Gulzar, originally named as Sampooran Singh Kalra, was born on 18th August 1936. However, Sampooran Singh Kalra preferred to use his pen name - Gulzar - right through his life. Gulzar is a multi dimensional character with immense contribution in the field of poems, lyrics, films and film making. He mainly writes in Urdu language and Hindi language and has also written in Punjabi language and many other dialects of Hindi language such as Braj Bhasha dialect, Khariboli dialect, Haryanvi dialect and Marwari dialect.

Early Life of Gulzar
Gulzar was born in the Kalra Arora Sikh family, in Dina, a small village in Jhelum District, during the rule of British Empire in India, which is now in Pakistan. His father was Makhan Singh Kalra and mother was Sujan Kaur. Before he became a well-known writer, Sampooran (Gulzar) worked in Delhi as a car mechanic in a garage. When he started out, he received many types of flaks from his relatives and from his father who discouraged him to become writer. He started his career as poet for PWA. But he had confidence and took the pen name of Gulzar Deenvi after becoming an author.

Literary Works of Gulzar
Gulzar exposed in Indian literary circle as a poet, lyrists, dramatist and also director. He also wrote screenplays for many films in Bollywood industry like Aashirwad, Anand, Khamoshi.

Gulzar as a Director
Gulzar directed his first film Mere Apne in 1968, and later produced and directed the films Khushboo (1975), Kitaab (1977) and Kinara (1977), Meera (1979), and Namkeen (1982).

Gulzar as a Screenplay writer
Other films that bear Gulzar`s trademark scripts and dialogues are Safar (1970) on the courage of a man dying of cancer, Gharonda (1977), Khatta Meetha (1977), Angoor (1981), Masoom (1982), Ijaazat (1987), and Lekin (1990). He also wrote for the television serial Mirza Ghalib (1988).

Gulzar as a Lyricist
His lyrics for the award-winning film Rudaali (1993) are as popular as those for Maachis (1994) - on the insurgency problem of Punjab. Hu Tu Tu (1998) is on the making of a politician, is his last film, and equal to the others - superb in direction, dialogue, and performance. As a lyricist, Gulzar is popularly known for his association with music director Rahul Dev Burman, A. R. Rahman and Vishal Bhardwaj. He also worked with other leading Bollywood music composers including Sachin Dev Burman, Salil Chowdhury, Shankar Jaikishan, Hemanta Kumar Mukhopadhyay, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Madan Mohan, Rajesh Roshan, Anu Malik, and Shankar Ehsaan Loy. In the year 1963, he wrote lyrics for the film Bandini which Bimal Roy directed. And then he went on to write scripts and lyrics for Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Basu Chatterjee, Asit Sen, Buddhadev Dasgupta, and Kumar Shahani. In the years of 2000"s, he gave the lyrics in some of the Bollywood movies like Zindagi Zindabad, Fiza, Aks, Asoka, Dedh Ishqiya, Shoebite, Ek Thi Daayan, Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola, Kya Dilli Kya Lahore, Happi / SRK (Hindi dubbed version), Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Chala Mussaddi... Office Office, Teen Thay Bhai, Noukadubi / Kashmakash (Hindi dubbed version), 7 Khoon Maaf,Striker, "Yun Hua", Ishqiya, Veer, Raajneeti, Dus Tola, Kaminey, Firaaq, Billu, Slumdog Millionaire, Yuvvraaj,Dum Kaata, No Smoking ,Shafaq, Just Married, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, Guru and many other films.

Poems of Gulzar
The poems written by Gulzar are partially published in three compilations called, Chand Pukhraaj Ka, Raat Pashminey Ki and Pandrah Paanch Pachattar (15-05-75). The short stories written by him are also published in Raavi-paar (also known as Dustkhat in Pakistan) and Dhuan (smoke).

Gulzar as a Television Personality
Gulzar also worked for TV by creating series Mirza Ghalib and Tahreer Munshi Premchand ki and many others, that are telecasted in Doordarshan. He wrote lyrics for several Doordarshan serials including Hello Zindagi, Potli Baba ki and Jungle Book.

Apart from writing lyrics, he also greatly contributed too many films as script writer, dialogue and story writer. The films that were directed by Gulzar also won many awards and received critical acclaim. All of Gulzar`s films testify to the powerful, deft handling of this master of his art.

Awards Received by Gulzar
In the year 2004, for his contribution to the arts, Gulzar was awarded the Padma Bhushan and Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002. Apart from this, this versatile man of literature has also won numerous awards like National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards.

In the year 2009, he also won Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Jai Ho" in the film Slumdog Millionaire (2008). On 31st January 2010, the same song also won Grammy Award in genre of Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. In the year 2012, he was also awarded the prestigious Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration. He also received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest award of the Indian cinema in the year 2013. On 3 May 2014, Gulzar was awarded as the 61st National Film Awards.

Personal Life of Gulzar
Gulzar is married to Bollywood actress Raakhee and the couple have a daughter named Meghna Gulzar who is a film director my profession. The couple separated (but did not get divorced) when Meghna was one year old.