Balraj Sahni was, the man of theatre. The episode you are listening is an essay written by Shri Balraj Sahni titled 'Kalakar Janmjaat Hota Hai Banta Hai?' (Artists - Born or made?). 

He is considered to be one of the most important actors of the Golden Era of Indian cinema. Sahni was praised for his natural acting style and his ability to portray a wide range of emotions. He was also one of the first actors to experiment with method acting in India.

Some of his most memorable works include the films Garam Hawa (Hot Winds, 1944), Do Bigha Zamin (A Piece of Land, 1953), and Kabuliwala (The Kabuliwala, 1957). Garam Hawa was the first Indian film to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival, and Do Bigha Zamin was India’s first submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

A fascinating short story 'Sahir aur Jaadu' from the inimitable Gulzar Saab. Sahir And Jaadu is a story taken from a collection of stories by Gulzar, which is about famous film persona from Mumbai - poets Javed Akhtar whom they called Jaadu (magic), and their friend Sahir Ludhianavi (magician). Interesting, and with twists at the end to give one a pause if not a tear.

The story is about those two poets and friends and other film persona involved - Jaan Nisaar Akhtar, the father of Javed Akhtar (Jaadu) and the years of the latter's youth when he was on a warpath with the famous father, and took refuge often with Sahir who was friend of both.

I am fortunate enough to meet Imorz at Amrita Pritam's residence in the year 2011, when I was working on a theatrical production based on Amrita ji's life. In this episode, I am sharing my personal experience and some notes from a conversation with Imroz. 

As death stared at Amrita, she wrote her touching swan song, Main tainu pher milaangi (I will meet you again)’, to Imroz, taking their love onto a cosmic plane for an eternal reunion. If Imroz went out even to fetch her a glass of water, she would call out a line of a Punjabi folk verse: Maradi nu chhad ke na jaayin mittara (Don’t leave a dying woman, my friend!). Main Tainu Pher Milaangi is now considered one of the most intense love poems written by Amrita Pritam for a tie that even death could not do apart.

Listen to the finale episode of Amrita Pritam series on my Podcast 'Qisse Kahaniyan with Abhinay Banker'.