When Gulzar revealed how his family wanted him to take up 'regular job': 'No one can live off writing'

As Gulzar turns 87 on Wednesday, we revisit his interview with Anupam Kher when he talked about facing opposition from his family over his passion for writing.

Lyricist-poet Gulzar turned 87 on Wednesday. Born Sampooran Singh Kalra, he began his journey in Bollywood, penning the song Mera Gora Rang Lei Le from Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963) and continues to charm with his poetry. Before finding his feet in the film industry, Gulzar worked in a motor garage where he did odd jobs. Gulzar had once revealed how his family was not impressed with his passion for writing and wanted him to take up a “regular job”.

Gulzar turns 87 on Wednesday, August 18.

On his birthday, we revisit his May 2021 interview with Anupam Kher. “Everyone wanted me to take up a regular job. No one can live off writing. Even today, you can not live off writing if you are writing books. Now, writers have other jobs as well,” Gulzar told Anupam Kher on his chat show The Anupam Kher Show.

Asked about dealing with the opposition from his family, the writer-filmmaker added, “I was never a big rebel. Ahinsa jo rasta hai revolution dhundhne ka, Gandhi ji hain na, bata dete hain (There is this way of non-violence. A revolution is possible this way too. Mahatma Gandhi taught us). Bus mujhe woh nahin banan na tha, jo woh chahte the (I just did not want to become that which my family wanted me to become).”

Gulzar added, “I always loved reading. I used to read Rabindranath Tagore, Sharat Chandra. Sharat Chandra’s short stories show you a huge family. When I refer to my family…it was a very complex family. I started seeing my family in Sharat Chandra’s stories. I could see the relationships that hold on and stay together despite all troubles. Kahin dab jate hain, kahin kho jate hain, kahin tange rehte, kahin uus paar ho jate hain (Sometimes they just cling on, sometimes they move ahead).”