Gulzar handpicks team for assistant

Veteran lyricist Gulzar is ready to don a new mantle. The 74-yearold media-shy, Oscar winning songwriter has been secretly playing casting supervisor for one of his protégés, Ajay Jain.

Veteran lyricist Gulzar is ready to don a new mantle. The 74-yearold media-shy, Oscar winning songwriter has been secretly playing casting supervisor for one of his protégés, Ajay Jain.

Ajay, a Delhi-based charted accountant by profession, has been working with Gulzar for over six years now. He was part of the directorial team of the 2007 dud, Good Boy, Bad Boy that starred Emraan Hashmi. For now, he’s ready to make his debut as a producer for an untitled film that is in its casting stages. Confirms Ajay, “To me, it’s a blessing that Gulzaarsaab is helping me select the actors, actresses and technicians for my forthcoming film. It’s a great privilege.”

So while Ajay shortlists the people, who according to him fir the bill, he in turn presents them to Gulzar for a final nod. According to Ajay, there haven’t been any disagreements between the two over the selection process till date. “Gulzarsaab takes the final call. Till now, he has been satisfied with whatever I have picked up and has been open to my suggestions.”

The script for his upcoming film is being written by Varun Gautam, who has previously written Pankaj Kapoor’s 2007 film Dharam. The romance drama is set in Delhi, though some portions of the film will be shot in Jaipur and Mumbai. Gulzar will pen down the songs for the project too. Adds Ajay, “On paper Gulzarsaab will write the songs for my film and will be credited as the lyricist. Apart from that, he’s my guru (teacher) and I will thank him in the film’s credits as well. He has such amazing ideas."