A child born in a tiny village in Punjab was named Anand (happiness) Bakshi (to gift) by his parents. And all his life this poet gifted happiness to millions of his listeners, through his lifetime of 72 years and professional life span of more than 50 years.

During the turbulent period after India’s Independence, some socialist poets wrote film songs coloured by Indian nationalism, like poets Josh Malihabadi, Sahir Ludhianvi, Kaifi Azmi, Shailendra. But Anand Bakshi was never attached to any political ideology. He was first and foremost a film songwriter and his writings emerged from the characters and the narrative of the film’s story.

The child of a middle class family, he admitted himself into the army, but such was his fierce ambition for poetry and music that he came to Bombay to become a film poet. In that period there were already established poets like Shakeel, Shailendra, Majrooh, Raja Mehendi Ali Khan and Prem Dhawan. None could stand against these giants, especially a soldier with an ambition to be a poet. The many famous music composers of that period already had their own favourite poets and song-writers, so there was no scope nor chance of Bakshi breaking through, especially with other good poets like Indeevar and Anjaan already waiting for a break. But he jumped straight into the fiery sea of competition.

Anand Bakshi had a great sense of music and the gift of capturing and expressing deep philosophies in frugal and and simple words. Gradually he began to receive work to write film songs. He made a great team with Laxmikant Pyarelal. The musical duo recognised the talent in Bakshi and soon made him their favourite and preferred lyric writer. The triad of Anand Bakshi, Laxmikant and Pyarelal rewrote the musical history of Hindi film songs.

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