Thank You, Gulzar Saheb For Finally Opening Your Mouth for Dilliwalas!

Frankly, Gulzar Sahab, I had given up hope for you and all those like you who only use words and feelings for effect and dont really mean what you write or say.

I couldnt believe that i would come to such a conclusion about you, a man who i once use to emulate, idolize and even worship as a God in starched white close and mojdis on your feet, i use to keep tuesdays aside only to spend time with you to gain knowledge about live and love over glasses of green tea and you were kind enough to give me more than my fill of knowledge which i than believed i would not find anywhere else and with anyone else and when the evening ended, i use to wait for ghe next tuesday to come.

There was not an occasion, of book launch, your birthday, the birthday of your only daughter, Bosky, who is the well known writer and director Meghna Gulzar now, there was a time when you never celebrated your birrhday on August 18, but Bosky and i talked you into celebrating your 60th birthday at "Boskyaana" , your house on Pali Hill you named after Bosky, you also heeded to our advice to celebrate the silver jubliee of your film, Maachis again in "Boskyaana" and you were kind enough to make sure to present the first copy of " Because He Is" , the book Bosky wrote about you to Me and how many other gestures should i count to show you and the world how strong our bond was....

And than i dont know what happened to the ever so sensitive poet and human being in you when i suddenly decided to left "Screen", the weekly i had worked with for 46 years.

The next time it was tuesday i came to Booskyaana as usual and your scretary shocked me when he told me that i had not taken an appointment, i just couldnt get over it,  i met your good old driver , Sundar who shocked me further when he said, " Sahab, idhar aisa hee hota hae, tum agar kam ka nahi hae toh tumko vo bilkul nahi puchega", i had learnt many lessons from you , Gulzar Sahab, but i was not prepared for this kind of shocking lesson.

I did not come to "Boskyaana" for many tuesdays that followed, but i was forced to when my publishers wanted me to get you as the chief guest at the release of my book on my first love, i forgot what had happened between us, i forgot the humiliation and even the little ego in me and faced you and told you about my need to have you as chief guest and you carried me in the air and said, "Tere function mae nahi aaunga toh kis kae function mae aaunga?"

I had already booked the venue and invited all the guest, it was just 15 minutes to go for the event to start when i received a call from your scretary and my friend Mr. Kutty, a man from Kerala who was totally dedicated to you, but who was a greater friend and he with his Malayalia accent said, "Tumko bola na, Ali Sahab, vo aadmi bahut karab hae. Abhi daikho na, vo andar baith kar chhat ko daikh kar chai pee raha hae aur humko bolta hae, Ali ko phone karkae bolo mera Pakistan sa guest log aya, isliye mae function mae nahi aa sakega". I felt like the roof had fallen on my head and the ground had slipped from under my feet. I went into the washroom and cried my heart out. But my guest were waiting. I would have to do something to save my face. I dont know how the name of Subhash Ghai came to my mind and so did his mobile number. I called him and asked him if he could save me. He did not even ask me for the complete details, but only asked me how much time i could give him. In sheer desperation i said 20 minutes and he said he would be there in exactly 15 mins. He had saved my day, he had saved my face and he had saved me form atture disgrace.

How in heaven's name could i forgive you, my dear one time good old friend Gulzar Sahab? In my anger, i also remembered a writer - friend Amrick Gill who was working with you, whose wife had translated " Ravi Paar" , a collection of your short stories into Punjabi, you never said a word till Gill spent his own money and got the book published for the love of his wife and spend all his money on doing the publicity all over punjab, he even bought your business class ticket for Punjab and when he came to you with ticket, you refused to attend the function and Gill was shattered and when last heard, he had turned into an hopeless alcoholic

Things are only going from bad to worse on your front, i am told, you dont take any call,  your scretary does and he takes only personal calls and ask all the other to contact you on email, why are you the poet of love and a poet of the ordinary man and his ordinary feeling so very scared of facing them?

My heart skipped of few beats this morning when i read about your expressing your opnion which went against the new Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), i couldnt beleive that you had grown so very courageous  to speak out your mind, so what it is a little to lage and so what if your reaction has come when many others from the industry you have been working in for more than 60 years love to the silent about such burning issues?

You and your own usual clever, cunning and sarcastic way have covered up what you really want to say to perhaps keep away from the Dandas and the Fundas of the two men who are trying all they can to take over the country and you have talked about your being scared about " Dilliwalas" who can change any rule in the time.

You have lived a long and rich life, Gulzar Sahab, you are 84 years old now, dont you think  this is not the time to get scared of the people in power and give vent to your feelings without any fear off the consiquences, haven't you lived a life of fulfilment in everyway and why can't you forget the Gulzar you are and take on the torch as Sampuranand Singh Kalra and fight the war for the common man who will be more greatfull to you for fighting this war then writing  poems like "Koi hota jisko hum apna keh lete yaaro", your one time friend, who would still like to be your friend if.......