“Mere agge duniya ka rang saara fikka, apne lahu se hi lagaaya maine tikka… main hoon Punjab!” – the lines that continue to echo through countless Punjabi hearts, were written by Dr Irshad Kamil for ‘Ishq Mitaye’, a soulful and upbeat song featured in Imtiaz Ali’s biopic ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’.
These are also the lines that pop up in your head when you make an attempt to describe the poet and lyricist that Irshad is.
“This is what Irshad is! I am Punjab. Wherever I go, I carry Punjab in my heart. Punjab made me what I am today,” said the poet-lyricist in a recent interview wherein he talks about his journey as a poet and lyricist.
Capturing the essence of Punjab and Chamkila’s ‘Punjabiyat’ was like home coming for the 53-year-old Kamil, who, just like the slain singer, grew up in Punjab, too.
“Even when I went to Mumbai, I took Punjab in my heart. It is this ‘Punjabiyat’ that has brought me name and success in Bollywood. I am and will always be deeply connected to Punjab,” he added, taking a deep dive into his Punjabi roots.
“Punjabi is my mother, Urdu is my beloved. In my homeland Punjab, there is love at every nick and corner. And I try to pour that love, that emotion in every song,” Kamil said, beaming with pride.
Working actively as a lyricist in the Hindi film industry for the past two decades, Irshad’s impressive filmography comprises countless memorable songs.
He is one of the very few lyricists today who can also be identified as a “shaayar” or a poet.
Kamil has, to his credit, songs in Bollywood films, including Jab We Met, Chameli, Love Aaj Kal, Rockstar, Laila Majnu, Aashiqui 2, Raanjhanaa, Highway, Tamasha, Jab Harry Met Sejal, Kabir Singh, Dunki and Love Aaj Kal.
When asked if he will ever pen songs for Punjabi films, Kamil disclosed his disappointment.
“It is surprising that people from Pakistan have asked me to write songs for their films but no one from the Punjabi film industry has ever approached me. I fail to understand why,” Kamil said, adding that he is eagerly waiting for the day some Punjabi filmmaker will approach him to write songs for their film.
Recipient of several awards, Kamil studied journalism at Panjab University, and worked as a journalist before he decided to quit one night and go with his heart.
“Just like no one knows the exact point in time when love happens, an artist does not know when he becomes an artist. For me, it was one foggy, winter night when I was returning home from a journalistic assignment that I decided to quit and pursue my dream of becoming a lyricist,” Kamil revealed, adding that the very next day, he resigned from his job.
The fact that his decision was met with societal disapproval failed to deter Kamil.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say ‘you should not do this’, which translates to ‘you should keep doing what you are doing even if you don’t want to’. But I say you do exactly what you want to do,” he signed off.
Follow us
