SWAPNIL SANSAR, ENGLISH WEEKLY,LUCKNOW, 07,MAY, 2019 (03) Kaifi Azmi - The Man with the Flaming Words Kaifi Azmi was a Urdu poet. He is progressive writers of Lucknow he conveys a message of the creation died on May 10, 2002 at around the considered to be one of the greatest noticed him. They were very of a just social order by dismantling age of eighty three. He was survived the existing one. Yet, his poetry cannot by his wife, daughter and son.His be called plain propaganda. It has its autobiography is included in a own merits; intensity of emotions, in 10 th May particular, and the spirit of sympathy and compassion collection of his works, Aaj Ke Prashid towards the disadvantaged section of Shayar: Kaifi Azmi.Azmi was the society, are the hallmark of his poetry. subject of a documentary film called His poems are also notable for their Kaifi Azmi (1979), directed by Raman rich imagery and in this respect, his Kumar. In 1997, he recited his own contribution to Urdu poetry can hardly poems for Kaifiyaat, an audio book on be overstated.Azmi's first collection of his collected works.Kaifi Aur Mein, a poems, Jhankar was published in play based on his life, his works and 1943. His important works including the memoir of his wife, Shaukat Azmi anthologies of poetry, were Aakhir-e- Yadon Ki Rahguzar (Down Memory Shab, Sarmaya, Awaara Sajde, Lane), was written and performed by Kaifiyaat, Nai Gulistan, an anthology Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi, and of articles he wrote for Urdu Blitz, Meri performed in India as well as abroad Awaaz Suno, a selection of his film in 2006. Another play, directed by Rani lyrics, and the script of Heer Ranjha in Balbir, Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Hasin Sitam, Devanagari.His best known poems based Kaifi Azmi’s life and writings are Aurat, Makaan,Daaera,Saanp, was staged in 2005, and received rave and Bahuroopni.Azmi's work in films reviews.He was the recipient of includes working as a lyricist, writer Padma Shri one of the Indian and actor. Azmi wrote his first lyrics for Government's highest civilian awards. the film Buzdil, directed by Shaheed Besides he was awarded the Uttar Latif, in 1952. His early work as a Pradesh Urdu Academy Award and writer was mainly for Nanubhai Vakil's the Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu films like Yahudi Ki Beti (1956), Parvin for his collection Awaara Sajde, (1957), Miss Punjab Mail (1958) and Special Award of Maharashtra Urdu Id Ka Chand (1958).While directors Academy, Soviet Land Nehru Award, like Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Bimal Lotus Award from the Afro-Asian Roy strove to create the “New Writers' Association, and President’s Cinema”, writers like Sahir Ludhianvi, Award for national integration. In Jan Nisar Akhtar, Majrooh Sultanpuri, 1998, Government of Maharashtra and Kaifi changed the tenor and conferred the Jyaneshwara Award on vocabulary of the Hindi film song, him. He was also honoured with the creating a fresh new wave in Hindi film prestigious Sahitya Akademi lyrics that lasted many Urdu poets of 20th century.Together impressed by his leadership qualities. years. His greatest feat with Pirzada Qasim, Jon Elia and They also saw in him a budding poet as a writer was Chetan others he participated in the most and extended all possible Anand's Heer Raanjha memorable mushairas of the twentieth encouragement towards him. (1970) wherein the entire century.Azmi was born in the village of Consequently, Azmi started to win dialogue of the film was in Mizwaa(n) in Azamgarh, Uttar great acclaim as a poet and became a verse. It was a Pradesh, .Azmi was married to member of Progressive Writers' tremendous achievement Shaukhat Azmi. They have a Movement of India.At the age of and one of the greatest daughter, Shabana Azmi (An Indian twenty-four, he started activities in the feats of Hindi film writing. Actress of film, television and theatre) textile mill areas of Kanpur. As a Azmi also won great and a son, Baba Azmi full-time worker, he left his life of critical accolades for the (Cinematographer).At age eleven, comfort, though he was the son of a script, dialogues and Azmi wrote his first ghazal Itna To zamindar. He was asked to shift his lyrics of M.S. Sathyu's Zindagi Mein Kisi Ki Khalal Pade and base to Bombay, work amongst the Garam Hawa (1973), somehow managed to get himself workers and start party work with a lot based on a story by Ismat invited to a mushaira and over there, of zeal and enthusiasm and at the Chughtai. Azmi also he recited a ghazal, rather a couplet of same time would attend mushairas in wrote the dialogues for the ghazal which was very much different parts of India. In Bombay, he Shyam Benegal's appreciated by the president of the joined Ali Sardar Jafri in writing for the Manthan (1976) and mushaira, Mani Jaisi, but most of the party’s paper, Qaumi Jung.In 1947, he Sathyu's Kanneshwara people, including his father, thought visited Hyderabad to participate in a Rama (1977).As a lyricist he recited his elder brother's ghazal. mushaira. There he met, fell in love and songwriter, though When his elder brother denied it, his with and married a woman named he wrote for numerous father and his clerk decided to test his Shaukat Azmi. She later became a films, he will always be poetic talent. They gave him one of renowned actress in theatre and films. remembered for Guru the lines of a couplet and asked him to They had two children together, Dutt's Kaagaz Ke Phool write a ghazal in the same meter and Shabana Azmi (b. 1950), a renowned (1959) and Chetan rhyme. Azmi accepted the challenge actress of Indian cinema and Baba Anand's Haqeeqat and completed a ghazal. This Azmi, a noted cameraman.Like most (1964), India's greatest particular ghazal was to become a of the Urdu poets, Azmi began as a war film. Some notables rage in undivided India and it was ghazal writer, cramming his poetry films for which he wrote immortalized as it was sung by with the repeated themes of love and lyrics include Kohra legendary ghazal singer, Begum romance in a style that was replete (1964), Anupama (1966), Uski Kahani Fellowship for lifetime achievement.In Akhtar. Azmi abandoned his studies of with clichés and metaphors. However, (1966), Saat Hindustani (1969), Shola 2000, he was conferred the first Persian and Urdu during the Quit India his association with the Progressive Aur Shabnam, Parwana (1971), Millennium Award by the Government agitations in 1942 and shortly Writers' Movement and Communist Bawarchi (1972), Pakeezah (1972), of Delhi and the Delhi Urdu Academy. thereafter became a full-time Marxist Party made him embark on the path of Hanste Zakhm (1973), Arth (1982) He has also been honoured with a when he accepted membership of the socially conscious poetry.In his poetry, and Razia Sultan (1983). He also doctorate from Vishva Bharati Communist Party of India in he highlights the exploitation of the played a memorable role of Naseem's University, Santiniketan. AGENCY 1943.During this period, the leading subaltern masses and through them grandfather in Naseem (1995).Azmi