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Akhtar ul Iman was a noted Urdu poet and screenwriter in Hindi cinema, who had major influence on modern Urdu nazm.
He won the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue in 1963 for Dharmputra and 1966 for Waqt. He was awarded the 1962 Sahitya Akademi Award in Urdu, for his Poetry Collection, Yadein (Memories), by Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters,
Born in Qila, Najibabad, in Bijnor district of Uttar Pradesh in 1915.
His initial education happened at Bijnor, where he came in contact with Khurshid ul Islam, poet and scholar, who taught at Aligarh Muslim University, and developed a long association with Ralph Russell), he graduated from the Anglo-Arabic College (Zakir Husain College), Delhi.
After graduating from Delhi University, he worked in Civil Supplies Department and All India Radio at Delhi. From 1945 after he moved to Mumbai (then Bombay), he started working for Hindi cinema as a script writer.
His poetry is highly individualistic and innovative. He stands apart from other poets of his time in his themes, style, language. He preferred nazm over more popularghazal as a mean of poetic expression. Akhtar ul Iman's language is "coarse and unpoetic". He uses 'coarse" and mundane poetic expressions to make his message effective and realistic His poetry strives to find out a balance between the conflicting or extreme choices faced by man. He chose free verse for his nazms to make his conversational style of expression more realistic.
He was strongly influenced by Meeraji and N M Rashid and is more closer and similar to them than other poets of his era. He was close friend of Meeraji and Meeraji lived with him till his death. They together formed Halqa-e-Arbab-e-Adab (Circle of friends of Poetry). Poets who belong to this circle wrote independent of the ideology and standards set by Progressive Writers' Movement, although they were few in numbers but contributed significantly and had major influence on later generations of poets. It was also a starting point of Modernisnm in Urdu.
He left behind a substantial legacy for new generation of poetss to follow and exploring new trends and themes in modern Urdu poetry giving a new direction to the modern and contemporary Urdu nazm with emphasis on philosophical humanism.
He was the father-in-law of actor Amjad Khan.
• Iss Aabad Kharabe Mein (URDU)-published by Urdu Academy, Delhi, India. Autobiography of a famous Urdu writer of India.
Poetry
He has about seven collections of poetry to his credit.
Tareek Sayyara (1943)
Gardyab(1946)
Aabjoo (1959)
Yaden(1961)
Bint-e-Lamhaat(1969)
Naya Ahang (1977)
Sar-o-Samaan (1983)
Play
Sabrang (1948)- a one verse play.
Translation and Compilation by others
Zamistan Sard Mehrika (URDU)- Last Poetic Collection of an unforgettable Urdu poet. Compiled and edited by Sultana Iman and Bedar Bakht.
Query of the Road - Selected Poems of Akhtar-ul-Iman with Extensive Commentary by Baidar Bakht
His contribution to Hindi cinema is quite significant keeping in view the number of landmark and hit movies he has contributed to as a script writer (dialogue, story and screenplay). His first landmark movie was Kanoon, which became a big hit of its time. Kanoon became a hit despite the fact that it had no songs or comedy sequences, this achievement remains unparalleled in Hindi cinema. His other important movies where he contributed as a script writer are Dharmputra (1961), for which he received filmfare award, Gumrah, Waqt, Patther ke Sanam, Daagh.
He wrote few lyrics for Hindi cinema, and the one movie which has his lyrics written by him is Bikhare Moti.
Awards
Literary awards
1962: Sahitya Akademi Award - Urdu: Yadein (Poetry)
Iqbal Samman
and Numerous other literary awards.
Filmfare Award
1963: Best Dialogue: Dharmputra[7]
1966: Best Dialogue: Waqt
Filmography
Chor Police (1983) - writer
Lahu Pukarega (1980) -
Chandi Sona (1977) - writer
Zameer (1975) - writer
36 Ghante (1974) - writer
Roti (1974) - writer
Naya Nasha (1973) - writer
Bada Kabutar (1973) - writer
Daag (1973) - writer
Dhund (1973) - writer
Joshila (1973) - writer
Kunwara Badan (1973) - writer
Dastaan (1972) - writer
Joroo Ka Ghulam (1972) - writer
Aadmi Aur Insaan (1969) - writer
Chirag (1969) - writer
Ittefaq (1969) - writer
Aadmi (1968) - writer
Hamraaz (1967) - writer
Patthar Ke Sanam (1967) - writer
Gaban (1966) - writer
Mera Saaya (1966) - writer
Phool Aur Patthar (1966) - writer
Bhoot Bungla (1965) - writer
Waqt (1965) - writer
Shabnam (1964) - writer
Yaadein (1964) - writer
Aaj Aur Kal (1963) - writer
Akeli Mat Jaiyo (1963) - writer
Gumrah (1963) - writer
Neeli Aankhen (1962) - writer
Dharmputra (1961) - writer
Flat No. 9 (1961) - writer
Barood (1960) - writer
Kalpana (1960) - writer
Kanoon (1960) - writer
Nirdosh (1950) - writer
Actress (1948) - writer
Jharna (1948) - writer
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