Gulzar supports JNU students' voice of dissent

When asked about the ongoing JNU controversy, Gulzar, 81, said he feels the youth of a country is its hope.

"We used to read books on Russian revolution during our St Stephen's (college) days... and today also if the voice for revolution and dissent has been raised, it is from the youth only. It is from JNU. I feel so relaxed when I see these youngsters. I feel both me and my country are safe," said Gulzar on the side-lines of Spring Fever 2016.

The lyricist during the discussion revealed that his most successful item song "Kajrare" from 2005 film "Bunty Aur Babli" was actually inspired by "truck shayari".

"If you remember the couplets used in the song, they all sound like the couplets written on trucks," Gulzar said while addressing a panel discussion on "Kitabein" here.

This was not the first item number which was written by him. Earlier Gulzar had penned another hit "Chaiyya Chiayya" in Shah Rukh Khan starrer "Dil Se".

"'Chaiyya-Chaiyya' was mused by Bulleh Shah's poetry which I used to listen in Gurudwaras during my Delhi days." 

The lyricist said initially he was "hesitant" of writing songs for films.

"I have always been an obsessive reader and always wanted to be an author. I never ever thought about writing for Cinema. I don't know why there was a hesitation," he said.

Gulzar also released the first edition of his new book "another 100 lyrics", a collection of poems. A two-volume translation of Rabindranath Tagore's poetry by him was also unveiled.

"It was my first tryst with Tagore's collection of poem 'Gardner' that gave birth to a poet in me. Before that I used to read thriller novels and cheap literature books," Gulzar said.