PESHAWAR: Veteran lyricist and film script writer Saeed Gilani breathed his last here on Monday owing to multiple health complications. He was 83.

He left behind a son and two daughters and grandchildren. He was laid to rest the same day. His funeral prayers were offered in tehsil Gor Khatri near his residence in Peshawar city. Local poets, lyricists and notables attended his funeral.

Saeed Gilani launched his writing career way back in 1975 by penning down songs, dialogues and screen plays of Urdu and Pashto films titled ‘Dulhan Ek Raat Kee’ and it was followed by another double version Urdu/Pashto movie ‘Cheekh’ released in 1977. He shifted to Lahore in early 70s from Peshawar to serve film industry.

Mr Gilani’s contribution to film industry spanned over four decades. He wrote songs and scripts for around 80 Urdu, 50 Punjabi and 10 Pashto movies. Urdu movie ‘Janoon-i-Ishq’ released in 2018 was scripted by him. However, it proved his last attempt.

Among numerous of his songs, ‘Sona Na Chaandi Na Koye Mahal/ Jaane Man Tuj to Mai Day Sankonga’ is still on the lips of many.

Singers Mehdi Hassan, Ghulam Ali, Nassebu Lal, Noor Jahan, Ahmad Rushdi and Naheed Akhtar had sung Mr Gilan’s numbers. He had over 150 hit songs in 200 movies including Urdu, Punjabi and Pashto as he had a mastery over song and script writing.

Published in Dawn, April 6th, 2021