Asrar ul Hasan Khan (Majrooh's real name) was born in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh in India on 1st October 1919. After an education in Urdu, Persian and Arabic, he formally studied the Unani system of medicine and graduated in 1938 as a 'hakim'. He practised medicine for a year before he started his career as a full-time poet. His mentor, or 'ustad'was Jigar Moradabadi. In 1945, he wrote his first film song "Gam diye mushtaqil...", which was sung by K.L.Saigal and catapulted him to the forefront of film lyricists, a career which spanned more than five decades. His contributions to films and to the world of Urdu poetry were recognized and rewarded with the Dadasahib Phalke award (1994) and the Iqbal Sammaan (1993) respectively.

Majrooh Sultanpuri was among the foremost poets of modern progressive poetry. He believed that no great art was possible without social content. Ali Sardar Jafri in his foreword for Majrooh's book "Never Mind Your Chains" calls him "younger brother in poetry and struggle". Majrooh was not always pleased with the association of his poetry with his film work. However, this was more a reaction to society's hypocritical attitude of looking down on anything connected with the film world, than with any basis in fact.

 

Sometime around the mid forties A.R. Kardar, a famous film personality of his time heard him reciting in a mushiara and asked him to write a song for the film "Shahjehan" (1946) worded as ‘Karlijye chal kar mere jannat ke nazare’ which was rendered by K.L. Saigal. He also wrote songs like, "gham diye mustaqil’ and evergreen ‘Jab dil hi toot gaya’. All the songs became very popular establishing Majrooh in the film industry for time to come. But his major breakthrough was Mehboob Khan's Andaaz (1949) with hit songs like Tu Kahe Agar, Jhoom Jhoom ke Naacho Aaj, Hum Aaj Kahin Dil Kho Baithe, Toote na Dil Toote na and Uthaye Ja Unke Situm.

 

Shahjahan was followed by S. Fazil's Mehndi, Mehboob's Andaaz and Shahid Latif's Aarzoo. Just as Majrooh began establishing himself as a lyricist of repurte, his leftist leanings got him into trouble. The government wasn't amused by his anti-establishment poems and he was put behind bars in 1949 along with other leftists like Balraj Sahni. Majrooh was asked to apologise to save his skin, but he refused and was sent to jail for two years. While he ws in jail, his eldest daughter was born. Those were the financially tough days for his family and there was no one to help. It was Raj Kapoor who came forward to help but he knew that Majooh wouldn't accept money like that. So he asked Majoor to write a song. Majrooh wrote 'Ek Din Bik Jayega Maati Ke Mol..' and Raj Kapoor gave him Rs.1000 for that.

Majooh Sultanpuri then went on to write ltrics for such movies as CID, Paying Guest, Tumsa Nahi Dekha, Sujata, Kala Pani, Bambai Ka Babu, Manzil, Aarti, Aar Paar, Mr. & Mrs. 55, Dilli Ka Thug, Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi, Hum sab Chor Hain, Dil Deke Dekho, etc. Along with Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Majrooh was considered the most notable writer of ghazals. It was Majrooh's versatility that industry folk swear by. If he could write 'Jalte Hain Jiske Liye..' (Sujata) and ' Hum Bekhudi Me Tumko Pukare Chale Gaye..' (Kala Pani), he also penned 'Paanch Rupaiya Bara Aana..' (Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi) and 'C A T cat..' (Dilli Ka Thug). Majrooh enthralled listeners with his songs in Abhimaan, Kudrat, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa etc.

Majrooh Sultanpuri won his only Filmfare Award for Dosti. And that rankled the maestro a lot. He felt cheated. He couldn't digest the fact that lesser writers walked away with so many awards. He has written nearly 4000 songs, and his success rate in terms of popularity of songs was 95 per cent. So he couldn't understand was the criteria was for selecting the winners. He was disgusted when he lost for 'Pehla Nasha..' (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar) and later for 'Aaj Main Oopar..' (Khamoshi).

Majrooh has a severe attack of pneumonia and was admitted to a hospital on May 16, 2000, where, he closed his eyes for - ever on May 24, 2000. It was a day of shock for all the music lovers and for the entire film industry. He has left us with his ever lasting poetries and melodious songs.