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.

Bakshi had a phobia for air travel and enclosed lifts of high-rise buildings. The claustrophobic lifts made him fear travelling to meet work mates or friends who worked or lived in high-rise buildings. He would often invite himself to my home, saying, “Because you live on the first floor and one does not need to travel by lift to reach your home, and since your wife Salma cooks the most delicious meals...”

Once Bakshi narrated an incident to me. A successful and famous English writer had an unfinished poem. On his friend’s recommendation, he travelled to a distant village and asked an old, talented writer to help him. The old writer read the incomplete poem and said he could complete it but he would charge 500 pounds. And very soon the old writer had completed it.

The successful writer was surprised and asked the old writer if he was justified in asking for 500 pounds for such an easy job, accomplished within minutes. The old writer replied, “You are hesitating to pay me because you are not convinced that I should charge you so much money for a job I accomplished with much ease and in a few minutes. You are taking into account the few minutes I took to complete your poem, but you are not taking into account the many years I have lived and experienced life to be able to arrive at this moment with the wisdom and experience to complete your poem. It’s only thanks to the life I’ve led that I could accomplish the job for you in a few minutes.”

Anand Bakshi firmly believed that at every moment, life offers you lessons, but because we are preoccupied with life’s material and physical goals, overwhelmed by our ambitions and challenges, we are unable to absorb the valuable lessons life offers us alongside.

He passed away on March 30 2002, having written more than 650 films and 3500 film songs.