Ibraheem Ashk

It’s all in the pen
The country presently knows him as the man who penned the lyrics for songs like Kyon chalti hai pawan, Sitaron ki mehfil mein and the title song, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai for the Hrithik Roshan chartbuster Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. But this name is not new to connoisseurs of Hindi and Urdu literature.

Having worked as a journalist with newspapers like Indore Samachar, Sarita and Shama Sushma(Urdu) and written three books Ilham, Aagahi and Karbala of Urdu poems, Ibraheem Ashk has been well known as a poet and critic both in India as well as Pakistan.

“Kaho Na Pyar Hai isn’t my first hit. My song Mohabbat Inayat, from the film Bahar Aane Tak was a major hit in the year 1991. After that in ’93, I wrote two songs for the film Jeena Marna Tere Sang which again did very well. I have written for 600 private albums sung by some of the prominent singers like Jagjit Singh, Asha Bhosle and Pankaj Udhas. I did not get too many opportunities to write for movies because I was busy doing my own writing work and I wanted to remain away from the industry politics,” is what he says.

When he came to Mumbai in 1981, ghazals were dominating the music scene. He got his break as a lyricist in an album by Vani Jairam, which was released by HMV. Things worked the right way and Ibraheem Ashk became a popular name in the ghazal circuit. He even wrote bhajans for Anuradha Paudwal which were immensely appreciated by the masses. “I have had a firm literary background. I simply did not start as a songwriter. I have done my MA in Hindi from Indore university and can understand very well, what the people want”.

According to him film songs need not be cheap in order to gain commercial success. He feels “Songs are a product of one’s thoughts. One simply can’t put some words together and make a poem or a song out of it. New thoughts give birth to new poetry. Masses want good lyrics. Those who can’t provide it or run short of thoughts resort to cheap songs and this is how the language of poetry is abused”. He adds, “I want to work with people who understand what poetry is. There are a lot of music directors who cannot be called composers. Good lyrics do not appeal to them”.

Having been a fan of lyricists like Saahir Ludhianvi, Shakeel Badayuni and Shailendra, he feels that present day songs can be improved only if the directors change their approach towards lyrics. Ahsk is presently writing lyrics for a Mohan Kumar film directed by Vikram Bhatt. He is even doing films with Boney Kapoor, Pahlaj Nihalani and Sanjay Gupta. Private albums are also happening. But amidst all this he has’t given up his literary work. He is doing a series on explanations of Ghalib’s poems, for Safire Urdu a magazine published in London and Pakistan.

On being asked what he feels about the immense popularity of his songs, he says,” I am here to provide clean and meaningful songs to the people. Songs that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. I believe one good song is capable of wiping away the wrong impression about lyricists created by a hundred cheap songs, in the minds of the masses.”

Lopamudra Bhattacharya