Birthday Prasoon Joshi: Let's discuss the good works of the country

In the late 90s, when the music of films was getting weaker and new singers were also wandering in search of work, the era of private albums had also started. In that era of private albums, Prasoon Joshi's work was also slowly reaching the ears of the listeners but, as is the norm in this country, writers here did not get recognition quickly even earlier, they did not get it in that era either. Apart from that, the most famous song of Mohit Chauhan's band Silk Route, 'Duba-Duba Rahta Hoon' (1998) was written by Prasoon Joshi along with Mohit Chauhan. 

Along with this, the respected Prasoon Joshi was also the writer of Shubha Mudgal's album 'Ab Ke Sawan, Aise Barse' (1999). But Prasoon Joshi's artistic journey does not start from here, rather about 10 years before this, at the age of just 17, Prasoon Joshi had published his first book 'Main Aur Woh'! His father DK Joshi and his mother Sushma Joshi, both were from Almora district and were adept in classical music! Along with this, his mother was a lecturer in political science and she has also worked in All India Radio for 30 years! His father has been an Additional Director in the State Education Service.

Despite being born into a family rich in arts and education, Prasoon Joshi was not allowed to pursue a career in writing. His parents were very conscious and strict about his studies. That is why Prasoon Joshi, after completing his primary education, did an MBA from Ghaziabad and started working in a famous British advertising company. You can understand his ability from the fact that within just ten years he was made the Executive Creative Director of that company. After this, in 2002, he directly got the post of Vice President in the company where he started working and today he is working on the post of CEO. 

Before looking at Prasoon Ji's film career, it is important to know the meaning of his name. His name means 'Phool', a beautiful blooming flower that succeeds in leaving its fragrance wherever it makes its place. 

Prasoon Joshi's career is also similar. He was offered the job of a lyricist for the first time in Raj Kumar Santoshi's famous film 'Lajja'. But his first film as a lyricist was Bhopal Express which could be released only in award functions. The music director of this film was Shankar Ehsaan Loy. 

In Lajja, all the songs in Anu Malik's composition were written by lyricist Sameer but one song, 'Kaun Dagar, Kaun Sheher Tu Chali Kahan' was written by Prasoon Joshi and only this song was sung by Swar Kokila Lata Mangeshkar. 

After this, he also got the song 'Gustakhiyaan Hain, Betaabiyaan Hain, Chhaai Hain Madhoshiyan' in the multi-starrer film 'Aankhen'! Also, its title track was also written by Prasoon Joshi. 

After this, Prasoon Joshi got the responsibility of writing the entire album of Kunal Kohli's film 'Hum Tum' in Jatin-Lalit's music and this film released in 2004 and its songs won the hearts of the audience. 

'Let the breaths meet each other, let the slow heartbeat be a bit restless, this is the request of the moments, let us come closer' and "Also, why don't girls know why they aren't like boys" were super duper hit songs. 

Then what happened was that there was a queue of people waiting to get songs written for Prasoon Joshi. But Prasoon Joshi neither had the time to write songs full time every day nor did he have the desire to do so because Prasoon Joshi believes that unless a film touches him or he sees something different in it, he does not work for it. 

After this, Prasoon Joshi also worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Black but he was most praised for writing the album of the film 'Rang De Basanti'. 

• “Apni toh paathshala masti ki paathshala”
• “Kuchh kar gujarane ko, khoon chala khoob chala”
• “Too bin batae mujhe le chal kaheen”
• “Luka chhupee, bahut huee, saamane aa ja na”

All the songs of this film became super-duper hits and Prasoon Joshi started winning a lot of awards. He also got a nomination in Filmfare for the first time! 

In the same year, teaming up again with Kunal Kohli, then with Jatin-Lalit and then for Aamir Khan's film Fanaa, he wrote songs and he wrote them in such a way that each song proved to be a superhit. 

While “Chand Sifarish Jo Karta Hamari” and “Dekho Na, Hawa Kuch Haule Haule, Juba Se Kya Kuch Bole, Kyon Doori Hai Ab Darmiyan” were romantic songs, “Chanda Chamke Cham Cham” was a completely children’s song. And there was also a song like “Desh Rangeela” in the film which was completely patriotic. He was also awarded the ‘Filmfare Award’ for Chand Sifarish. 

Teaming up with Aamir Khan again, and taking the hand of his old partner Shankar Mahadevan, Prasoon Joshi wrote the songs for Taare Zameen Par and wrote such songs that it won him a National Award! 

Prasoon Joshi is always very enthusiastic about writing for children, and he also likes this film very much for his daughter. It is the most difficult task to decide which song of this film should be praised the most. 

“kholo kholo daravaaje parde karo kinaare khoonte se bandhee hai hava mil ke chhudao saare”

“bam bam bhole mastee mein dole”

Or

“kyon duniya ka naara, jame raho, kyon dil ka ishaara jame raho”

You will find the fine details of lyricism in every song. But the song “Main Kabhi Batlata Nahi, Par Andhere Se Darta Hoon Main Maa” is the best song of this album. That is why this single song has been awarded with many awards like Filmfare, National Award, Star Guild Award etc. 

After 'Taare Zameen Par', Prasoon Joshi had a line of films but he kept his work limited. He said that I do not write for money, I have my own company to earn money. And this is true, when he became the creative head in an ad agency, he breathed life into every ad, from Coca-Cola to Chlor-Mint. A story and a music can be seen in his ads too. 

Teaming up again with Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, he again joined hands with A.R. Rahman and wrote the songs for 'Delhi 6'. 

In the film 

"Sasural Genda Phool" and "Masakkali" became very popular songs. 

Prasoon Joshi, doing two films in a year, once again did 'Ghajini' with Aamir Khan, 'London Dreams' with Vipul Shah, 'Sikander' with Piyush Jha, 'Reservation' with Prakash Jha, Satyagraha, and Preity Zinta's only produced and directed film Ishq in Paris. 
Not binding himself to money, Prasoon Joshi also wrote songs for a very low budget film 'Chittagong' and the funny thing is that he got the National Award for the second time for the song 'Bolo Na' from this film. 

Joining hands with Rakesh Omprakash Mehra for the third time, he wrote the script, dialogues and lyrics for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. He was awarded the Filmfare Award for the third time for the song 'Zinda Hai To Pyala Pura Bhar De, Kancha Tute, Choora Kaanch Kar De' from this film. 

For the film 'Neerja', he once again wrote a song for 'mother' and this time he wrote it on behalf of a daughter. Understand his chronology that the first song written on mother was on behalf of a son 'Par andhere se darta hoon main maa', his second song was on behalf of a mother for her son 'Luka chuppi bahut hui, saamne aa ja na' and the third song was on behalf of a daughter for mother 'Aisa kyun maa'. All these three songs have such emotions that make your eyes get wet as soon as you listen to them. 

Prasoon Joshi was also appointed the Chairman of the Central Board of Film Certification in 2017, which is a matter of great honour in itself. 

The world knows about his patriotism, but many jealous people also call him a stooge of the government. However, Prasoon never feels bad about this, rather he says in his own style that 'We have been looking at India with dark glasses for a long time, why not try to see something good for some time' 

He openly says that for the first time in the last few years, a government has been formed in India which I have faith that it will do something good. He also interviewed the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Royal Palace in London in which he asked many questions but he was criticized a lot on the fact that why he did not ask any questions on the shortcomings and problems in the country?

Prasoon Joshi, while sitting in a literary function, openly says that “I cannot tolerate speaking ill of my country while sitting abroad. Some people have developed the habit of the people of Solomon Island who, before cutting a tree, gather around it and abuse it daily. Slowly, the tree withers and dies. These people also curse the country in the same way and wish that the country also gets destroyed in the same way so that they can get peace.” His words are more inspiring than his songs. He says “Until you go out and meet someone, your sorrows seem very big to you, your happiness seems the greatest, your successes seem the greatest, but when you come away from home and meet people, understand them, probe their sorrows, then you find that your sorrows are nothing. Then you realize that the sorrow, the pain that you consider your enemy, the reason for your destruction, is actually making you, building your personality. Then you start loving that pain. Then you start enjoying living with that pain and then you rise one hand above these definitions of sorrow and happiness.

Being a poet at heart, Prasoon Joshi also believes that poems and Shayari should not be dependent on films because films have those poems which want to show the feelings of the characters of the film but where are the feelings of the poet? Those feelings can be found in folk music, literature, and Sufi songs. “2015 Padma Bhushan awardee Prasoon Joshi ji cannot be praised enough. We conclude this article with his Nazm 'Babul', he has written this Nazm on behalf of those daughters of villages who get married much before their age. You should also read it and understand the meaning. 

baabul jiya mora ghabarae,
baabul, raha na jae baabul
moree itanee araj sun lee jo,
mohe sunaar ke ghar na deejyo
mohe jevar kabhee na bhae
baabul moree itanee araj sun lee jo,
mohe vyaapaaree ghar na deejyo
mohe dhan daulat na suhae
baabul moree itanee araj sun lee jo
mohe raaja ghar na deejyo
mohe raaj karana na aae
baabul moree itanee araj sun lee jo,
mohe lohaar ke ghar de deejyo
jo moree janjeeren pighalae

Happy Birthday to Prasoon Joshi from Mayapuri Magazine   

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