Gulzaar-e-fariyaad

Yesterday, the president felicitated some of the Oscar winners, the Indian variety that is.

It seems somewhat pathetic that a head of such a vast nation felicitate people because some other people felicitated them - people who, in the past, have even felicitated movies like Titanic. But that's the way it's always been. Satyajit Ray, who was mostly ignored in his own lifetime, and even blamed at one time by none other than Nargis in the Rajya Sabha of selling India's poverty to the West (notwithstanding the fact that much of his oeuvre concentrated on middle-class India), was suddenly deemed a Bharat Ratna once he got the Lifetime Oscars. Such is our reverence for Uncle Oscar.

But my contention here is why do we keep on insisting that Gulzar also is one of the recepients of Oscars? He was the lyricist to a score in a tongue foreign to, I would believe, the entire panel which voted for the song. So what difference would it have made to the score's chances, if he'd substituted:

Ratti Ratti Sachi Maine Jaan Gavayi Hai
Nach Nach Koylo Pe Raat Bitayi Hai

with

Tatti Tatti Mein Maine Bhaang Milaayee Hai
Kuchh Kuchh Bhadwon ko paand sunghaayee hai

It would have still won - unless, of course, somebody told the people in the panel what they were swaying their heads to.

I like Gulzar. I think he was a better director than a lyricist and has never been recognized to the wonderful movies he made in the 70s (Kitaab, Mere Apne, Achaanak, Namkeen). But let's not recognize him for something he didn't do.