Premchand brought to life

Lyricist-poet Gulzar was in the capital on Friday to launch the DVDs of Godan and Nirmala from his 26-episode 2004 TV serial called Tehreer...Munshi Premchand Ki  on Doordarshan. Doordarshan has brought out these iconic novels from the Indian classical literature in a contemporary format. 

Commenting on Premchand’s works during the launch Gulzar said, ‘I adapted most of Premchand’s books for the screen because the author is utterly close to my heart. I met Premchand during three stages of my life. I met him first in school when I read Hajj-E-Akbar and Idgah. I could very well relate to the story of ‘Idgah’ because I had seen my mother making chapatis in the tandoor and her hands used to get blistered.’ 

The director said that the second time he met Premchand was when he was in college. He said, ‘I started relating with the sociopolitical scenario of society. Last, I met him was when I became a director. I adored the way how beautifully he used to bring out the small nuances of our day-to-day lives.’ 

The 79-year-old director who started off his film career with director Bimal Roy’s Bandini said that films today should not be blamed for the evils of the society. He also commented on the art of cinema and said that cinema is the mirror of the society. 

Nothing goes to society from cinema.  Cinema, in turn, presents the violence that occurs society in a loud way to provide a message with the help of background music.

Gulzar also said that literature cannot be a reformer; it can only remind of or record the past era.