Penguin Masters

Alpha and Beta

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This beautifully curated two-volume set brings together Gulzar’s most loved film lyrics and his quietly luminous non-film poems—offering readers an intimate journey through more than five decades of one of India’s most distinctive creative voices.

From ‘Mora gora ang lai le’, his first film lyric for Bandini (1963), to the global resonance of ‘Jai ho’ from Slumdog Millionaire, Gulzar’s writing has continually redefined the emotional and poetic possibilities of popular Hindi cinema. Marked by psychological depth, a rare sensitivity to nature and spoken dialects, and imagery that surprises even as it feels instantly familiar, these songs have shaped the soundscape of generations.

Alpha gathers a hundred of his most celebrated film compositions, enriched with personal anecdotes on how the lyrics came into being and accompanied by Gulzar’s own evocative sketches—offering rare glimpses into the creative process behind some of Indian cinema’s most enduring songs.

Beta expands the canvas—from early classics and timeless favourites to later chart-toppers—while also bringing together a remarkable selection of poems from Gulzar’s non-film albums, revealing a quieter, more intimate register of his art.

Together, these two volumes form a definitive collector’s edition—an essential tribute to a poet whose words continue to sing long after the music fades.