The Tragic Genius of Shailendra, Hindi Song Lyricist

​In this episode we discuss Shailendra - the prodigious film lyricist who wrote some of the biggest hit songs in 1950s and 1960s. Even Gulzar considers him the best lyricist of the Hindi film industry. ​We play our favorite songs and discuss why we think they are great. We also cover the interesting life story of Shailendra and his rise to stardom - and his venture into filmmaking. ​In this baithak (salon) series on South Asian Music, Poetry, Film & Literature, Anurag Wadehra & Harish Saluja explore significant people and stories that have shaped the fusion of music, poetry, film and literature into the unique khichdi of South Asian culture.   About the hosts:Anurag Wadehra, after graduating from IIT, took a scenic tour through tech entrepreneurship - ending up in some weird places - but the view was always good. He has many creative itches that he scratches once in a while. ​Creative Works: Play, Documentary, Poetry Translation (audio) ​Link: www.anuragwadehra.com ​Harish Saluja, after graduating from IIT, took a wrong turn and ended up chasing Art, Film and Music, thereby ruining his life instead of making money. ​Link : www.harishsaluja.com ​