Salahiyat, launched by the South Asia Research Centre in 1922, focuses on the rich cultural heritage of undivided Punjab. It is rare indeed to pass from life to legend but not unfeasible. And then there are some legends that make a home for themselves forever in human memory for all times. And this weekend the focus is on a great literary, journalistic and cinematic legend born in Panipat, Abbas, of course. His immense contribution has once again been brought back to mind by a literary online journal called ‘Salahiyat’, an Urdu word for a natural gift in a given field. The journal, which is circulated in English, Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi, has as its chief editor a dedicated former educationist, Sunil Kumar Bhatia. The September edition of the journal is dedicated to none other than Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, who made great contributions to myriad cultural fields.
It all started with Awara in 1951. Abbas penned the story as well as the screenplay in 1951, and what followed was a grand author partnership. This was followed by Shree 420 in 1955, the story of a poor man who comes to the city with dreams but is caught in intrigue and the underworld even though he is in love with a school teacher played by Nargis. Mera Naam Joker (1970) was yet another film in which the two collaborated and which won over audiences. He began his journey as a scribe while studying law at Aligarh Muslim University, when he launched a paper called ‘Aligarh Opinion’ in 1934.
The most exciting and fruitful results were to follow in the collaboration that happened between Abbas as the writer and Raj Kapoor, which led to some of the most memorable romantic hits of Bollywood. The film became a great hit in India and abroad, more so in Russia. The Kapoor and Nargis romance was at its height, and the film was once again a great hit at home and abroad. Its songs are sung to date, and the number ‘Pyar hua iqrar hua’ is still not forgotten. It was the joint magic that was a great success in launching Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia in the blockbuster Bobby. It was a long partnership, with the two creating magic together. Certainly, he was no island, for he was a pioneering Indian journalist who was someone to read and admire, and his journalism had a lasting impact. It was described as the first university weekly.
In 1935, he joined The Bombay Chronicle, working as a reporter, sub-editor and finally as the editor of the Sunday edition till the independence of India. His iconic column, ‘The Last Page’, moved from The Bombay Chronicle to Blitz, where it continued under the title ‘The Last Page’ and ran continuously from 1935 until his passing in 1987. After leaving the university, he joined the Delhi-based newspaper — National Call. No one has yet broken this record, and a salute indeed to people like him who came before us.
