Azmi, Kaifi (b. 1925)

Film lyricist and scenarist born in Azamgarh as Akhtar Husain Rizvi. Urdu poet in the tradition of Josh Malihabadi and Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911- 84). Abandoned his studies of Persian and Urdu during the 1942 Quit India agitations, and shortly thereafter became a full-time Marxist activist. Went to Bombay (1945) and was for a while a trade union worker; closely involved with the PWA in Bombay. Published three anthologies of poetry (Akhini-Shab, Jhankar and Awara Sajde). Early work as story writer for Nanubhai Vakil’s films (Yahudi Ki Beti, 1956; Parvin, 1957; Miss Punjab Mail, 1958; Id Ka Chand, 1964). Wrote lyrics for numerous films, most notably for Guru Dutt’s Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Chetan Anand’s nationalist war movie Haqeeqat (1964) and Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah (1971). Established formidable reputation as perhaps the most charismatic writer in films, following the acclaim for his script, dialogue and lyrics for M.S. Sathyu’s Garam Hawa (1973), based on Ismat Chughtai’s story. Also wrote dialogues for Sathyu’s Kanneshwara Rama (1977). Other contributions include dialogues for Benegal’s Manthan (1976), lyrics for Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Bawarchi (1972) and for Kamal Amrohi’s Razia Sultan (1983). Played a memorable role as the old man in Naseem (1995), Saeed Akhtar Mirza’s poignant feature around the destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992. Raman Kumar made a documentary, Kaifi Azmi (1979).