Salima Hashmi talks about her father, the poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and lending his mukhda to Bollywood

It's a tribute to her father. And as Salima Hashmi, an artist and Dean of the School of Visual Arts at the Beaconhouse National University, Pakistan hums her father, the renowned poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s nazm, tears well up in her eyes. “Gulon Mein Rang bhare, it’s a beautiful poem, and even more melodious song,” she refers to the song which is featured in BIG Pictures production, Sikandar. The film is scheduled for an April 2009 release. As nostalgia sweeps across her face, Prof Salima says, “I’m honoured that the lyrics of my father have been included as a beautiful song in Sikandar. The film is very well crafted out and this song further adds to its beauty. I firmly believe that this song is surely going to be a favourite among the people and personally it is also very close to my heart.”

The famous nazm ‘Gulon Mein Rang Bhare’ has been adapted for the film, as visualized by the director Piyush Jha, while writing the script of Sikandar. Lyricist Neelesh Misra was roped in to use the mukhda from Faiz’s ghazal, and he penned two new versions. “What’s interesting is that the song subtly and metaphorically fits perfectly with the film,” reflects Prof Salima. The song has two versions - a slow serene version by music director Justin-Uday and an upbeat version by music director Sandesh Shandilya. The old ghazal is deftly modernized with the use of contemporary singers like Mohit Chauhan and KK and using western orchestration to make the entire experience relevant to these times.

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