ANAND BAKSHI... 'The great Indian Poet'

Anand Bakshi was born in Rawalpindi, now in Pakistan, on 21 July 1930.
Before he established himself as a Lyrics writer for Hindi film songs, he served for 2 years in the Royal Indian Navy, (Karachi) and after partition he served 6 years in the Indian Army, based at Jubbalpore, with The Corps of Signals, and later with the E.M.E. , Infantry.

His first published poem appeared in an Army publication, “Sainik Samachar”, and this boosted his morale and gave him confidence to try in Hindi films. (Later on, in the late 90’s, he even wrote a special song for the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dhun. He even wrote a song for the Corps of Signals, on their invitation. After his death, the Corps of Signals established a “Bakshi Corner” in their Corps Museum.)

He got his real big breakthroughs in 1965 with "Himalay Ki God Mein", and a huge breakthrough again in 1965 with the super hit film "Jab Jab Phool Khile", starring Shashi Kapoor; and once again in 1967 with the super hit movie "Milan" (starring Sunil Dutt). With these two very big successful films, he got the opportunity to write for all star music composers and Producers and Directors, in Indian cinema.

Anand Bakshi’s association in Hindi films with film Music Composers include appox 300 films with Laxmikant & Pyarelal, 97 films with R D Burman, 31 with Kalyanji & Anandji, 26 with Anu Malik, 17 with Rajesh Roshan ans his songs have been sung by singers like Shamshad Begam, Khursheed Bawra, Amirbai Karnataki, Bhushan & Party, Sudha Malhotra and more

he established himself as a versatile lyricist with the song Dum Maro Dum in the movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna (1972).

After this, he wrote memorable lyrics in many movies including Bobby and Amar Prem (1971), Jeena Ki Raah Jitender, Meera Gao Mera Desh Dharmendra, Aye Din Bahar Ke, Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Seeta Aur Geeta Hema Malini, Sholay (1975), Dharam Veer, , Kalicharan, Vishvanath, , Nagina, Mr. India, Hum(1991), Mohra (1994), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Heer-Ranjha, Taal (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) and Yaadein (2001).

Bakshi received 40 Filmfare Award nominations, and won four Filmfare awards as best lyricist. The songs awarded the Filmfare award were:

• Aadmi Musafir Hain in Apnapan (1977)
• Tere Mere Beech in Ek Duuje Ke Liye (1981)
• Tujhe Dekha in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
• Ishq Bina in Taal (1999).