursuing credible journalism. Entertainment journalism is much more than merely salacious gossip. 

The hardships of the year taught me to be an even better listener. The anguish and the pain that I experienced in the first three months due to a sense of betrayal, organically channelised itself into empathy for people with whom I came in contact with. Through the virtual mode, with no one (other than the celebrity whom I was talking to) between us, I noticed the celebs opened up like never before. Mental health was a key issue. The better side of everyone, the sorrows, the troubled past...I was absorbing so many stories. It made me feel better as a human being. 

On the personal front, there were some important changes in my life. I started offering Namaz five times a day. I believe Wazoo (5 times a day) has helped me immensely in keeping my hygiene in top condition and has boosted immunity too (hopefully). Namaaz has helped me understand myself a lot better. Ammi Najma Mahmood told me to seek for forgiveness and extend gratitude to Allah in each Namaaz during Dua. I guess we demand and complain too much rather than thanking and saying sorry. Humility is everything. 

 I kept all the 30 Rozaz during Ramzan for the first time in my life. It has been an incredible experience teaching me the importance of Sabr and cleansing from within. Aarefa Faridoon 's amazing tahedaar parathas during sehri were another big incentive for going the entire distance through the whole Holy month. 

Another big change in my personality has been an in depth fascination with Urdu literature and what I've done to aquire a better understanding of it. While the social media trends and biased media reports were immensely distressing and depressing, I found solace in a quest for Knowledge. Life is too short and there's so much to learn. I started watching literary sessions of the greats of Urdu literature. Shamsur Rahman Faroqui sahab was the first one whom I started exploring. I watched every single session, interview and documentary on Farouqi sahab. I kept on re-watching (re-listening rather) most of his youtube videos. It was a fascinating experience. Similar exercise followed with Muneer Niazi, Zafar Iqbal, Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Waseem Barelvi, Jon Elia, Bashir Badr and more. I am currently exploring the greatness of Iftiqar Arif sahab and it is an absolutely amazing experience. There is a drastic difference in the poetry that have been writing in my 'maadri zaban' in the last six months. The response is baffling me. When you're doing something right, you know that you don't need anyone's validation and you deserve the applause that's coming your way. 

I have also managed to find ways to pursue one of my prime passions and that's Traveling. Delhi, Kedarnath, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Tadoba National Park, Pench and Kerala, I've had my fill. It has rejuvenated and motivated me immensely. Health is another key factor that has taken top priority. I've been very regular with Yoga, exercising and healthy eating. If I am posting pictures of yummy delicacies in the afternoon, that means I am skipping the dinner or having a very light one and that too before 8 pm. Being a foodie doesn't mean that you need to have three big meals every day. Economise! 

One of the most important developments in this year has been my bond with Aarefa and Insha. We have been lockdown partners and it has been an outstanding experience to discover the friendship and regard that we have for each other. Aarefa has been brilliant in terms of managing the house during the Covid scare and managing her work life simultaneously. Insha scored 97% in her tenth boards and topped in Commerce stream in her school. A moment of great pride for us. 

I know this has been a long post and I can still write so much more. But as you can see, why for all the practical purposes, 2020 has been the best year of my life. 

Looking forward to 2021 with hope. May Allah be kind to everyone. 

Happy New Year!

Best Journalist of 2020, Bollywood Festival Norway

Received the 'Best Journalist of 2020' from the prestigious Scanidavian festival #BollywoodFestivalNorway. Arrived from #Oslo today. 

Thank you Mr Nasrullah Qureshi and your wonderful team.

Berahmi se hamdardi

Chalo bahaduri ke inaam ijaad kiye jaayen 

Sabse bade daaku ke naam ko pehle sajayen

Ek hod lagi hai sheher ke ghundon mein 

Berahmi se hamdardi, chalo koi zulm dhayen

#FaridoonShahryar

Raat ki masroofiyat

Raat ki masroofiyat tay hui hai

Chaand ko sone nahin dena hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Laparwah Chaand

Vo shaam beparwah sahi, ye subah ghanimat hai 

Vo chaand laparwah sahi, ye aftaab haqeeqat hai

#FaridoonShahryar

Mukhtalif manzar

Kyun na Mukhtalif manzar koi naqsh kiya jaaye 

Havaon ke saath behna manzoor nahin hamein

#FaridoonShahryar

@kavishala