Today marks legendary poet, Faiz Ahmad Faiz's birthday. Up until today, he is quoted when it comes to free speech all the way to love. He was not just a celebrated writer and poet in literature, but he has also been described as "a man of wide experience" having been a teacher, an army officer, a journalist, a trade unionist and a broadcaster.
Among other accolades, Faiz was nominated for Nobel Prize in Literature and won the Lenin Peace Prize.
We commemorate the poet with some of our favourites by him.
Here, the poet himself reads out his works:
Naseeruddin Shah reads out another gem by Faiz here:
Our all time favourite by him, that Nayyara Noor sang for the OST for PTV's drama, Dhoop Kinaray
Mujhse Pehli Si Mohabbat - another favourite of ours, was made famous - or should we say even more famous when Madam Noorjehan sang it. Faiz has been quoted saying, "Woh geet ab mera kahan, Noor Jehan ka ho gaya hai.”
One of our favourite ways to remember the poet over the years has been one instance, when Chand Roz Aur Meri Jaan – A dramatised reading of Faiz's letter and letters written by his wife Alys Faiz was made into a production at the start of his birth centenary celebrations at India Habitat Center, New Delhi by Danish Iqbal and Salima Raza.
He will always be remembered, not just on this day, but most days as a legend.