Muhammad Aurangzeb or Qateel Shifai ( ur, ), (24 December 1919 – 11 July 2001) was a Pakistani

Urdu poet Urdu poetry ( ur, ) is a tradition of poetry and has many different forms. Today, it is an important part of the cultures of South Asia. According to Naseer Turabi there are five major poets of Urdu which are Mir Taqi Mir (d.1810), Mirza Ghalib ...

and lyricist.

Early life and career

Qateel Shifai was born in

Haripur District Haripur District ( ps, هریپور ولسوالۍ, ur, "The Town of Hari") is a district in Hazara Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. The town of Haripur (meaning 'Hari's town') was founded in 1822 by Hari Singh Nalwa, the Co ...

as Muhammad Aurangzeb in 1919 in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

(now

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

).Renowned poet, lyricist Qateel Shifai remembered today
Associated Press of Pakistan website, Published 11 July 2020, Retrieved 17 December 2021 He was of

Hindkowan Hindkowans (lit. "Indian-speakers"), also known as the Hindki, is a contemporary designation for speakers of Indo-Aryan languages who live among the neighbouring Pashtuns, particularly the speakers of various Hindko dialects of Lahnda. The ori ...

background. He adopted ''Qateel Shifai'' as his pen name in 1938, under which he was known in the world of

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Due to his father's death in 1935, Qateel was forced to quit his higher education. He started his own sporting goods shop. Being unsuccessful in his business, he decided to move from his small town to

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan ...

, where he started working for a transport company and later joined the

Pakistani film industry Cinema of Pakistan, popularly known as Lollywood ( ur, ), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its three largest cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. ...

in 1947 as a film song lyricist.Profile of poet Qateel Shifai on rekhta.org website
Retrieved 17 December 2021 "His father was a businessman and there was no tradition of sher-o-shayari in his family. Initially, he showed his poetry to Hakeem Yahya Shifa Khanpuri for correction and advice. Qateel derived his poetic surname 'shifai' from him. Later, he became the disciple of

Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi ( ur, ) born Ahmad Shah Awan ( ur, ) (20 November 1916 - 10 July 2006) was an Urdu language Pakistani poet, journalist, literary critic, dramatist and short story author. He wrote 50 books on topics such as poetry, fiction ...

who was his friend and neighbor." "In 1946, he was called to Lahore by ''Nazir Ahmed'' to work as the assistant editor of the monthly 'Adab-e-Latif', a literary magazine published since 1936. His first ghazal was published in the Lahore weekly 'Star', edited by the poet Qamar Ajnalvi." In January 1947, Qateel was asked to write the songs of a film by a Lahore-based film producer, ''Dewan Sardari Lal''. The first film he penned the lyrics for was ''Teri Yaad (1948)'' in Pakistan. Later, after working for some time as assistant lyricist to some of the famous poets/lyricists of the time (1948 to 1955 time period), he eventually became a highly successful film lyricist of

and won numerous awards over the years for his film song lyrics despite a crowded field of competitors in those days. Among his contemporaries were poets like

Kaifi Azmi Kaifi Azmi (born Athar Husain Rizvi; 14 January 1919 – 10 May 2002) was an Indian Urdu poet. He is remembered as the one who brought Urdu literature to Indian motion pictures. Together with Pirzada Qasim, Jaun Elia and others he participat ...

Amrita Pritam Amrita Pritam (; 31 August 1919 – 31 October 2005) was an Indian novelist, essayist and poet, who wrote in Punjabi and Hindi. A prominent figure in Punjabi literature, she is the recipient of the 1956 Sahitya Akademi Award. Her body of wo ...

Majrooh Sultanpuri Asrar ul Hassan Khan (1 October 1919 − 24 May 2000), better known as Majrooh Sultanpuri, was an Indian Urdu poet and lyricist in India's Hindi language film industry. He wrote Hindustani lyrics for numerous Hindi film soundtracks. He was ...

, Sahir Ludhianvi, Majaz Lucknawi,

Tanvir Naqvi Tanvir Naqvi (born Syed Khursheed Ali; 16 February 1919 1 November 1972), also spelled Tanveer Naqvi, was a Pakistani lyricist and poet. He wrote lyrics for 200 uncertain films, including Lollywood and Bollywood. He made his debut in Indian c ...

Saifuddin Saif Saifuddin Saif (20 July 1922 12 July 1993) was a Pakistani lyricist, poet, film producer-director, and the founder of Rehnuma Films, a film studio of 1954. He was involved in writing poems and lyrics before and after the Partition. However, ...

, Ahmad Faraz and Muhammad Hasan Askari. In 1988, Qateel Shifai started work on his autobiography "Ghungroo Toot Gaye" with the assistance of his pupil, now a famous Urdu poet, Naeem Chishti. This was a long project and took quite a few years to be completed. The book was finally published after his death by his son Naveed Qateel in 2006. The book broke out many hidden facts about film industry and literary circles and revealed some interesting facts from the personal lives of legendary personalities like Sahir Ludhianvi,

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan (Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Press ...

and

Iqbal Bano Iqbal Bano ( ur, ; born 1928 in Delhi – died 21 April 2009 in Lahore) was a ghazal singer from Pakistan. She was known for her semi-classical Urdu ghazal songs and classical thumris, but also sang easy-listening numbers in the 1950s films. Iq ...

Death and legacy

Qateel Shifai died on 11 July 2001 in

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second List of cities in Pakistan by population, most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th List of largest cities, most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is th ...

, Pakistan. Over 20 collections of verse and over 2,500 film songs for Pakistani and Indian films were published. He wrote songs for 201 Pakistani and Indian films. His talent crossed the borders. His poetry has been translated into numerous languages including

Hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...

Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...

, English, Russian and Chinese. On Qateel Shifai's 11th death anniversary in 2012, in an interview to a major newspaper, a prominent literary figure Dr Salahuddin Darvesh said, "Shifai was one of those great poets of 20th century who had gained international recognition."Qateel Shifai remembered on 11th death anniversary
The Nation (newspaper), Published 12 July 2012, Retrieved 17 December 2021

Awards and recognition

* '

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...

Award' in 1994 for his contribution to literature by the

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the four provinces, two autonomous territorie ...

. * Adamjee Literary Award in 1964, 'Naqoosh Award', 'Abbasin Arts Council Award' were all given to him in Pakistan.Remembering renowned poet, lyricist Qateel Shifai on his 20th death anniversary
92 TV News website, Published 11 July 2021, Retrieved 17 December 2021 * He won Best Poet Award at 9th PTV Awards in 1998 * The much coveted '

Amir Khusro Abu'l Hasan Yamīn ud-Dīn Khusrau (1253–1325 AD), better known as Amīr Khusrau was an Indo-Persian culture, Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, poet and scholar who lived under the Delhi Sultanate. He is an iconic figure in the cultural his ...

Award' was given in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. * 'Special Millennium

Nigar Award The Nigar Awards ( ur, , translit=Inʿām Negār, lit=Picture Awards) were presented in an annual award show to recognize outstanding achievement in Pakistani cinema. The honors are awarded by Nigar Magazine founded in 1948. The Nigar Awards ...

' for his lifetime contributions to the

Pakistan film industry Cinema of Pakistan, popularly known as Lollywood ( ur, ), refers to the filmmaking industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is home to several film studios centres, primarily located in its three largest cities – Karachi, Lahore, and Faisalabad. ...

in 1999. In addition, Qateel won other 3 Nigar Awards in 1958, 1965 and 1979 Qateel Shifai produced a film in his mother language—Hindko—in 1970. It was the first Hindko film which was named "Qissa Khwani". The film was released in 1980. He died on 11 July 2001 in

. The street on which he lived in

has been named ''Qateel Shifai Street'' after him. There is also a sector of Haripur city that has been named after him – ''Mohallah Qateel Shifai''.

Filmography

Includes both Pakistani and Indian films. *''Bade Dilwala'' (1999) (lyricist) *''Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan'' (1999) (lyricist) *''Auzaar'' (1997) (lyricist) *''Tamanna'' (1996) (as Qateel Shifai) *''Naajayaz'' (1995) (lyricist) (as Qateel Shifai) *''Naaraz'' (1994) (as Qateel Shifai) *''Hum Hain Bemisaal'' (as Qateel Shifai) *''Sir'' (1993) (lyricist) (as Qateel Shifai) *''Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee'' (1993) (''Your Memories Have Returned'') (lyricist) (as Qateel Shifai) *''Tahqiqaat'' (1993) (lyricist) (as Cratil Sipahi) *''

Painter Babu ''Painter Babu'' is a 1983 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Ashok V. Bhushan, starring Rajiv Goswami, Meenakshi Sheshadri and Neelima in lead roles. Cast *Rajiv Goswami *Meenakshi Sheshadri * Neelima *Rakesh Bedi Soundtrack *''Kab Tala ...

'' (1983) (lyricist)Qateel Shifai as lyricist in Indian film Painter Babu (1983) on hindigeetmala.net website
Retrieved 17 December 2021 *''Kudrat'' (1981) (lyricist, only 1 theme/title song - Dukh sukh ki har ek mala) *''

Begum Jaan ''Begum Jaan'' is a 2017 Indian Hindi period drama film. It is written and directed by National Film Award-winning director Srijit Mukherji and produced by Mukesh Bhatt, Vishesh Bhatt and Play Entertainment. The film is co-produced by Saks ...

'' (1977) *''Shireen Farhad'' (1975) (lyricist) *''Naila'' (1965) (lyricist) (Qateel Shifai won the

for this film) *'' Farangi'' (1964) (lyricist) *''Haveli'' (1964) (lyricist) *''

Shaheed ''Shaheed'' ( , , ; pa, ਸ਼ਹੀਦ) denotes a martyr in Islam. The word is used frequently in the Quran in the generic sense of "witness" but only once in the sense of "martyr" (i.e. one who dies for his faith); ...

'' (1962) (lyricist) *''

Zeher-e-Ishq ''Zeher-e-Ishq'' ( ur, ) is a Pakistani Sufism love Drama film directed by Khalid Khan and written by Muhammad Asif Ali. The film stars are Rohit Purohit (India), Aslihan Akmez (Turkey), Asad Zaman Khan, Resham, Sana Nawaz, Tipu, Shabbir Jan, ...

'' (1958) (lyricist) *''Anarkali'' (1958) (Qateel Shifai won the

for this film) *''Intezar'' (1956) (lyricist) *''Qatil'' (1955) (lyricist) *''Gumnaam'' (1954) (assisted

Hakim Ahmad Shuja Hakim Ahmad Shuja MBE (; sometimes written as 'Hakeem Ahmed Shujah' and 'Hakim Ahmad Shuja Pasha') (4 November 1893 – 4 January 1969), was a famous Urdu and Persian poet, playwright, writer, film writer and lyricist, scholar and mysti ...

as junior lyricist) *''Gulnaar'' (1953) (assistant lyricist) *'' Teri Yaad'' (1948) (assistant lyricist) – (''Your Memories''- Equivalent Film Title in English) (First released film in the

)

References

External links

Qateel Shifai Web Site
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Shifai, Qateel 1919 births 2001 deaths Pakistani poets Urdu-language poets from Pakistan Recipients of the Pride of Performance Nigar Award winners Pakistani lyricists PTV Award winners Pakistani songwriters Recipients of the Adamjee Literary Award Hindkowan people