Akhtar-ul-Iman (1915-96)

Hindi-Urdu scenarist born in Bijnor Dist., UP. Joined Filmistan Studio as dialogue writer (1945). Major Urdu writer with seven poetry anthologies (e.g. Yaadein, 1961) and one verse play, Sabrang (1948). His Urdu poetry emphasises anti-romantic humanism, moving away from the traditional ghazal into new formal and symbolic articulations of modernity, as in the encounter between traditional metres and the rhythm of everyday prose in his major poem, Ahd-e-Wafaa [Time of Promise]. Directed one film, Lahu Pukarega (1980).

Wrote Hindi scripts, dialogues or both for Najam Naqvi (Actress, 1948; Nirdosh, 1950), B.R. Chopra (Kanoon, 1960; Gumrah, 1963; Hamraaz, 1967; Dastaan, 1972; Dhund, 1973), Raj Khosla (Mera Saaya, 1966; Chirag, 1969), Yash Chopra (Dharmaputra, 1961; Waqt, 1965; Ittefaq and Admi Aur Insaan, both 1969; Daag and Joshila, both 1973), Ramesh Sharma (Flat No. 9, 1961), Nandlal Jaswantlal (Akeli Mat Jaiyo, 1963), A. Bhimsingh (Admi, 1968; Joru Ka Gulam, 1972) and Manmohan Desai’s Roti (1974). Wrote Sunil Dutt’s monologue, Yaadein (1964) and Vimal Tewari’s Kunwara Badan (1973). Further dialogue credits include: Protima Dasgupta’s Jharna (1948), Aspi’s Barood (1960) and Shabnam (1964), Rakhan’s Kalpana (1960), Ved-Madan’s Neeli Aankhen (1962), Vasant Joglekar’s Aaj Aur Kal (1963), Mehmood’s Bhoot Bangla (1965), Chopra/ Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Gaban (1966), Raja Nawathe’s Patthar Ke Sanam (1967), Deven Verma’s Bada Kabutar and Hari Dutt’s Naya Nasha (both 1973), Raj Tilak’s Chhattis Ghante (1974), Ravi Chopra’s Bachchan movie Zameer (1975), Sanjay Khan’s Chandi Sona (1977), Devendra Goel’s Do Musafir (1978) and actor Amjad Khan’s Chor Police (1983).

Writer Director