Ghaalib's Representations on Screen

 

I think that there has been no great ghazal singer who hasn’t sung Ghalib’s work, be it, Mehdi Hasan or Jagjit Singh, most of them have sung his ghazals. He is said to have written his first poem at the age of 11, and by 19, was writing verses that became increasingly incomprehensible to even his contemporaries. 

Ghalib's life was the subject of hundreds of plays regularly performed in Northern India and Pakistan. These plays were based on his life and his personal and professional relationships starting from the Parsi Theatre and Hindustani Theatre days.  He remains the topmost poet whose poems are used as songs in Hindi films but he was not shown much on screen. The first time a full feature film was made in 1954 by V Shantaram named Mirza Ghalib (1954) in which Bharat Bhushan plays Ghalib and Suraiya plays his courtesan lover, Chaudvin. 

Gulzar produced a TV serial, Mirza Ghalib (1988), telecast on DD National that was immensely successful in India. Naseeruddin Shah played the role of Ghalib in the serial, and it featured ghazals sung and composed by Jagjit Singh and Chitra Singh

 Mirza Ghalib (1954) made by Sohrab Modi won the President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film and the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi in the 2nd National Film Awards for 1954. Suraiya's singing (of Mirza Ghalib's ghazals) and her acting was especially applauded by the Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, who remarked to her " You have brought back Ghalib to life", in a special screening of the film in Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Gulzar's Mirza Ghalib produced by Doordarshan TV was a masterpiece. Naseeruddin Shah, who played the role of the poet in the TV show Mirza Ghalib, considers it his finest performance at par with movies.

Gulzar, who almost seems to consider Ghalib his guru, often using his lines or concepts in his own work, penned a brilliant poem in his honour to begin the show — Ballimaran ke mohalle ki wo pecheeda daleelon ki si galiyaan.

The 2015 film Masaan contains various examples of poetry and Shayari by Ghalib,

Song of Mirza Ghalib(1954)

Song of Mirza Ghalib(1954)

Song of Mirza Ghalib T V Serial by Gulzar

Song of Mirza Ghalib T V Serial by Gulzar

A Scene from Mirza Ghalib 

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Jagjit Singh- The Unforgettable

In the 60s and 70s, the world of ghazals was dominated by renowned names like Noor Jehan, Malika Pukhraj, Begum Akhtar, Talat Mahmood, and Mehdi Hassan but In the 70s a new voice appeared in Ghazals in India. It was Jagjit Singh with a different melody and freshness in his voice appealed to all and he was recognized by the industry. His pairing with Chitra and the use of unconventional musical instruments in the Ghazal and catchy rhythms and soulful music popularised Ghazals to the masses during the 70s and 80s.
The couple's first Album " The Unforgettables" released in 1976 made them star in the ghazal Industry in India. It became the highest-selling album at a time when there was no market for non-film albums.
The Unforgettables is also notable for one exceptional ghazal, Raat Bhi Neend Bhi, based on a Firaq Gorakhpuri poem. Chitra did not like the initial composition. Jagjit changed the tune and it became one of her most recognized solos in an album over which her husband towers with Baat Niklegi Toh Phir Door Talak Jayegi and Sarakti Jaaye Hai Rukh Se.
Jagjit Singh touched unprecedented heights and a number of his songs are considered classics. He is also the first Indian musician to record a purely digital CD album, titled ‘Beyond Time’ (1987).
Jagjit Singh has also sung many songs for Hindi movies. Popular films include Arth, Saath Saath, Premgeet, Tum Bin, Sarfarosh, Dushman and Tarkeeb. 
Jagjit Singh has proved himself as a genius as he brings out the true meaning of Mirza Ghalib's poetry by singing them as melodious Ghazals.  The album can be easily called a masterpiece.

Ghalib Shayari in Hindi Films

On the 222nd Birth Anniversary of Ghalib, I have made a collection of Bollywood Songs on Ghalib Shayari. He is the topmost poet whose poems are used as songs in Hindi films.
In 1954 a film on Mirza Ghalib was made by Sohrab Modi. The film won (1) the President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film and (2) the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi in the 2nd National Film Awards for 1954. Suraiya's singing (of Mirza Ghalib's ghazals) and her acting was especially applauded by the Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, who remarked to her " You have brought back Ghalib to life", in a special screening of the film in Rashtrapati Bhawan.
Bollywood has paid a tribute to this legendary poet through a film named Mirza Ghalib (1954) in which Bharat Bhushan plays Ghalib and Suraiya plays his courtesan lover, Chaudvin. The musical score of the film was composed by Ghulam Mohammed and his compositions of Ghalib's famous ghazals are likely to remain everlasting favorites.

Song of Mirza Ghalib(1954)

Song of Mirza Ghalib(1954)

Song of Mirza Ghalib(1954)

Song of Mirza Ghalib T V Serial by Gulzar

Song of Mirza Ghalib T V Serial by Gulzar

Collection of Bollywood Songs on Ghalib Shayari

Mirza Ghalib is the topmost poet whose poems are used as songs in Hindi films.His poems, his lifestyle, his behaviour everything is a great inspiration. He continues to be one of the best and oft-quoted writers in history. 
Bollywood has paid a tribute to this legendary poet through a film named Mirza Ghalib (1954) in which Bharat Bhushan plays Ghalib and Suraiya plays his courtesan lover, Chaudvin. The musical score of the film was composed by Ghulam Mohammed and his compositions of Ghalib's famous ghazals are likely to remain everlasting favourites
On the 221st Birth Anniversary, I have made a collection of Bollywood Songs on Ghalib Shayari.
In 1954 a film on Mirza Ghalib was made by Sohrab Modi. The film won (1) the President's Gold Medal for the All India Best Feature Film and (2) the President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi in the 2nd National Film Awards for 1954. Suraiya's singing (of Mirza Ghalib's ghazals) and her acting was specially applauded by the Prime Minister, Jawahar Lal Nehru, who remarked to her " You have brought back Ghalib to life", in a special screening of the film in Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib 1954

Song of Mirza Ghalib T V Serial by Gulzar

Song of Mirza Ghalib T V Serial by Gulzar