Writing the Right Message

Creative art is that part of our life, which often acts as a healer, soother, motivator and much more. But when you write for the movies you need to send out a social message for millenials, argues Dr. Sunil Jogi of Thackeray title track fame.

Thackarey, a recently released biopic on late Shiv Sena supreme Bala Saheb Thackarey, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, caught attention of millions. So did Sunil for the title track –“Aaya re Thackarey”.

Sharing his experience Sunil voices, “I was very excited. The reason being, I met Bala Saheb Thackarey in the past and he had also released my book. It was a great opportunity for me to write a song on this iconic leader. And till date, the title track of this movie has reached to 8.5 million views and it makes me feel good that this song is getting appreciation and I am thankful to Sanjay Raut Ji for this opportunity.”

He feels the big challenge is to write lyrics that are authentic and new and have not been used earlier. “It has to be fresh and new.  I really like the lyrics of the song “Aaj se teri” from the movie Padman. It’s really new and creative and sends a social message to the audience. I have been trying to add newness to my work,” he explains.

Be it any creative form, it teaches us to be a better person. But, the one gifted with many talents, can often be considered an inspiration for all. Sunil has never craved for the spotlight, while he enjoys it all. An author, lyricist, poet of comic verses and the ex-chairman of Hindustani Academy, a post holding the rank of a Minister of State, Uttar Pradesh, Sunil is extremely modest about his work.

He has authored over 100 books and honoured with Padmashri, the fourth highest Indian civilian award in 2015. He presides over a renowned non-profit organisation in Delhi promoting sustainable education in rural areas.

His journey has been visionary for many but his own journey and struggle are not known to the masses.

Talkneration. When you are devoted to something, and are passionate about what you do, it surely gets acknowledged and should be the source of your income. With this ideology, I pursued my career as a writer. I got paid for what I wrote. I feel blessed that people recognise my talent and like my poems and writings.  There are many people who have the skill and talent but are not as fortunate to pursue their talent due to their profession. I am lucky.”

Having authored more than 100 books is no joke. This author is all praises for prominent writers. He says, “I like reading a lot. I have read the best works of the vogue writers. If someone has written a novel, I admire it and try to understand why it is the best of his/her work. I adore Gulzar Sahab and Javed Akhtar Sahab and truly admire their work. Bashir Badr is one of my favourite poets.

“I enjoy humourists like Gopaldas Neeraj.  I have worked with many poets and writers and have shared the stage with them as well. I always tried to learn from them.

It is interesting to figure out why some poets and writers have failed, despite their best efforts. It’s a learning process for me”

An author’s style can be liked by many. But just imagine, if someone writes the same things in the same style for over 30 years won’t it be boring and dull? It happened with Sunil as well.

He confesses, “Yes, over the years my writing style had to be changed radically. Earlier, I wasn’t writing professionally. But now I have to adopt the new writing style based on the need of the hour. Now, I write according to the demand of the audience. If I am writing a song for a film, for example, then it has to be according to a certain theme of the film. If I am writing for an album, I need to understand the concept of the album and then give lyrics accordingly. For stage performances, it has to be to the expectation of the live audience, which is also a very challenging part. You have to write the way an audience could relate to.  I think it is a process of polishing yourself every day.  I am not saying I am perfect in any manner, but I am practicing towards perfection.”

Being in the industry long enough, one learns to accept whatever comes in the way. Talking about his learning from phases of his life he shares, “I have refined myself. Earlier, I was writing rough notes. Now I am writing on demand and understand exactly how to write with a sharp and fast tone. Because when you write for a film it ought to be based on the director’s story and if you give liberty to your thoughts then the song will go out of context from its perspective. I have to write according to the story.”

Born on January 1, 1971 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Sunil secured his master’s and doctoral degrees in Hindi literature. This 48 year old has set a mark in various industries and is definitely here to stay.

However, it’s true that in every creative artist’s life there comes a situation when he or she feels low, dejected and wants to leave the path. Luckily, this multi-talented person has a different story to enact. He claims to have sailed through, never having to face such a phase. Moreover, he shares a different ideology altogether.

“Whatever I have written has been accepted and my work has not faced any rejection so far. That’s what made me realise I am on the right direction. My writings get accepted as they are, even when commissioned. Maybe, I am capable of understanding the demand of the story or the audience. When I wrote the title track of Thackarey, it was accepted as it was,” he recalls, adding, “Moreover, if your work gets rejected by someone, it doesn't mean you failed. It only means you have done your bit of work. If the other person didn’t like it, then it was not your fault.  It’s about perspective and choice,” he concludes.