Hasrat Jaipuri

Hasrat Jaipuri (April 15, 1922 – September 17, 1999) was a Hindi and Urdu poet and film lyricist.

Initial Days

Jaipuri was born Iqbal Husain in Jaipur, where he studied English till medium level, and then acquired his taalim in Urdu and Persian from his grandfather, Fida Husain. He began writing verse, when he was around twenty years old. Around same time, he fell in love with a Hindu girl named Radha. He wrote a poem for her, Yeh mera prem patra padh kar, ke tum naaraaz na hona. Later, the poem was used as a song in Raj Kapoor's film, Sangam (1964).

Career in Bollywood

In 1940, Jaipuri came to Bombay (now Mumbai), and worked as a bus conductor, earning a monthly salary of eleven rupees. He used to participate in mushairas. At a mushaira, Prithviraj Kapoor noticed Jaipuri and recommended him to his son, Raj Kapoor. Raj Kapoor was planning a musical love story, Barsaat (1949) with Shankar-Jaikishan. Jaipuri wrote his first recorded song, Jiya Beqaraar Hai for the film. His second song (and first duet) was Chhod Gaye Baalam.

Along with Shailendra, Jaipuri wrote lyrics for all Raj Kapoor films till 1971. After the death of Jaikishan and failures of Mera Naam Joker and Kal Aaj Aur Kal, however, Raj Kapoor turned to other lyricists and music directors. Kapoor initially wanted to call him back for Prem Rog, but later settled for another lyricist, Amir......
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