Jo baat bahut pehle karni thi, ab ki hai
This was the Misra of Abba's Ghazal that Javed Akhtar sahab wrote on the copy of his first collection of poetry #Tarkash when he presented it to my father. Javed sahab started writing poetry rather late in his life and hence the first collection of his Ghazals/Nazmz was published late (Published in 1995, and he was born in 1945).
The reason why I am writing this post is the urge that I am having off late to write poetry in Urdu. I started writing poetry in English at the age of 12 and was getting published in literary magazines by the age of 18. While I was still pursuing BA honours in English at AMU my poems were getting published along with celebrated writers of Indian English like Kamla Das, Keki Daruwala, Shiv K Kumar, Tabish Khair etc. Poetry in English doesn't sell and once you get involved with the practical side of life, pragmatism takes over. Flair for poetry helped me in journalism, I ghost wrote a couple of books (that helped me buy my first house) and there was a period of time where I was involved with advertising. I was producing jingles for radio and television. I wrote 100s of Ads in English as well as Hindustani.
I have been asked many a times that why don't you write in Urdu. People who have followed my father's work would know that he was a rare poet. He sacrificed a lot to stay honest to his Art. We were very close. I understood early in life that it's important to compartmentalise: Father is father and an Artiste is an Artiste. It's not correct to mix the two. That would lead to a conflict. We discussed anything and everything under the sun. And by that I mean Anything! He was brutally frank with me.
Now when I look back, I realise that he didn't want me to have an easy, cushioned life. He said, "Tumko samandar ke paas bhej diya hai ab terna tum khud seekho." I never used Abba's name to get ahead in life. Never! I have no respect for people who drop names of influential people during their conversation just to add value to themselves. If you need crutches all the time then what's the point. I am grateful to Abba that he imparted a lot of knowledge directly or in a subtle manner. That knowledge continues to be of immense help. I always say, parents leave behind property, money, but my father left behind a wealth of knowledge, quotes, jokes, sayings that continue to help me at various crucial moments in life.
I always felt that when my father has already contributed so much to the world of Urdu literature then what more can I add to it. While researching for the session with Vishal Bhardwaj sahab at Jashne Rekhta, I indulged in a very detailed research. I read Bashir Badr sahabs poetry (since Vishal sahab was very close to him). I read Faiz Ahmad Faiz' poetry since he had Faiz in Haider. I read Vishal sahab's Nazmz again and again. He has a lot of honesty in what he says. Vishal sahab told me that "Since you speak such good Urdu, why don't you write as well?" I have never prepared for any interview the way I prepared for my session with Vishal sahab. Since we speak English and asaan Hindustani in our day to day life, chaste Urdu gets left behind. The script for my questions was drafted by Aarefa Faridoon who's a very fine writer as well. Ammi Najma Mahmood is a widely known writer in Urdu and she incorporated some solid Urdu words like 'Ibhaam', 'Parda-e-Seemi' etc. I had to get the talaffuz right. Most of it came naturally since I've grown up in an Urdu speaking household and then I worked on a few words that had phonetic subtleties involved. The session with Vishal sahab went well.
I listen to songs on my mobile while travelling. Ear phone is one of my closest friends. Literally! Now I am listening to Mirza Ghalib, Faiz, Iqbal and it's a beautiful world. I wrote a few Nazmz recently and I was surprised by the good response. Something tells me from within that it's time for me to turn back to my roots and write in the language that comes most naturally to me. I know I'd be compared with Abba but that's fine. He was very honest to his craft. I shall try and follow that. I know there are a lot of honest people out there who'd give their reactions. If poetry makes a difference in people's lives then they make it a part of their day to day life.
Abba said, "You must read classic Poets. You should know what all has been written in the past, the subjects especially. It shouldn't be the case that you may feel that you've written something unique but someone had already said the same thing 200 years back." So that's the endeavour, to try and say what hasn't been said before and say it in a unique manner. I am nervous but something within tells me that, now is the time.
Jo baat bahut pehle karni thi, ab ki hai.
