 |
| Wasi Shah |
Wasi Shah, a Pakistani poet and TV anchor, has paid rich tributes to Indian poet and lyricist Gulzar, one of the winners of Aalmi Frogh-e-Urdu Adab Awards presented in Doha recently.
“Gulzar is a living legend. He is unique among all poets and lyricists of India and Pakistan,” stated Shah who was in Doha for the awards ceremony.
The anchor of the Pakistani TV show ‘Raat Gaye,’ expressed his respect for Gulzar by presenting and dedicating a poem to him.
Shah described Gulzar’s poetry as a combination of philosophical and metaphorical expressions. “The way he does the mixture of words in couplets is superb. No doubt, Gulzar is a “king of fantasy.”
“Meer Taqi Meer and Mirza Ghalib are my favourite poets. Noor Jahan, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Mohamed Rafi and Mehdi Hasan have no parallels in the history of playback singing of India and Pakistan, and among classical vocalists I like Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan,” he said.
Asked how he became a poet, Shah said poets are born and they cannot be taught this art. “I was 10-year-old when my father died, I remember reciting a couplet then.”
Shah began his career in 1996 by acting the role of a Pakistani soldier in the drama serial ‘Aahang,’ for which he also wrote some poems and lyrics.
He attributes the popularity of his TV show ‘Raat Gaye’ to its format. “I do not think the show is a success because of me. It would have been a super hit, as it is now, had it been any other host either.”
Shah said he found lot of warmth in the Indo-Pak community in Qatar. “The people are amicable and their taste of Urdu literature is outstanding. Especially, Majlis Farogh-e-Urdu Adab is doing a fantastic job to promote Urdu in Qatar.”
Shah felt the main reason for the new generation of students being least interested in Urdu literature is that most of the professions are associated with English language.
“It is a good practice to learn English or any other technical qualifications, but we must not forget our cultural heritage, ethical values and our language. As Gulzar said, Urdu language confers the feel of aristocracy even in
beggary,” he added.
