Born Sampooran Singh in Deena, in the Jhelum District in Pakistan, he came to Delhi after the partition during independence as a poet. He joined Bimal Roy Productions in 1961 and got his first break as a lyricist writing for Bimal Roy’s Bandini (1963). The success of this film made him Bimalda’s full-time assistant and got him writing for films by acclaimed directors like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Asit Sen. Some of the films he has written include Anand (1971), Guddi (1971), Bawarchi (1972), and Namak Haraam (1973) for Mukherjee; and Do Dooni Char (1968), Khamoshi (1969), and Safar (1970) for Sen.

Gulzar made his directorial debut with Mere Apne (1971). Based on Tapan Sinha’s “Apanjan,” the film looks at an old woman (played by Meena Kumari) caught between two street gangs of unemployed and frustrated youths. He then went on to make Parichay (1972) (loosely based on The Sound of Music (1965)) and Koshish (1972), which gave a superb look at the trials of a deaf and dumb couple (played by Jaya Bhaduri and Sanjeev Kumar). From this film came a mutually beneficial partnership with Kumar, which resulted in fine films like Mausam (1975), Angoor (1982)_, Namkeen (1982), and the classic film Aandhi (1975), which had been banned for a while. However, Gulzar didn’t always depend on Sanjeev Kumar: the stars of the time, such as Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna, and Hema Malini, worked with him in unglamorous roles and gave some of their best and introspective performances in films like Achanak (1973), Khushboo (1975), and Kinara (1977).

Musically, Gulzar was unbeatable. Being a lyricist and collaborating with film composers, he always had a high quality of music in his films, especially with Rahul Dev Burman. And while Burman became a pop icon with his tunes from Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) and Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin (1977), he also gave Gulzar classic pieces with which to work in Khushboo (1975) and Ijaazat (1987).

Sadly, the 1980s and 1990s saw a decline in Gulzar the director, and although films such as Lekin… (1990) and Maachis (1996) had their moments, his last film to date, Hu Tu Tu (1999), was a misfire. However, he tried his hand at television with the much acclaimed television film Mirza Ghalib (1988) (TV). Made about the poet’s life and starring Naseeruddin Shah in the title role, the serial was a landmark in Indian Television. Gulzar has also directed documentaries on Amjad Khan and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi as well as “Shaira,” a film based on Meena Kumari. He has also turned his creativity into other channels–he has written screenplays for films like Masoom (1983) and Rudaali (1993), and has written the lyrics for films like Dil Se.. (1998) and Saathiya (2002)

As Director :

1. Hu Tu Tu (1999) (as Gulzar)
2. Maachis (1996) (as Gulzar)
3. Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (1992)
4. Ustad Amjad Ali Khan (1990)
5. Libaas (1988) (as Gulzar)
6. Mirza Ghalib (1988) (TV)
7. Ijaazat (1987) (as Gulzar)
8. Ek Akar (1985)
9. Aika (1984)
10. Suniye (1984)
11. Angoor (1982) (as Gulzar)
12. Namkeen (1982) (as Gulzar)
13. Sahira (1980)
14. Meera (1979) (as Gulzar)
15. Kitaab (1977) (as Gulzar)
16. Kinara (1977) (as Gulzar)
17. Mausam (1975) (as Gulzar)
18. Khushboo (1975) (as Gulzar)
19. Aandhi (1975) (as Gulzar)
20. Achanak (1973) (as Gulzar)
21. Parichay (1972) (as Gulzar)
22. Koshish (1972) (as Gulzar)
23. Mere Apne (1971) (as Gulzar)

As Producer :

1. Kitaab (1977) (producer) (as Gulzar)
2. Kinara (1977) (producer) (as Gulzar)

As writer :

1. Dus Kahaniyaan (2007) (post-production) (dialogue) (story) (screenplay)
2. Saathiya (2002) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
3. Hu Tu Tu (1999) (written by) (as Gulzar)
4. Chachi 420 (1998) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
5. Maachis (1996) (written by) (as Gulzar)
6. Rudaali (1993) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (script) (as Gulzar)
7. Mirza Ghalib (1988) (TV)
8. Ijaazat (1987) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
9. Zevar (1987) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
10. Ek Pal (1986) (dialogue) (screenplay)
11. New Delhi Times (1986)
12. Masoom (1983)
13. Angoor (1982) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
14. Namkeen (1982) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (written by) (as Gulzar)
15. Baseraa (1981) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
16. Khubsoorat (1980) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
17. Griha Pravesh (1979) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (script) (as Gulzar)
18. Meera (1979) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
19. Devata (1978) (written by) (as Gulzar)
20. Kitaab (1977) (as Gulzar)
21. Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein (1977) (written by) (as Gulzar)
22. Jallian Wala Bagh (1977) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
23. Mausam (1975) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar) (written by) (as Gulzar)
24. Faraar (1975) (written by) (as Gulzar)
25. Khushboo (1975) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (written by) (as Gulzar)
26. Aandhi (1975) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
27. Chupke Chupke (1975) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
28. Namak Haraam (1973) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
29. Achanak (1973) (written by) (as Gulzar)
30. Parichay (1972) (written by) (as Gulzar)
31. Bawarchi (1972) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
32. Haar Jeet (1972) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
33. Koshish (1972) (written by) (as Gulzar)
34. Anand (1971) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar)
35. Guddi (1971) (dialogue) (as Gulzar) (screenplay) (as Gulzar) (story) (as Gulzar)
36. Mere Apne (1971) (written by) (as Gulzar)
37. Khamoshi (1969) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
38. Aashirwad (1968) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
39. Sunghursh (1968) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)
40. Shagird (1967) (dialogue) (as Gulzar)

As Actor :

1. Raincoat (2004) (voice) (as Gulzar)
2. Jallian Wala Bagh (1977)

As Soundtrack :

1. Om Shanti Om (2007) (lyrics: “Deeewangi Deewangi”)
2. Jhoom Barabar Jhoom (2007) (lyrics: “Jhoom Barabar Jhoom”, “Jhoom”, “JBJ”, “Ticket to Hollywood”, “Kiss of Love”, “Bol Na Halke Halke”)
3. Guru (2007) (lyrics: “Barso Re”, “Ay Hairathe”, “Jaage Rahe”, “Ek Lo Ek Muft”, “Maiyya Maiyya”, “Tere Bin”, “Baazi Laga”, “Shauk Hai”, “Dhoom Dhamaka”)
4. Paheli (2005) (lyrics: “Dhire Jalna”, “Kangana Re”, “Khaali Hai Tere Bina”, “Phir Raat Kati”, “Minnat Kare”, “Laaga Re Jal Laaga”)
5. Bunty Aur Babli (2005) (lyrics: “Thadak Thadak”, “Chup Chup Ke”, “Nach Baliye”, “Bunty Aur Babli”, “Kajra Re”.)
6. Saathiya (2002) (lyrics: “Saathiya”, “Aye Udi Udi”, “Chhalka Chhalka Re”, “Chupke Se”, “Mera Yaar Mila De”, “O Humdum Soniyo Re”, “Naina Milaike”, “Mangalyam”, “Chori Pe Chori”)
7. Fiza (2000) (lyrics: “Aaja Mahiya”, “Tu Fiza Hai”, “Na Leke Jao”)
8. Dil Se.. (1998) (lyrics: “Chal Chaiyya Chaiyya”, “Thaiyya Thaiyya”, “Jiya Jale, Jaan Chale”, “Dil Se Re”, “E Ajnabi”, “Satrangi Re”)
9. Maya (1993) (lyrics: “Ek Haseen Nigah Ka (F)”, “Khud Se Baatein”, “Ye Shahar Bada”, “O Dil Banjare”, “Ek Haseen Nigah Ka (M)”, “Mere Sarhane Jalao Sapne”, “Chayya Jagi”)
10. Mirza Ghalib (1988) (TV) (performer: “Ibteda”)
11. Khubsoorat (1980) (lyrics: “Sun Sun Sun Didi Tere Liye Ek Rishta Aaya Hai”, “Kayda Kayda (Kaayada Kaayada)”, “Piya Banwari”, “Sa(a)re Niyam Tod Do”)
12. Parichay (1972) (lyrics: “Beeti Na Bitai Raina”)
13. Anand (1971) (lyrics: “Maine tere liye hi saat rang ke sapne”, “Na jiya laage na”)
14. Khamoshi (1969) (lyrics: “Tum Pukar Lo, Tumhara Intezar Hai”, “Woh Shaam Kuch Ajeeb Thi”)