Happy birthday Gulzar: Five must-watch films directed by the king of words

Best known as a poet and a lyricist, Gulzar has also directed a few films and for most of them, he kept the socio-political factors in mind. As the legend turns a year older today, here’s taking a look at some of his best works as a director.

Besides being an accomplished lyricist, Gulzar has also proved his worth when it comes to the art of filmmaking. He made his directorial debut with the 1971 film Mere Apne starring Meena Kumari and Vinod Khanna and the film turned out to be a hit at the box office. Known for telling stories keeping in mind the socio-political scenario, Gulzar’s comedies are as famous as his romantic dramas. On his 83rd birthday today, we bring you some of his best works and the most memorable films that he has directed.

Gulzar made his directorial debut in 1971 with the film Mere Apne.

Aandhi (1975): The Suchitra Sen-Sanjeev Kumaar starrer film had its share of problems, as it was said to be loosely based on the life of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, and her husband, Feroz Gandhi . The film was banned just a month after its release during the Emergency in 1975. Film follows the story of Aarti Devi (Suchitra Sen), a famous politician, who meets her estranged husband a few years after their separation, but doesn’t want to be together with him to avoid any controversies around them.

Mausam (1975): Another romantic drama, released in the same year as Aandhi, this Gulzar directorial featured actors Sharmila Tagore and Sanjeev Kumar. Sharmila’s portrayal in the film won her the National Award for best actress in 1976, and the film too won a National Award for the second best feature film.

Angoor (1982): An adaption of Shakespeare’s comic play — The Comedy of Errors, the film starred actors Sanjeev Kumar and Deven Verma in a double role, and it follows the story of these four characters, who end up being in the same city.

Maachis: The 1996 film tried to decode the socio-political unrest after the 1984 riots in Punjab and how it led to rise of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. The drama thriller was a debut for actors Jimmy Shergill and Chandrachur Singh. Tabu played the role of Veeran, who becomes a militant in the end, also won the National Award for best actress in 1997 for the film.

Hu Tu Tu (2000): After focussing on the socio-political situation in the North [in Maachis] during the late ‘80s and ‘90s, Gulzar moved to politics in Maharashtra with his 2000 film Hu Tu Tu starring actors Suniel Shetty, Tabu and Nana Patekar in lead roles. Suhashini Muley, who played the role of Maharashtra’s CM and Tabu’s mother, won the National Award for Best Supporting Actress in the film.

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