This article is written by a passionate Rafi Fan Sri Biman Baruah and information shared by Sri Binu Nair, Founder, Rafi Foundation, Mumbai.

Meherbban Likhoon, Haseena Likhoon, Ya Dilruba Likhoon
Hairaan Hoon Ki Aap Ko, Ish Khat Mein Kiya Likhoon……..
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padhkar Kar, Ke Tum Naraaz Na Hoona
Ke Tum Meri Zindegi Ho, Ke Tum Meri Bandegi Ho…………….. 2

Tujhe Main Chand Kehta Tha, Magar Us Main Bhi Daag Hain… 2
Tujhe Suraj Main Kehta Tha, Magar Us Main Bhi Aag Hain… 2
Tujhe Baas Itna Hi Kehta Hoon, Ki Mujkoo Tum Se Pyar Hai
Tum Se Pyar Hai, Tum Se Pyar Hai………..
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padhkar Kar Ke Tum Naraaz Na Hoona
Ke Tum Meri Zindegi Ho, Ke Tum Meri Bandegi Ho…………….
Tujhe Ganga Main Samjhoonga, Tujhe Jamuna Main Samjhoonga…. 2
Tu Dil Ke Paas Hai Itni , Tujhe Apna Main Samjhoonga…. 2
Agar Mar Jaoon Rooh Bhatkegee, Tere Intezaar Mein
Tere Intezaar Mein, Tere Intezaar Mein………..
Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padhkar Kar, Ke Tum Naraaz Na Hoona
Ke Tum Meri Zindegi Ho, Ke Tum Meri Bandegi Ho…………….

Perhaps it was the primary poetry lines written by great lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri at the early age of 20 and there was a real life episode for this beautiful poetry. Young Hasrat Sahab fell in love with a neighbouring Hindu girl named Radha and he sent a love letter to her with above famous lines. Twenty years later, showman Raj Kapoor immortalised these lines using for a song in a love triangle film SANGAM (1964) and the song was filmed on Rajendra Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. Fortunately, the character played by Vyjayanthimala in the film also named as Radha. Hasrat Sahab was always a die-hard romantic who remarked “Love should not be categorised by Religion and Castes”. Later age, he said in an interview that “Love knows no Mazhab or Dharam, it is not at all necessary that a Muslim boy must fall in love only with a Muslim girl. My love was silent, but I wrote a poem for her, “Yeh Mera Prem Patra Padhkar, Ke Tum Naaraaz Na Hona.” And that ‘letter’ may never have been delivered to Radha, but later on Raj Kapoor deliver it to the world as the perennial mantra for lovers of all generations in his SANGAM(1964).

The song was very beautifully composed by grand due composers Shanker-Jaikishan and sung by golden voice Mohammed Rafi with end “Allaps” by Lata Mangeshkar. There are number of real life incidents that inspired Hasrat Sahab to write lyrics on the spot. For instance, when his first son was born and on his first glimpse he said “Teri Pyari Pyari Surat Ko Kisiki Nazar Na Lage, Chashm-E-Baddoor”. Later these lines have been extended to a Shanker-Jaikishan tune in film SASURAL (1961), for which Mohammed Rafi won his 2^nd Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award. In mid 1960s, once Hasarat Sahab and Jaikishan Sahab visited Paris and were sitting in a nightclub. A cabaret dancer dressed with glittering stars came to them and left, Hasarat Sahab narrated a line on the spot, “Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Hue, O Jaan-E-Tamanna Kidhar Ja Rahi Ho, Zaraa Paas Aao To Chain Aa Jaae”. Jaikishan Sahab also tuned the line on the spot which was used in film PRINCE (1969) also sung by Mohammed Rafi which became a fashionable Shammi Kapoor song. There are hundreds of such songs which Hasrat Sahab had written on the spot with real life happenings.     

Hasrat Sahab was born as Iqbal Hussain on 15^th April, 1922 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Later he got his penname Hasrat and Jaipuri was added for his home town Jaipur like his other fellow lyricist Shakeel Badayuni, Sahir Ludhiyanvi, Majrooh Sultanpuri, Qamar Jalalabadi, etc. In those days, there was a general trend for poets or writers to adopt surname of their own home towns. He studied English till medium level in Jaipur and acquired knowledge of Urdu & Persian from his grandfather Fida Hussain Fida who was a poet. At the young age, Hasrat Saheb picked up the lyrical band from his grandfather and started to write romantic lines by seeing beautiful girls. In late 1940, young Hasarat Saheb came to Bombay looking for work. He had done number of irregular jobs until he got a job of Bus Conductor in BEST (Bombay Electric Supply and Transport) with a monthly salary of Rs. 11. He used to write poetry by seeing young beautiful girls who get into his bus and he never asked for ticket to beautiful girls. Instead of issuing ticket to young girls, he handover them a small paper with some “romantic lines” narrating their prettiness. He was warned several times by BEST for his unusual behaviour to kick out from job. While working in BEST, he used to participate at mushairas and union get-togethers to speak publicly about his poetry. At a mushaira, theatre legend and actor Prithviraj Kapoor noticed Hasrat Jaipuri and recommended him to his son Raj Kapoor who was planning a love story film BARSAAT with new composer Shanker-Jaikishan, also looking for new lyricist.

Hasrat Jaipuri first met Raj Kapoor at the canteen of Royal Opera House where Prithviraj Kapoor used to stage his plays and Raj Kapoor signed him for BARSAAT. Hasrat Sahab wrote his first recorded song, “Jiya Beqaraar Hai, Chayee Bahar Hai, Aaja More Balma Tera Intezaar Hai”, a solo by Lata Mangeshkar. His second recorded song, “Chhod Gaye Balam Mujhe”, a duet by Mukesh and Lata Mangeshkar. The first song was composed by Shanker and second was composed by Jaikishan. In total, Hasarat Jaipuri penned six songs for film BARSAT, five solos and a duet. In R.K. Films, Shanker-Jaikishan used Hasarat Jaipuri and Shailendra simultaneously to write lyrics for songs. However, both the lyricist worked independently, Hasrat Sahab was better in Urdu and Shailendra Sahab was better in Hindi. Generally, Hasrat Sahab was best known for touching romantic songs tuned by Jaikishan and Shailendra Sahab was best known for light-hearted or theme songs tuned by Shanker.

The association of Hasrat Jaipuri with R. K. Films continued till MERA NAAM JOKER (1970) and KAL AAJ AUR KAAL (1971). After Jaikishan’s death in 1971 and due to failure of both films, Raj Kapoor changed his music team to Laxmikant-Pyarelal-Anand Bakshi-Vitthalbhai Patel in BOBBY (1973). Raj Kapoor called back Hasrat Sahab for PREM ROG (1982) which did not work due to someone’s recommendation for lyricist Amir Qazalbash to Raj Kapoor. However, Hasarat Sahab was back to R.K. Films with a hit song, “Sun Sahiba Sun, Pyar Ki Dhun” in RAM TERI GANGA MAILI (1985) tuned by Ravindra Jain and sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Raj Kapoor again called him for three songs for his last film HENNA, but after death Raj Kapoor, music director Ravindra Jain deliberately replace the songs with his own lyrics. It was a great disappointment to Hasarat Jaipuri in his last days. But he was very lucky to have married to a woman (Bilquis) who advised him to invest his earlier earnings in property, so he was getting regular incomes as rents to maintain his lifestyle in later days. He accepted the assignments which offered to him and never run after film producers, music directors and music companies for work.

The association of Mohammed Rafi begins with lyricist Hasarat Jaipuri and composer Shanker-Jaikishan in film BARSAAT (1949) with song “Zindagi Mein Hardam Rota Hi Raha”. It was Mohammed Rafi’s first song for Raj Kapoor in R.K. Films. This combinations also worked with other actors like Dev Anand (Love Marriage, Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Asli Naqli, Duniya, Pyar Mohabbat),    Rajendra Kumar (Sasural, Hamrahi, Dil Ek Mandir, Ayee Milan Ki Bela, Arzoo, Suraj, Jhuk Gaya, Aasman), Shammi Kapoor (Junglee, Professor, Raj Kumar, Janwaar, An Evening In Paris, Latt Saheb, Brahmachari, Prince, Tumse Accha Kaun Hai, Pagla Kahin Ka, Andaz), Sunil Dutt ( Gaban, Bhai Bhai ), Manoj Kumar (Gumnaam), Joy Mukherjee (Love In Tokyo), Biswajeet (April Fool), Shashi Kapoor (Naina), Jeetendra (Mere Huzoor) and Dharmendra ( Pyar Hi Pyar). All those films became great musical hits and enhanced the careers of the actors. The 90% of male solo songs written by Hasarat Jaipuri, sung by Mohammed Rafi, so Rafi Sahab was very fortunate. Moreover, out of six Filmfare Best Male Playback Singer Award won by Rafi Sahab, three songs: “Teri Pyaari Pyaari Surat Ko” from SASURAL, “Baharon Phool Barsao Mere Mehboob Aaya Hai” from SURAJ and “Dil Ke Jharoke Mein Tujko Bithakar” from BRAHMACHARI were written by Hasrat Jaipuri.

As a lyricist Hasarat Jaipuri got number of Awards and Recognitions in India and Abroad. He won two Filmfare Best Lyricist Award for songs: “Baharon Phool Barsao, Mere Mehboob Aaya Hai” from SURAJ (1966) and “Zindegi Ek Safar Hai Suhana, Yahan Kaal Kiya Hoga Kisne Jana” from ANDAZ (1971). Both the songs were composed by Shanker-Jaikishan. First song was sung by Mohammed Rafi for Rajendra Kumar and second song had two versions in the film. The happy version was sung by Kishore Kumar for Rajesh Khanna and sad version was sung by Mohammed Rafi for Shammi Kapoor. He got “Josh Malihabadi Award from an Urdu Conference and Dr. Ambedkar Award for a Brajbhasha song, “Jhanak Jhanak Tori Baaje Payaliya” from MERE HUZOOR (1968). He was awarded a doctorate by An American University in the World University Round Table. There were also number of letters of thanks and appreciation from across the globe. All these Awards and Certificates still dazzling a huge living room at GHAZAL VILLA in Juhu and will take half day to interpret by someone. Ghazal Villa is a nice white and welcoming house in Juhu for visitors where his son Akhtar Hasrat Jaipuri stayed with his wife Azra and son Aadil.

Hasarat Jaipuri was considered one of the simple and high-ranking song writers of Hindi Cinema. From BARSAAT (1949) to HATYA: THE MURDER (2004), he had written lyrics for more than 300 films with about 2000 recorded songs. He also had written screenplay for a film HULCHUL (1951). When his fellow lyricist Shailendra turned producer with TEESRI KASAM, he invited Jaipuri to write lyrics for the film which was a great honour to him. He had also written several books of poetry in Hindi and Urdu, out of which ABSHAAR-E-GHAZAL is notable one. As a lyricist, he was as active from 1949 to 1999 and passed way at the age of 77 on 17th September, 1999. On his death, Naushad Saheb remarked, “Hasratji was a good human being and Urdu poet. He was loved by one-and-all in the film industry and was one of the last pillars of the RK Studios.”

These 3Gs: Great Lyricist, Grand Composers and Golden Voice made a very high impact in Indian Cinema for three decades. They jointly contributed for making some flourishing films which enhanced careers of some great filmmakers or actors and engrossed millions of cine-goers. The song from PAGLA KAHIN KA (1970), “Tum Mujhe Yoon Bhula Na Paaoge, Jab Kabhi Bhi Sunoge Geet Mere, Sang Sang Tum Bhi Gun Gunaaoge” will immortalise the combination of Lyricist : Hasarat Jaipuri, Music Composers : Shanker-Jaikishan and Golden Voice : Mohammed Rafi.

As a great and down to earth human being Hasarat Sahab had similarities with Mohammed Rafi. Like Rafi Sahab, he had believed that the art or skill of writing of poetry cannot be learnt, it was God-gifted to him (Gift of Allah). Similarly, he never discriminated between big and small films and composers. He mainly worked with Shanker-Jaikishan, but do not have reservations to work with Bappi Lahiri and Jatin-Lalit in later stage.

List of hit Mohammed Rafi solos written by Hasrat Jaipuri and filmed on different Actors:

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