Lyricist-poet Israhim Ashq’s passing away made a small headline : he died of Covid related complications on on 16 January, thereby putting a closure to a bright career as a lyricist that never really took off in Bollywood.
Writer-filmmaker Rumi Jafrey says it had to do with Ashq (real name Ibrahim Khan Ghauri) and his lack of networking skills. “Ibrahim Ashq wrote such hit songs for Rakesh Roshan’s films, and still there was no real demand for his poetry in Bollywood! Issko aap kya kahenge? Bud-kismati ya budtameezi(what would you call this? Bad luck or bad attitude?). Ibrahim used to come home to meet my father . They used to host goshti(poetry sessions) together.He was a passionate artiste. Bollywood had no respect for his passion.”
Rumi compares Ibrahim to poet-lyricist Yogesh Gaud. “Itna saral aur sundar likhte the dono(they both wrote so simply and beautifully). Yet the average Hindi music listener would be puzzled by their names.”
Ibrahim Ashq was originally from the same town Badnagar in Madhya Pradesh as Kavi Pradeep
Music composer Rajesh Roshan was the only prominent composer to work with Ibrahim Ashq repeatedly.
Says Rajesh Roshan, “Ibrahim Ashqji had written quite a few songs for me in Kaho Na…Pyar Hai, Aap Mujhe Achche Lagane Lage , Koi Mil Gaya and Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche. Most of them became hits.He always wore a smiling face and took up all the challenges that came across for writing lyrics to my tunes .Going by the high caliber of his poetry he should have been writing for many many big films It is sad to know he’s no more with us for he was very close to my heart and I shall miss him forever .”
Adds Rakesh Roshan, “Ibrahim was a very simple person and his simplicity came across in his lyrics conveying difficult thoughts in simple words. May his soul rest in peace.”
