This story is about a person whose fame was so great that once he was traveling to Ludhiana by car, accompanied by the renowned Hindi-Urdu storyteller Krishan Chander. When the car reached Shivpuri, some people were standing on the road who signaled the car to stop. The car stopped, and shortly after, some other people armed with large guns surrounded the car. They ordered them to get out of the car. Krishan Chander and the person whose story is being told both got out and were immediately held hostage.
Afterward, they were taken to a deserted place. After some time, a tall man appeared—with white hair and a white beard and mustache, wearing a bullet belt from shoulder to waist, and holding a gun. This was Man Singh, a famous dacoit of that era, also known as the Bandit Emperor. Several films were later made about this dacoit.
Dacoit Man Singh asked, 'Who are you people?' Krishan Chander replied, 'Brother, I am a writer, I write stories.' Man Singh made a strange face and then looked at the other person, 'Who are you?' That person said, 'Sir, I... I am a poet and I write songs for films.'
Man Singh asked, 'Oh? Which film songs have you written?' The poet replied, 'Sir, I have written for many films, but seven or eight years ago in 1963, a film came out—'Mujhe Jeene Do' (Let Me Live), maybe you saw it.' Man Singh confirmed, 'That... the one with Sunil Dutt where he played the dacoit?' The poet nodded in affirmation.
The poet further said, 'Yes, that was based on us, and it had that song... very wonderful. Oh, what was it... yes—'Tere Bachpan Ko Jawani Ki Dua Deti Hoon, Aur Dua De Kar Pareshan Si Ho Jaati Hoon.' Sahir completed the verse with a smile: 'Mere Munne Mere Guldaar Ke Nanhe Paudhe – Tujhko Halaat Ki Aandhi Se Bachane Ke Liye Aaj Main Pyaar Ke Aanchal Mein Chupa Leti Hoon – Kal Ye Kamzor Sahara Bhi Na Haasil Hoga. Kal Tujhe Kaaton Bhari Raah Pe Chalna Hoga... Zindagani Ki Kadi Dhoop Mein Jalna Hoga. Tere Bachpan Ko Jawani Ki Dua Deti Hoon, Aur Dua De Ke Pareshan Si Ho Jaati Hoon.'
In an interview with Krishan Chander, it is mentioned that upon hearing this, Dacoit Man Singh sat down next to him, held his hand, and asked, 'Are you Sahir Ludhianvi?' He nodded in agreement, and Dacoit Man Singh hugged him. He hosted a feast and requested his companions to safely take him to Ludhiana. This incident is how the story of Sahir Ludhianvi and his two hundred rupees came to be known in Storybox.
Sahir Ludhianvi's life also had countless anecdotes without a happy ending. For example, in 1934, in a Lahore court, an eight-to-thirteen-year-old boy named Abdul Hai was standing in the dock. The judge was asking him whether he wanted to live with his father or his mother.
The father, Chaudhary Fazal Mohammad, was a wealthy landlord of Ludhiana, and Sahir's mother, Sardar Begum, was his eleventh wife. After Sahir's birth, the mother wanted Chaudhary Sahib to accept their relationship, but Chaudhary was not ready for it. Consequently, the mother and son were separated, after which Chaudhary Sahib filed a custody case for the son in the Lahore court.
And the day came when the judge asked the child which he wanted to live with. On one side was Chaudhary Sahib, who had immense wealth and facilities; on the other side was the mother, whose life was filled with hardship, hunger, scarcity, and humiliation. What that child said in court is the day Abdul Hai became 'Sahir Ludhianvi'. He said that he did not want his father's wealth; he wanted to stay with his mother.
He did not leave his mother's side, and fate supported him. Time changed, and when the boy grew up, he reached heights as a poet and lyricist that very few people could reach. But the anecdote being told today is an interesting episode narrated by Javed Akhtar.
Javed Akhtar states that when he was struggling, Sahir Sahab was already famous. Yet, Javed Sahab met Sahir Sahab because Javed Sahab's father, Jaan Nisar Akhtar, knew Sahir. Sahir lived in seven bungalows in Varsova, Andheri, one of which was 'Chinoy Niwas.'
Sometimes, two or three times a month, in the evening, Javed Sahab would go to his place. Although Javed Sahab's situation was not very good at that time—he slept in the studio premises, not at home—Sahir Sahab met him due to his family background or his talent. He would recite his writings to him and give his opinion without any hesitation, such as, 'Brother, if you do this something like this...' Then he would ask, 'Why isn't it right?' Imagine, how big a person was talking to a young, inexperienced person, and he became a guru. He never took Javed Sahab's name, always calling him 'young man,' 'Come, young man...' Well, those were the days.
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