I admire Subhash Ghai's music sense: Gulzar

In what is a first, the inimitable Gulzar teams up with Subhash Ghai for his new directorial venture Main Yuvraj. The lyricist says the filmmaker has the skill to extract the best out of his lyricists and music composers.

"I've always admired Subhash Ghai's music sense. He's capable of bringing the best out of his lyricists and music composers," Gulzar told IANS.

"Look at what he achieved with A R Rahman in Taal. Since Rahman is composing the music for Main Yuvraj' we should be able to come up with interesting results," added Gulzar whose Bidee and Kajra re topped the charts.

Earlier, Rahman and Gulzar worked together in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se and Guru.

"We were also collaborating on Lajjo, which is off at the moment. Doing a score for Subhash Ghai is very different from doing it for Mani. It's a different direction and discipline."<b1>

While Ghai, whose great music scores in the past were helmed by Anand Bakshi, has lately been struggling with a poetic voice for his cinema, Gulzar has been scaling new heights with each new song.

From the Mehke huey se khwab in the 1970s to the Mint ki goli lyrical allusions in his most recent soundtrack Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, the poet-extraordinaire has been re-inventing himself constantly.

Gulzar has also composed music for Amol Palekar's children's film Dumkatta.

"I've worked with Amol before in Paheli. Composing for a children's film is an entirely different experience."

Between Ghai and Palekar, Gulzar has his hands completely full. He will finally be directing another film soon. Meanwhile, daughter Meghna has completed a screen adaptation of Kartar Singh Duggal's Puran Masi.

"Nothing gives me greater pleasure now than to see my child blossoming in her field," said the proud father.

"As for me I'm keeping myself busy with various activities. What do I enjoy the most? It depends on what I'm doing at the moment."