Lyricist Indeewar was born in 1924 as Shyamlal Rai at Jhansi in U.P. In his yound days he got interested in politics and the freedom struggle. This activity put him behind the bars under the British rule. The experience also provided him with the canvas to paint his thoughts, so many of which were nationalistic.
During these years he also went deep into languages, French, Farsi, English, Urdu. He also studied eagrerly the writings of Ghalib, Shakespeare, Voltaire & Kalidas. In fact during these years he wrote some of his patriotic poetry, which was to be used in films later. Songs like 'Dulhan Chali Ho Pehan Chali teen Rang ki Choli...' was used in Purab Aur Paschim later. Also 'Ye Kaisi Raat Kaisi..." in Upkaar afterwards. Soon he was being locally indentified as a patriotic poet, a similar kind of Kavi Pradeep. Determined to change that typecasting, he went to Bombay.
He got his first big break with 1951, Malhaar. Roshan was the music director. Indeewar's songs clicked and appreciated by the masses. He wrote: 'Bade Armanon Se Rakha Hai Balam Teri Kasam...', 'Ik Baar Agar Tu keh De...', 'Taara Toote Duniya Dekhe...' and ' Hota Raha Yoon Agar Anjaam Wafa Ka...'. After Malhaar, he got many offers. He wrote for films like Nirmohi, Baadabaan, anuraag, Chhote Babu, Parasmani, Dulha Dulhan etc. He wrote some of his best poetry for these films, like, 'Kaise Koi Jiye Zehar Hai Zindagi...', 'Pal Bhar Hi Ki Pehchan...', 'aane Wale Kal Ki Tum Tasveer Ho...', 'oshan Tumhi Se Duniya...', 'Humne Tumko Pyar Kiya HAi Jitna...' etc. After such songs there was no looking back for him. Offers came flowing and he went on to write many good songs.
Indeewar was truly a great writer, dwarfed only by the greater writers of his time. But some of his writings stand head-to-head with the best ever. as for example, 'Jo pyar tune mujhko diya tha, wo pyar tujhe main lauta raha hoon - ab koi tujhko shikwa na hoga, teri zindagi se chala ja raha hoon...' and 'Jeewan se bhari teri aankhen majboor karen jeene ke liye...'.
Indeewar went to into the 70s, 80s and 90s to write many songs, for so many films and composers. Specially with Kalyanji Anandji, with whom he did an opus of work. With changing times, he had to change too, so he managed to stay afloat market-wise. But of course with the quality of poetry that wa sin keeping with the times. Some of the songs that really did well in these years were 'Jab Koi Baat bigad Jaaye...' (Jurm), 'Hothon se Chhoo Lo Tum...' (Prem Geet), 'Hum Tumhen Chahte Hain Aise...' (Qurbani), ' Na Kajre Ki Dhaar...' (Mohra), 'Sexy Sexy Sexy Mujhe Log Bole..' (Khuddar), 'Ye Teri aankhen Jhuki Jhuki...' (Fareb) and 'Tu Mile Dil Khile Aur Jeene Ko Kya Chahiye...' (Criminal).
Indeewar made some interesting observations in an interview " We have to write original thoughts, but the music director today may have lifted the entire tune from one of a dozen sources, with assistants and arrangers to help him create the musc pieces. But the lyricists does not have an assistant, nor do we have arrangers for our words!" A moot point.
Indeewar died on 1st march 1997, in Bombay. We remember him for many songs, specially for songs like thisone: 'Zindagi ka safar, hai ye kaisa safar? Koi samjha naheen koi jaana naheen..!!'
Contributed by: Mr. Manek Premchand
Author: Yesterday's Melodies Today's Memories
